This is a story that begins in 1964. A lot of it is a tribute to the
fond memories I have of growing up in the 60's and my lifelong
fascination with the Beatles. Of course, it involves our favorite
couple, and I hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoy writing it. It
is rated PG-13. (sorry about the non existing italics, it's a
real pain!) I hope to post the next chapter later this week. A
special thanks to my truly fabulous beta, Grace, who is the best!

Thanks,

Julie



Chapter 1


Rock n' roll music blasted through the school's tinny PA
system, while couples on the polished dance floor feverishly twisted
and gyrated to the rhythms of the drums and the riffs of the electric
guitars. Some of the more outlandish dancers fancied themselves
better than the rest, worthy even of "American Bandstand."
Others prided themselves on superiority based on their current level
of education and social background. Finally, there were the many
that didn't care about either of these things. They were there
to have fun and enjoy themselves on a Friday night through friendly
dancing and making new acquaintances.

Elizabeth Bennet was enjoying her first social mixer. Her older
sister, Jane, was a sophomore at Longbourn College, a small private
girls' liberal arts school. Jane had attended a few of these
socials before. She invited her sister, Elizabeth, who was almost 18
and a senior in high school, to come with her this time as a treat.
Their family lived nearby in the town of Meryton and Elizabeth was
going to spend the night with Jane on campus in her dormitory.
Mixers allowed students of the numerous small colleges in the area to
meet other college students, particularly of the opposite sex. One
of the more notable schools drafted for this particular mixer was the
nearby Ivy League school, Princeton University. Princeton was known
to be one of the most prestigious universities in the country, but
more importantly it was also known to attract the kind of rich,
smart, handsome men that the girls of Longbourn strived to meet. It
also had its share of ne'er do well playboys, who were only too
happy to meet the eager coeds.

Standing beside each other against a wall, the two sisters sipped
their Cokes and soaked up the lively atmosphere of the mixer. Jane,
a consummate beauty, was the essence of simplicity and elegance with
her long, naturally blonde hair worn in a flip style. She wore just
a hint of pink lipstick and black mascara, accentuating the color of
her sky blue eyes. Wearing a gift brought back from Bermuda by her
family's dear friends, the Gardiners, she was dressed in a plaid
skirt and matching pink cashmere sweater set. Completing the outfit,
was the pearl necklace she received as a high school graduation
present. Her sister, Elizabeth, was almost a complete opposite. Her
wavy, long chestnut colored hair was worn sweetly tied back with a
trailing white ribbon. Large, blue eyes framed with thick dark
lashes made her eyes all the more distinctive. Petite compared to
Jane, Elizabeth wore her favorite red cotton dress; its long sleeves
and Peter Pan collar were simple, but outlined her girlish figure
nicely.

Lizzy, as she was affectionately known as by her friends and family,
tended to find the humor in and about everything around her. Her
eyes traveled over the cavernous room, taking in the exuberant
dancing of the young couples on the floor, and she laughed to herself
as she thought how ridiculous some of them looked, especially the
young men. 'I wouldn't be caught dead dancing with one of
them!' she thought and then smiled inwardly. 'Unless, perhaps, he was
handsome enough to tempt me.' She laughed again to herself,
reminded of a particular passage in a book she had read recently for
her English Literature class.

On the opposite side of the room, a tall, handsome, yet sullen
looking young man was standing up against the wall, wishing he were
anywhere but here. Mixers like this were not to his liking. He felt
uncomfortable dancing with people he didn't know, and even more
awkward striking up mindless conversations with giddy schoolgirls who
were looking for their MRS degrees. MRS was a pseudonym given to the
women who wanted nothing more than to meet a man in college and marry
him quickly and have babies. Now he, Will Darcy, was stuck because
his friend, Charles Bingley, talked him into driving over here
tonight. Charles' sister, Caroline, a junior at Longbourn
College, talked her brother into coming to the mixer with his
friend. Will tried his best to avoid the unmistakable looks from the
young women who were making it obvious they wished he would ask them
to dance. 'At a mixer like this?' he thought, 'Never! Who ever
heard of this small school, anyway? I wish I were in my room back at
Princeton!' He turned his back to the dance floor, feigning
interest in the old, moldy portraits on the wall behind him. 'Most
likely the revered likenesses of many a spinster headmistress of this
worthy institution,' he thought as he rolled his eyes
sarcastically.

"Darcy, you must come and dance," said his friend Charles,
approaching him out of breath from dancing. "Isn't this
music sensational?" Charles enthused, "I love this new sound
that's come over from Britain. What's their name, the
Be– the Beats– oh, something like that."

"Bingley, you know I don't feel comfortable dancing to this
kind of music --" Darcy began to say.

"But you never try!" Charles cut him off. "How will you
ever get comfortable if you don't give it a chance? Come on,
Will, grab a girl and get out on the floor!"

"No, Bingley," Darcy began to say, "I really don't want--" but he
stopped mid-sentence when his eyes were arrested by the sight of a
lovely girl standing directly across the room from him in a simple
dark red dress with a white bow in her long dark hair. Even with the
width of the room between them he could tell she had rather large
eyes and a wide expressive mouth. Something about her sparkled,
drawing him in like a siren's song. He drew in his breath, his
heart pounding. Hypnotized, he found himself crossing the room,
making his way over to her. As he drew closer, he noticed her foot
tapping to the beat of the new song blaring from the PA system, and
the thoughtful look on her face. He had a sudden incredible urge to
dance.

Lizzy had just finished her soda and set the empty Coke bottle down
on a table behind her. She carefully made her way over to the edge
of the dance floor, trying not to bump into anyone in the crush.
Jane had been asked to dance earlier by a nice looking young man and
Lizzy tried to find her on the crowded dance floor. It wasn't
easy in the dim light, but she thought she caught a glimpse of Jane
just as the opening notes were starting on a fresh song,

One, two, three, four!

The beat was almost irresistible. 'Hmmm, this sound likes a good
song,' Lizzy thought as she started tapping her foot. She thought
wistfully how nice it would be to have a dance partner. On cue, she
looked up and one of the cutest guys she had seen in her entire life
was coming straight toward her! He was tall and lean with unruly
dark brown curls on his head. He looked aristocratic. Under a
straight nose was a chiseled chin and sensual mouth with lips that,
in Lizzy's opinion, just begged to be kissed. He was
conservatively dressed in a striped silk tie, white button down
shirt, and herringbone sports coat. It seemed as if his dark brown
eyes were boring right into hers, never leaving her face as he drew
nearer. Fighting the impulse to turn around and see if he was looking
at someone behind her, she stood her ground and waited. He stopped
before her and reached out his hand.

"Will you dance with me?" he asked softly.

He was older and more distinguished than anyone she had ever danced
with before. Yet, at the same time, he had an endearing, boyish
look on his face as he asked her. Unable to speak, she nodded and
took his hand. She felt a sudden jolt at his touch and then a
flutter in her stomach. His wide, broad smile lit up his face as he
led her to the dance floor, showing off dimples that suddenly made
her feel weak in the knees.

Darcy was not exactly sure what he was doing. All he knew was that
he was dancing with the sweet, beautiful creature in front of him.
Never in his life had he felt so free and adventurous. Euphoria
washed over him, and he found the song exhilarating as they danced to
its lively beat. Without speaking, their eyes met and never wavered
as the words of the song cried out:

Well, she was just 17,
You know what I mean,
And the way she looked
Was way beyond compare.

Lizzy couldn't help grinning at him as they danced, 'Who is
this gorgeous guy? He's so big and tall -- and those shoulders!'
She couldn't take her eyes off of him as they twisted and turned,
relishing the song.

So how could I dance with another
Oh when I saw her standing there.

Darcy just kept moving to the beat of the music, oblivious to his own
limbs. He had never danced so wildly in his life. His legs had a
mind of their own; he didn't even have to think. What kind of
power did this girl have over him?

Well, my heart went "boom,"
When I crossed that room,
And I held her hand in mine...

They danced together through the song, unaware that they had spoken
not a single word to each other after Will asked her to dance. They
seemed to be under a spell. The song made them tingle; it was
magical for both of them.

Oh we danced through the night,
And we held each other tight,
And before too long
I fell in love with her
Now I'll never dance with another
Oh, when I saw her standing there

They kept up the fast pace of the dance, each matching the
other's moves, enjoying the thrill of the moment. His eyes fixed
on the white ribbon that flew around her wildly as she swung her head
back and forth. It was coming loose, so he reached out and grabbed
it just before it fell to the floor. She looked at him
questioningly, but he simply smiled and pocketed the ribbon for safe
keeping until the end of their song. 'I hope this never ends.'
Darcy thought.

Lizzy was also hoping it would never end. She looked down at their
feet, 'I wonder what will happen when it's over? I don't
even know who he is.' Suddenly she was feeling anxious. 'Will he try
to kiss me?' That butterfly feeling in her stomach returned at the
thought. She chewed her bottom lip absentmindedly as she dared to
look up in his eyes again, hoping to see what he was thinking. The
thought of kissing him was exhilarating and scary at the same time.

At that moment the final notes of the song rang out, bringing their
dance to an end. Lizzy came out of her reverie and their dancing
slowed as the music stopped. Darcy took her hands in his and smiled
down at her, breathing heavily from the exertion of the past three
minutes.

"Would you like a drink? I'm parched." He asked.

"Yes, I'd love one." She said gratefully, glad that he
broke the silence.

He guided her over to the refreshments and grabbed a cold bottle of
Coke from a cooler of ice, "Is this OK?" She nodded and he
popped the cap off and handed it to her. "I hope you don't
mind a bottle?"

"This is fine, I don't mind." She said, suddenly feeling
shy. Darcy grabbed and opened his own bottle and they drank the cold
fiery liquid in silence.

Abruptly he asked, "What's your name?" He'd been dying to ask this
the whole time they'd been dancing.

"Elizabeth. How about you?"

"Will." He looked at her intently as he answered. He observed
little things he hadn't noticed before: how shiny her loose hair
was! The freckles on her nose! She wasn't very tall, barely
coming up to his shoulders; and the hands wrapped around her Coke
bottle were so small. All at once she seemed very young.

Lizzy began to feel uncomfortable and realized she was freely
perspiring from the vigorous dance. She wanted to go to the
ladies' room and splash some water on the back of her neck and
face.

"Would you excuse me? I just have to go powder my nose. I'll
be right back, I promise." She said with a big smile.

"Of course," her smile was reflected by his own,"I'll be waiting for
you right here."

Lizzy went off to the ladies' lounge, leaving Darcy at the
refreshment table watching her progress. She made her way inside and
splashed some water on her cheeks and neck, grabbed a paper towel and
gently blotted her face dry in front of the mirror. She brushed her
hair to make sure it was neat, and then remembered that her ribbon
had fallen out and Will had kept it for her. She was smiling at her
reflection, thinking dreamily of Will, when all of a sudden a loud,
grating voice interrupted her thoughts,

"I don't know who you think you are, missy, but I hope you
don't think anything is going to come of your dancing with Will
Darcy"

Elizabeth focused sharply behind her reflection in the mirror and saw
a tall, sharp-looking young woman looking intently at her.
Everything about her was angular. She had very black hair in a
stylish bouffant hairdo, and her eyes were huge with heavy black
eyeliner and false eyelashes. Her bright orange sleeveless dress
matched the orange bow in her hair. Her sticklike arms brought a
cigarette up to orange lips that took a deep drag. She narrowed her
eyes at Elizabeth as she inhaled and then exhaled the smoke in
Elizabeth's face.

Lizzy had never seen anyone dressed so outlandishly, nor anyone who
was so rude! Was this person talking to her? Surely there was some
mistake.

"I beg your pardon, were you talking to me?" Lizzie said,
trying to sound confident.

"Yes, I'm talking to you." The woman said, poking her in
the chest. Lizzy took a step away from her.

"What do you want?"

"If you know what's good for you, stay away from Will Darcy.
He's mine." Looking Lizzy up and down she added sneeringly,
"You're not his type, anyway."

Confused, Lizzy asked "Who is Will Darcy? I don't even know
what you're talking about."

"Just who do you think you've been dancing with?" the
woman asked.

Then Lizzy realized. 'Will. He said his name was Will.' He
must be whom this weird person in orange was talking about. Lizzy
couldn't believe that this horrid woman was the type of person
Will would go out with. She looked at her and said,

"What of it? If he's yours, then you don't have anything
to worry about."

The woman seemed a little put off by this comment, but carried
on, "Well, that's true, but sometimes, men have needs..."
She said vaguely, "There's only one thing he would want from
a girl like <I>you</I>."

Elizabeth was starting to get a little angry at this vulture
accosting her. 'What does she mean by a girl like me?'

"And just what type of girl am I?" Elizabeth said, her
courage rising, head held high.

Orange woman gave her a condescending look, raised an eyebrow and
smirked. "What does every man want? He knows I'm saving
myself for our wedding night," she said as she smugly admired her
long, polished fingernails. "Naturally he'll look elsewhere to get
his kicks before then." Elizabeth saw the look of triumph on the
woman's face as her petty dig hit home.

Elizabeth was humiliated and embarrassed. 'Was that all it was?'
She kept her anger inside, not wanting this awful woman to see
that her remarks had any effect. She had to find Jane and get out of
there. All she wanted to do was to get away from this witch and
forget all about Will's soulful brown eyes. 'He's engaged
to her?' she thought disgustedly, 'Thank God, I didn't kiss him
or anything. What a jerk!' Lizzy shook her head as she bolted from
the Ladies' Lounge. 'And he seemed so nice,' she thought
forlornly.

Her only goal was to find Jane and get out of there. She made her
way to the dance floor, looking for her sister. There was a loud,
booming song on the PA and everyone was dancing. The floor was so
crowded that it was nearly impossible to find Jane. She was scanning
the crowd when she felt a warm hand on her shoulder and a voice in
her ear,

"Hey, there you are, I was looking for you." She turned and
there was Will, smiling down at her, his eyes warm and friendly.

Elizabeth looked up at him with a disgusted air.

"What's wrong?" he said immediately, a look of concern on
his face. "What happened, Elizabeth?"

"Just stay away from me!" Visibly upset, she turned and ran
off into the crowd, leaving him standing alone on the edge of the
dance floor. Dazed, his eyes followed her, and he saw her grab the
shoulders of a blonde girl as they exchanged words. Both girls
quickly left.

"What <I>happened?</I>" Will said out loud. He was amazed
and confused. He couldn't believe that everything had gone so
well and then all of a sudden, she told him to stay away from
her! 'I thought something special had happened between us.' He'd
been looking forward to getting to know her better and dancing
together for the rest of the night. He could only wonder what
he'd done to scare her off. He walked back dejectedly to the same
wall where he'd stood earlier, and tried to remember every detail of
their engaging, yet brief dance together. "Elizabeth." He said out
loud. He immediately remembered something and reaching into his
right pocket he felt the softness of her white ribbon between his
fingers. He pulled it out and held it before his eyes, studying it.

Now I'll never dance with another
Oh, when I saw her standing there
Oh, since I saw her standing there
Yeah, well since I saw her standing there*


*The Beatles, "I Saw Her Standing There" - performed by The
Beatles, written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. © 1963
Northern Songs. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured.

Chapter 2



"Charles, you know I don't dance." Will said to his best friend.

"Yes, except for that one time -- " Charles was cut off by his bad-
tempered friend.

"I don't want to discuss it. That subject is off limits." Charles
nodded, giving in easily to Will's dismissal. It all started last
year after "The incident," as Charles privately thought of it. He
knew something happened to his dearest friend at a mixer at his
sister's school, Longbourn College, but Will refused to discuss it.
Charles suspected it had something to do with a girl that Will liked -
-- a girl who wore a white ribbon. Charles had seen Will on numerous
occasions secretly fondle a long, satin-finished white ribbon that
looked just long enough for a girl to wear in her hair. Charles
noticed the covert way Will would take it out of his pocket when he
thought no one could see. He never let on that he knew about either
the ribbon or Will's fixation with it.

Despite Will's dislike for the activity, they found themselves at
another dance. This one was hosted by Princeton University. Ivy,
their undergraduate eating club, was hosting, and Charles and Will
were there stag; both were "unattached and liking it that way, thank
you very much". Charles had extended an invitation to his sister,
Caroline who was ecstatic, and made no bones about it. She remained
intent on linking her name with Will's someday. Charles didn't have
the heart to tell her it would never happen. He was convinced that
Will's heart was already lost -- to someone else. Just who that
person was, he didn't know, but he suspected she went to the same
school as Caroline. He knew better than to bring up the subject with
her, she would never help him find out. When it came to Will Darcy,
Caroline was a heat seeking missile, and Will was her target. He
promised Will earlier in the evening that he'd somehow try to keep
her occupied, so that she wouldn't be all over him for the duration
of the dance.

"Here she comes again." Will said through his teeth.

"I'm sorry Will. I thought I got rid of her with that Sidney chap,
you know the funny one, who's always joking and has the brother that
talks about their shore house all the time?"

"Right." Will braced himself for the onslaught.

"William!" Caroline came sauntering up to them, saying Will's name in
a sing song voice. She ignored the pointed look her brother gave her
and latched onto Will's arm.

"Will, you simply <I>must</I> dance with me!" her bony fingers
grasped his arm even tighter, as she looked up into his eyes and
batted her long, fake, eyelashes. William, repressing a shudder,
looked down at her and found himself doing a double take.
Her `eyelashes' were coming loose from one eye, precariously `waving'
at him as she blinked rapidly. "Umm, Charles…ehm…perhaps you
could…?" Will shot her brother a beseeching look, only to find
Charles looking the other way. "Charles," he called. He cleared his
throat. Still nothing. Finally he gave up trying to get Charles'
attention politely and gave him a strong nudge in the ribs with his
elbow. Charles, lost in thought, was tapping his foot to the music
and watching a pretty blonde out on the dance floor. Will's nudge
got his attention. He glanced over at them with a look of annoyance
on his face. Will motioned with his eyes towards Caroline, who was
still obliviously smiling up at him with her "rapid lashes." Charles
followed the direction of Will's eyes, and let out a derisive snort.

"Caroline," he began, while trying not to laugh, "I think, perhaps,
you should go powder your nose" She smirked and gave him a look that
said he was crazy.

"Silly Charles, since when do you care about that sort of thing?" She
turned back to Will and fluttered her eyes up at him again and then
stopped suddenly. It was obvious from the frozen look on her face
that she was now aware of the "eyelash problem." She let out a gasp
and with a look of horror quickly put her hand over her eye and
excused herself with her head bowed. An orange blur rushed off to
the ladies room. Charles couldn't help chuckling, patting Will on
the back.

"You're in luck Will! That should keep her off of your back for at
least a few minutes."

Will smiled, shaking his head. Yes, the look on Caroline's face had
been priceless.

A moment later, after making sure Will was all right on his own,
Charles made a beeline for the dance floor in search of the
attractive blonde he had been admiring. Absentmindedly he adjusted
his silk tie, squared his shoulders and scanned the floor, but didn't
find her. Next, he went over to the refreshment table. He knew that
she was wearing a pink sweater with a pearl necklace and a whitish
looking skirt -- he was appreciative of its length, which was just
short enough to show off a pair of shapely legs. Just as he was
about to give up and return to Will, he heard a quiet "Oh no!" and a
small clatter on the floor in front of him. He looked down and saw a
small compact mirror that had fallen to the floor. He bent and
picked it up. When he looked to see to whom it belonged his eyes were
directly level with a pair of well-formed legs in sheer stockings.
Moving his eyes upwards, he saw a whitish skirt and a fuzzy pink wool
sweater above the legs. A slow grin appeared on his face as he
looked up into the angelic eyes of the owner of the mirror.

"I believe this is yours?" he said charmingly as he smoothly stood
up, now face to face with his beautiful blonde quarry. He flashed
her a dazzling smile.

"Y-yes, thank you." Obviously embarrassed, she lowered her eyes as he
handed it back to her.

"I hope it's not broken." He said. She opened the compact and looked
at the mirror. It was unbroken. She quickly looked back up at him,
a big smile lighting up her face.

"No, it's fine." She was visibly relieved.

"Good, I'm glad. Someone as beautiful as you should never own a
cracked mirror." She blushed and again cast her eyes down demurely at
his blatant compliment.

"How about a dance?" he said. Not taking no for an answer, he took
her elbow and started moving her towards the dance floor. She looked
a little flustered at his boldness but nodded and let him take the
lead. A new song was starting, something slow and romantic.

Charles took the beauty in his arms and the words of the song floated
over them as they began to dance.

If I fell in love with you
Would you promise to be true?
And help me understand
`Cause I've been in love before
And I've found that love was more
Than just holding hands

They looked into each other's eyes, locked into the moment. `She is
an angel.' He thought.

Jane Bennet never expected to fall in love that night, but she did.
She smiled dreamily up at him, thinking his were the bluest eyes she
had ever seen. His wavy golden hair was a little long, but she liked
the way it looked on him, as if he should be surfing in California.
She admired the cut and softness of the navy wool sports coat that
hinted of the athletic physique beneath. <I>Very elegant.</I> He
was one of the handsomest men she had ever danced with. <I>Yes,
definitely.</I> She smiled inwardly, as he held her a little
closer. Her stomach did a flip, and she felt like giggling. He
<I>was</I> the handsomest man she had ever danced with.

If I give my heart to you
I must be sure
From the very start
That you
Will love me more than her

Charles Bingley was smitten again. He'd had his share of girlfriends
in the past. A few had broken his heart. He had probably broken a
few himself. He was forever falling in and out of love. His last
break up had been just the previous month -- a summer romance that
ended with Labor Day weekend. `Would this time be different?' He
wondered.

As they danced slowly, he paid no attention to the words of the song,
but he thought the melody was lovely. He couldn't take his eyes off
her. She had model good looks with flawless skin, a small, straight
nose, and smooth, even lips washed with a hint of pink. Her light
eyes complimented the paleness of her skin, and her blonde hair
framed her face becomingly, soft bangs brushed over her forehead,
just skimming her brows. This was special. He could feel it. He
pulled her closer to him, her head dropping to rest upon his
shoulder. He breathed in the clean scent of her hair, and spoke into
her ear.

"What's your name?" he asked.

Jane's spine tingled as his words tickled her ear.

"Jane Bennet." She pulled back to see his face, "What's your name?"

"Charles. Charles Bingley."

She giggled, "Is that like Bond, James Bond?" she asked,
provocatively raising one eyebrow.

Charles laughed back, "Anything you want, baby." He grinned down at
her, twirling her around in one big sweep, never taking his eyes off
the luminous blue eyes shining up at him. She threw her head back
and laughed aloud. Some other couples looked over in their direction
but he didn't care. It was music to his ears.

So I hope you'll see that I
Would love to love you
And that she will cry
When she learns we are two
If I fell in love with you*

After that dance, they continued dancing together for the next
several songs. Charles was captivated, unwilling to let her go, and
Jane felt that she was being swept off her feet. They immediately
clicked and found they had a lot of the same likes and dislikes.
They both liked the Beatles, and didn't really like the Rolling
Stones.

"My youngest sister, Lydia, is a Beatlemaniac." Said Jane. "She's the
<I>real</I> Beatles lover in the family. She's madly in love with
Paul McCartney."

Charles smiled in understanding. "How many are there of you?" he
asked.

"Five girls, can you believe it?" she said, smirking. "Our poor
father is hoping we all elope!" She immediately blushed, not
believing she actually said that.

"I have two sisters myself. One is married, and the other is not.
In fact, one of them is here tonight. She goes to Longbourn College."

"Really? My sister, Lizzy and I both go there too! Who is your
sister, what year is she?" Jane asked, surprised.

Charles hated to admit who his sister was; he suspected they didn't
frequent the same circles. He could just tell by looking at Jane
that she and Caroline were not the same type. Whereas Jane was
classic, beautiful in her simplicity and grace, he couldn't say the
same about his sister, Caroline. Caroline was, he feared, the three
G's: gauche, gaudy and greedy.

"Umm…" he hesitated, "Caroline Bingley, do you know her?" he said
nearly wincing.

Jane didn't hesitate, "Oh, of course! Caroline, yes I know who she
is. I don't really know her very well, but she seems very nice."
Jane appeared to think for a moment, "She's a senior, isn't she?"

"Yes." Charles smiled, genuinely pleased that Jane didn't seem to
mind that Caroline was his sister, after all. "Yes, she is supposed
to graduate this spring." She nodded encouragingly, "What about you
and your sister?" he ventured.

"I'm in my third year, and Lizzy is a freshman." She smiled, thinking
how glad she was that Lizzy decided to join her at Longbourn. "She's
here with me tonight" Jane said looking around, "somewhere." A look
of worry came over her features at the realization, "Oh my goodness!
I hope she's O.K." Jane bit her bottom lip, "I completely forgot
about her!"

Charles noticed her worry, "Do you want to look for her? I'll help
you!" she looked up at him gratefully.

"Thanks," she said with a big smile, "that would be great!" She
described her to him and they began to look around for Lizzy. They
found her right away, observing the dancers with an amused look on
her face, arms folded, tapping her foot to the music.

"Lizzy! I'm so sorry, I've completely ignored you!" Jane exclaimed
as they rushed up to her. Jane looked over at Charles and then to her
sister, "Can you forgive me?"

Lizzy looked at Jane warmly, "Of course, silly! I've been watching
the two of you quite a long time." Lizzy turned to look at
Charles. "So, are you going to introduce me to your new friend?"

"Oh of course, where are my manners!" Jane exclaimed
embarrassed, "Lizzy, this is Charles Bingley. Charles, this is my
sister, Elizabeth Bennet." And then she added fondly, "But we all
call her Lizzy."

"Very pleased to meet you, Elizabeth Bennet." Taking her hand, "May I
call you Lizzy?" asked Charles gallantly.

"Yes, of course, I'd like that." Lizzy replied. She was happy for
Jane. This new fellow she had been dancing with seemed very nice and
pleasant --- and not too bad to look at either. The threesome talked
a little while longer. Charles was asking Lizzy how she liked college
life so far when he was hit by a sudden thought.

"You know, I have a friend here that you would probably like to meet."

"Oh, who's that?" Jane asked, smiling curiously. She'd love for
Lizzy to meet someone nice. It was high time her sister got over the
boy she met last year when she visited Jane at Longbourn. Lizzy had
been so perturbed that Jane was afraid that it would dissuade Lizzy
from choosing Longbourn.

"Let me get him and bring him back." Charles eyes lit up at the
thought of finally getting Will to meet someone new. Maybe Lizzy
would be just what he needed to get him over the "ribbon girl." Jane
and Lizzy nodded in assent, and Charles left them to find Will.

Charles made his way to where he had last seen Will in a sunroom off
the back of the house, and found him talking to Collins, a newer
member of the Ivy Club. Collins was a stooped, geeky sophomore
proudly attired in the orange and black striped tie, preening in the
fact that he was a member of one of the oldest eating clubs at
Princeton. Will's demeanor said that he wished he were anywhere but
talking to Bill Collins.

Collins was droning on about the controversy regarding the "bickering
system" that was used by students to get into eating clubs at
Princeton. With no Greek system, Princeton's eating clubs were
similar to fraternities in some respects. Only underclassmen could
join a club, the main privilege being able to eat one's meals there.
Most of the club's houses were stunning mansions that lined Prospect
Avenue, a charming, tree-lined street, only one block away from
Princeton's main campus. The club's officers were the only students
actually allowed to live in these mansions. Bickering was similar to
rushing a fraternity and many underclassmen considered the practice
unfair.

Will nodded at Collins, only half listening. A President of Ivy,
William had some interest in the complaints. However, since his
graduation the previous year he was no longer a member of the club
and could only listen as an impartial judge and alumna. As Charles
approached Will breathed a sigh of relief.

"Er, Will, can you come with me? I want you to meet someone."
Charles gave Will an imperceptible wink and nod of the head
indicating he should ditch Collins.

"Sorry Collins, I've got to go." Will said quickly as he rose.
Collins pushed his glasses further up on his nose, and barely got out
a word of regret before Will was gone with Charles.

"Thanks, I've been dying to get away from him for the past half
hour." Will breathed a grateful sigh of relief as they made their
getaway. "He must use an entire tube of Brylcreme on that head of
his." Will grimaced, wiping his hands with his handkerchief,
unconsciously trying to wipe away the image of Bill Collins' greasy
hair. As Will put the handkerchief away in the breast pocket of his
gray herringbone jacket, Charles laughed.

"Well, you'll thank me even more, when you see what I'm introducing
you to." The cheerful Charles spoke with an air of mystery that
activated William's antennae.

"Hold on. You're not trying to set me up with someone are you?" his
eyes narrowed as he stopped and surveyed Charles.

"Will, I met an angel!" Charles gushed. "I've been dancing with her
for the past hour; I'm in heaven <I>and</I> she has a younger
sister." his brows raised significantly as he said this, "She's
<I>very</I> pretty as well. You have to meet her!"

"Oh, no, Charles. Not this again. I have no desire to be your wing
man!" Will wouldn't budge, flatly refusing to go any farther into the
room. He adjusted the shirtsleeves under his jacket as he spoke to
Charles in his haughtiest of tones. "I refuse to spend the rest of
the evening tied down to the undoubtedly <I>giggly</I> little sister
of your <I>angel,</I> who probably has a face full of acne and an
overactive appetite." Will's sarcasm was in full throttle. "Sorry,
Charles, you're on your own this time. I wouldn't be caught dead
standing <I>next</I> to her, much less <I>talking</I> to her."

Charles's eyes widened he gulped, turning red with embarrassment.
Jane and her sister, Lizzy were standing right behind Will. They had
obviously heard the entire, shameful tirade. Jane's expression was
one of hurt and confusion, but Lizzy was absolutely furious, eyes
blazing!

Noticing Charles's discomfort, Will turned, looking over his shoulder
to see what Charles was looking at. He was hit with the shock of his
life. <I> Elizabeth!</I> A feeling of intense joy swept through his
body. <I> She's here!</I> Then, he saw the look in her eyes, and his
heart stopped. <I>And she hates me.</I>



<I>*If I Fell – performed by The Beatles, written by John Lennon and
Paul McCartney © 1964 Northern Songs. All Rights Reserved.
International Copyright Secured.</I>

Chapter 3


<I>She hates me.</I>

Will was thunderstruck. It was eight long months since he last saw
her. The girl – the memory of whom he'd unaccountably treasured. He
had whiled away countless hours daydreaming, staring at her ribbon.
He kept it with him always, the only memento of that magical dance.
He spent his nights fantasizing of the moment he would see her
again. Many a scenario he had built up in his mind of meeting his
dream girl again. Each vision always ended the same way: he held her
in his arms, gazing deeply into her fine eyes before kissing her
sweet lips. <I>Here she is!</I> Never had he imagined their reunion
to be like <I>this!</I>

To Will's horror, her lovely eyes were stormy and throwing daggers at
him. Her mouth was set in a straight line, her hands on her hips.
Her posture left no doubt that she had heard everything he said.
Overwhelmed by the unexpected surprise and confusion of seeing her,
he looked over at Charles for confirmation. <I>Was this really
happening?</I> He then followed Charles's shocked eyes and noticed
the girl at whom he was looking. <I>Her sister, Bingley's
angel.</I> William could not help but think this is <I>not</I> how
their long anticipated meeting was supposed to happen. Perspiration
forming on the back of his neck, he tried to think of something,
anything, to say. There must be a way for him to apologize, to tell
her he didn't mean it about <I>her.</I> As desperately as he wanted
to say something he couldn't, his tongue suddenly feeling too big for
his mouth. He turned to Charles, in need, but his friend was
dumbstruck as well. Will's throat went completely dry. Unable to
speak, all he could do was keep silent. <I>Better that than to choke
out some kind of indecipherable form of gibberish</I>. He wanted to
reach out to Elizabeth but her eyes said no.

Elizabeth couldn't believe her bad luck. She wanted to scream,
<I>it's him, it's<u> him!</u> </I> Here she was, finally having a
good time at Princeton. <I>Princeton!</I> It was excruciating. The
<I>crème de la crème!</I> A party, in a gorgeous setting -- a
mansion, and who does she run into? The one person she hoped to
forget and never see again, <I>Will Darcy</I>, the name ingrained in
her head since she left him at the Longbourn mixer last year.

Looking back on that night, she had wondered if she had done the
right thing by running away from him. His eyes had been so sad, so
wistful, the last time she had seen him. In hindsight, running away
had been childish. Often, when she dared to think of him, she
regretted having fled. Thinking about it only brought back her
bittersweet recollections of what had seemed to be the most perfect
moment of her life. She would then think of his deep brown eyes, his
towering height and broad shoulders…perfect smiling lips. Ever since
that dance, he had been her favorite daydream. After hearing his
spiteful assumptions she bitterly reflected on what a fantasy world
she had been living in pretending he wasn't engaged; that he really
loved her; she was the one he wanted to kiss. Foolishly she'd let her
imagination get away from her.

Hearing his prejudiced comments on younger sisters made her blood
boil. <I>He</I> is <I>a jerk</I>! She was so angry she couldn't
help herself. Doing what any other self-respecting, intelligent,
grown-up, college girl would do --- she told him off!

"How dare you! You <I>snob</I>!" she said scathingly. "Who do you
think you are with your collegiate look and expensive tie!" Jane
tried to stop Lizzy by putting her hand on her shoulder, but Lizzy
was on a roll and shrugged it off, "What makes <I>you</I> so great,
Mr. High-and-Mighty? You arrogant, presumptuous --"

"Lizzy!" Jane hissed, aware of the small scene they were creating.
Lizzy was surprised at herself that she lit into him so fiercely.
One side of her was angry, the other hurt. All the feelings and
emotions she had been holding in for the past eight months, her
secret fantasies were crashing down around her. She was devastated
that he wasn't the nice boy of her cherished memories and daydreams.

Will's eyes reflected his surprise at first. <I>My God, how could she
be so angry?</I> He was speechless, too dazed to do or say anything.
He had never been on the receiving end of this type of tirade. Then,
with a final frustrated stomp of her foot and one last look of
anguish, she turned and fled from him -- again!

<I>There she goes. She's always running away from me!</I>
Exasperated, Will ran his hand through his tousled curls and made a
move to follow her, "I've got to go after her, I can't let her think
such things about me." Charles stopped him with a calming hand on
his shoulder.

"Will, I don't think you should follow her." Warily eyeing Charles's
lightly gripping hand, Will stopped.

"But I've got to, I can't let her think ---"

"Leave her alone, let her sister -- let Jane talk to her." Charles
said, looking at Jane.

Angrily brushing the tears from her eyes, Lizzy ran down the front
walk of the large brick mansion. Making her way through the old
wrought iron gates in front, she leaned against the brick wall that
surrounded the property and waited for Jane.

Jane, silently watching the two young men, was confused. How could
this man say such cruel things about someone he didn't even know? In
Jane's opinion Lizzy was the most wonderful human being on Earth. It
shook her to think of the unkindness shown to her little sister by
this self-important friend of Charles. And, what was Lizzy's
reaction to this all about? She had never seen her sister react so
rudely before, and with such passion! <I>Did they know each other?
</I>

Charles looked uneasily at Jane, her thoughts apparent on her face.
He turned again to Will with a worried expression. Charles was torn,
he just met the most wonderful girl and she was about to walk out of
his life! As Jane made to leave, he stopped her with a cry.

"Jane, please, wait, let me come with you." She saw his eyes
imploring her to let him come with her and she acquiesced.

"All right." She hated to leave him this way. She still wanted to see
Charles again. She liked him. <I>Why did things have to go so badly
for Lizzy?</I> Walking beside her, Charles placed his hand gently on
her back, glancing back at a sorrowful Will, letting him know he'd
try to salvage what he could. When Charles and Jane entered the
center hallway before the front door, Charles stopped her.

"Jane, I'm sorry about my friend, Will. I know he didn't mean it."
He apologized, "He hasn't even met your sister, he had no idea what
she would really be like. He hasn't been himself lately, he's been
very irritable." He tried to find some understanding in her eyes, but
she prevented him by looking down at her shoes. She wasn't ready yet
to completely forgive his friend. "Believe me, he's usually a great
guy, he wants to apologize. Do you think your sister will listen to
him and let him say he's sorry?"

Jane was struck by his regretful tone and could no longer resist. She
looked into his big blue eyes and wanted to believe, but this was her
sister they were talking about. She didn't think it would be a good
idea to let Lizzy talk to Will right now. She knew what Lizzy could
be like when her feelings were hurt, and on top of that, angry?
<I>Definitely not a good idea.</I>

"I think the best thing to do is to let me talk to her." She said
finally. "I believe you, Charles." She smiled slightly. "I've got to
go now, she's waiting for me." Waiting for him to make the next move,
she didn't know where to look.

"Jane, I want to see you again." Charles said, taking her hand, not
wanting to let go. "Can I call you?"

"Yes" she said casting her eyes down again, looking at his hand
holding hers, "I'd like that." She looked up and smiled. "You can
reach me through the Longbourn switchboard."

Charles beamed. "I will, I definitely will!" He wanted to kiss her,
but wasn't sure if he should or not.

"Well…" Jane finally said. "I better go, Lizzy's probably waiting."
She turned around to open the heavy front door.

Charles found his hand on another shoulder, stopping Jane as he'd
stopped Will. Bending down he gave her a quick kiss on the
cheek. "I'm glad we met, Jane. I'll call you." He nodded, as if
needing to convince himself. "I promise." She nodded shyly, and ran
down the front walk towards the street, looking for Lizzy who was
standing just outside the front gate.

"Jane, here I am." she called out, stepping out of the darkness next
to the wall she'd been leaning up against.

"Lizzy, are you all right? That was awful!" Jane immediately put her
arm around her little sister and pulled her close for a hug.

"I'm a little better, waiting for you helped to clear my head. I
can't believe the things he said, what an arrogant ---"

Jane's remonstration cut her off, "Now Lizzy, wait a minute. Charles
explained a few things to me." Lizzy rolled her eyes. Jane always
believed the best in everyone. "His friend, Will, had no idea who you
were, he hadn't even met you yet. He couldn't possibly have meant
those things about <I>you.</I>" Lizzy privately agreed with Jane on
this point, but didn't want to admit it. "He wants to apologize." She
added, "See?" catching Lizzy's eye and smiling, "He's not that bad."

"Wrong, Jane." Lizzy said stubbornly. "He may not have meant those
things about me in particular, but they were pretty mean things to
say about anybody, whether you know them or not." She fumed when she
thought about it, "Acne? Overweight? Oh, I could kill him!"
<I>What does he know? My skin cleared up years ago! </I> She pouted
and sighed. "Besides," she said quietly, "he<I> has</I> met me
before."

"What?" Jane couldn't help but be surprised her sister had kept this
from her. "When did you meet?"

"Last year." She looked into Jane's eyes meaningfully, "Remember the
mixer at Longbourn you let me come to?"

Jane covered her mouth in horror and understanding. "The boy?"

Lizzy nodded, "Yes. Will Darcy." She closed her eyes, wishing she
could forget the look on his face just now. <I>Why did he have to be
as cute as ever?</I> His hair was a little longer, but it only made
him look even more attractive. She wasn't sure if he recognized her
or not. She thought about the way his eyes widened when he saw her.
<I>Was that alarm, or recognition? If he recognized me, why didn't
he say something?</I> Lizzy answered her own question. <I>Because
you didn't let him, stupid!</I> She realized that wasn't the only
reason and abruptly spoke up, "I bet you don't know that he's
engaged."

"He's engaged?"

"Yes." Lizzy grimaced at the memory of her encounter with the witch
in the ladies lounge at Longbourn last year. "She goes to Longbourn,
too. She's absolutely awful. Her name is Caroline Bingley, don't
you know who she is?"

Jane's eyes widened as it dawned on her. <I>Charles and Will are
close friends,<u> and</u> Will's engaged to Charles's sister? Why
didn't he mention it?</I> "That's odd." She said aloud.

"No kidding." snorted Lizzy, folding her arms in front of her, "They
deserve each other!" Lizzy hoped that if she stayed mad it wouldn't
hurt so much.

"No, I mean that I don't understand why Charles didn't mention it.
Why did he want to introduce you to Will?" Jane was puzzled, "It
doesn't make very much sense."

Lizzy was tired. "Oh, Jane, it doesn't really matter. Let's just get
out of here and go back to Longbourn. I am thoroughly sick of
Princeton University!"

Jane nodded in agreement. They walked thoughtfully, arm in arm, down
Prospect Avenue to their Volkswagen Beetle. One sister wished with
deep regret that she had never come to Princeton: her cherished
memories, lost in one heartbreaking moment. The other sister savored
the memory of a pair of twinkling blue eyes and the feeling of a soft
kiss on the cheek. <I>I hope he calls. </I>

Will was thoroughly disgusted with himself. How could he have given
in to Charles and let her run away like that? He cracked open another
beer, remembering the look on her face, angry and hurt. <I>She can't
possibly think I was really talking about her, could she?</I> He
considered what Charles said about her. <I> She's only a freshman at
Longbourn?</I> If she was a freshman now, she was still in high
school when we met last year. His first reaction was one of horror.
<I>Young. She's too young for</I> you, <I>Will.</I> He drained his
beer, trying to shake her memory. Then he thought admiringly of her
fiery eyes, her shiny long brown hair. He smiled at the thought of
her with her hands on her hips, giving it to him good. <I>Anyone who
can do</I> that<I> isn't too young.</I> He couldn't help thinking of
her admiringly and found himself beginning to warm to the idea of her
age. Charles' sister Caroline came bobbing over to them as he was
absently reaching for another beer. She had obviously had a few too
many drinks.

"Will, you've been ignoring me all night!" She giggled in what she
thought was a naughtily sexy voice. "That's not nice." Her behavior
only made Will loathe her even more. She sidled up to him, leaning
into him, speaking in a conspiratorial tone,

"What was going on with you and Charles and those `girls' before?"
she said `girls' disapprovingly.

Will rolled his eyes. <I> Great. Caroline saw the whole thing.</I>
But his curiosity was piqued, "Do you know them?" he asked.

"Vaguely." She eyed Will more closely "they go to my school." She was
careful to speak in a bored tone, she didn't want that little know
nothing freshman getting her claws into <I>her</I> Will Darcy. "No
one of any consequence." She continued disparagingly, "no money, no
fashion, and certainly no breeding. Their family is nothing." Surely
<I>this</I> would make Will think twice about his little dance with
that `nobody' last year.

It was a point of pride to Caroline that she never forgot anything
when it came to Will Darcy. It was almost unheard of for Will Darcy
to dance with anyone. He just didn't do it. <I>Why, he hasn't even
danced with me yet! </I> Her eyes narrowed approvingly as she thought
of the conversation last winter with that little minx in the
bathroom, <I>Hmph, I fixed her.</I> She inwardly laughed at the
memory of Elizabeth Bennet hightailing it out of there as fast as she
could. <I>Lightweight.</I> she thought smugly.

Will looked at Caroline curiously. <I>What is going on in that
devious little mind of hers?</I> He couldn't fail to miss the self-
satisfied expression on her face. At that moment, Charles came up to
them.

"Ready to go?" he asked Will.

"Yes, shall we?" he headed for the door, wishing at that moment, he
could still go upstairs to his old Ivy Club room. Living there
reminded him of home in some ways. Now a resident student at
Princeton's Graduate College, he had to trek to the other campus
about half a mile away.

Realizing their departure was imminent Caroline snapped out of her
reverie and frantically turned to Will, tightly clutching his arm.

"Oh, William, William, please take me home with you!" she cried,
beseeching eyes looking up at him.

He pulled back involuntarily. Is she really saying what I think she
is? Charles was also taken aback and embarrassed for his sister and
his friend.

Clearing his throat, he looked at her pointedly, "Caroline, what do
you mean?"

Their faces forced her to realize how forward she had come across and
she quickly changed her story.

"Home, back to Longbourn, of course!" she looked at Charles as if he
were an idiot. "I need a ride." She sniffed. "My friends have already
left without me." She conveniently neglected to mention that she
<I>told</I> her friends to leave without her, angling as she was for
a better offer -- from Will. "I was hoping I could get a ride with
one of you." She turned to Will and smiled a little too sweetly. "You
do have your Jag, don't you?" she batted her repaired eyelashes with
an eerie catlike quality. William drove a Jaguar XKE roadster, but
tonight, he and Charles had come together, since Charles wanted to
drive his new Mustang convertible.

Visibly relieved to have a bona fide excuse, Will explained he didn't
have his car that night and Charles prepared to drive Caroline back
to her school in Meryton. As the Bingley's worked their way to
Charles's car, William called out his farewells and began walking
towards the main campus, en route to the Graduate College. Caroline
became noticeably upset.

"William, where are you going?" she cried out petulantly. "Why aren't
you coming with us? If you don't come Charles will have to drive back
all alone." Ever cunning she thought this might convince him and
perhaps she could even tempt him to sit in the back seat with her.

"That's all right, Caroline," Charles quickly stepped in, fully aware
that William would probably prefer to be alone, "unless you
<I>want</I> to come, Will."

"N-no, no, you two go on," waving them off, "I'm going to walk." He
called back as he headed down Prospect Avenue, "I'll see you later,
Charles. Good-bye Caroline." He turned and strode on, chuckling and
shaking his head -- he could hear Caroline's complaints about
Charles's new car being a "mess".

The October evening was crisp as he walked through Princeton's
campus. A twenty-minute walk back to his rooms in the brisk air and
still silence of the night helped to clear his head of the chaos that
had been circling since he saw Elizabeth again. How ironic, the one
girl that he wanted to see turned up, and he managed to make the
worst impression possible. He shook his head at the dead leaves
rustling around his feet as he waited to cross University Place.
Continuing past the gray stones of the McCarter Theatre he climbed
the final hill on which stood the Graduate College campus. The
silhouettes of the buildings were highlighted in the moonlight by the
ghostly Cleveland Tower, a tall gothic structure, overlooking the
handsome stone walls of brown and gray that made up the rest of the
Graduate College campus.

To make matters worse, the one girl he emphatically <I>didn't</I>
want to see, managed to throw herself at him every chance she got. A
nightmare in orange. <I>Why couldn't he tell Caroline to stop
bothering him once and for all?</I> His thoughts went back to
Elizabeth. <I>Why couldn't you understand? Why did you leave me
again?</I> Distracted, he passed through the quad and went upstairs
to the suite he shared with Charles. In his rooms, he threw himself
on the bed, flung his arm over his eyes, and gave in to his feelings
of despair upon seeing Elizabeth again. <I>Why? Why, did I have to
say those things?</I>

Reaching over to his bedside table, he turned on the radio, tuning in
the local New York station. He recognized the opening, rangy, guitar
chords playing. Again, the Beatles. They were all over the radio
waves these days. He had heard this one often enough, Charles played
it any number of times on his record player. He kept his eyes closed
and softly sang along with the singer,

<I>Since she's been gone I want no one to talk to me.
It's not the same but I'm to blame, it's plain to see.
So go away, leave me alone, don't bother me.

I can't believe that she would leave me on my own.
It's just not right when every night I'm all alone.
I've got no time for you right now. Don't bother me.</I>

Never before had the lyrics seemed so timely to William. It was as
if the singer had him in mind.

<I>I know I'll never be the same if I don't get her back again.
Because I know she'll always be the only girl for me.</I>

He sat up on his bed. <I>That's just how I feel.</I> The
realization hit him hard. His eyes fell on her white ribbon,
resident on his bedside table. <I>I can't get her out of my mind.
Ever since we met, I have felt that she was the only girl for me.</I>

<I>Don't come around, leave me alone
Don't bother me
Don't bother me *</I>

With newfound insight, Will grinned as he formed a plan. If he
played his cards right, there should be plenty of opportunity,
Charles would play a crucial role in helping him get back into
Elizabeth Bennet's good graces, thanks to her sister. <I>She'll have
to come around, eventually.</I> Will thought self-assuredly. <I> I
am a Darcy, after all.</I>


<small>*Don't Bother Me – performed by the Beatles, written by George
Harrison © 1963 Northern Songs. All Rights Reserved. International
Copyright Secured.</small>

"Lydia Bennet! Turn down that music this instant!" her mother called
up the stairs to her unruly fifteen-year-old daughter, "I can't even
think with all this noise around the house." She grumbled as she
headed back to the kitchen, "My poor nerves!"

Jane and Elizabeth looked at each other and rolled their eyes at
their mother's complaints. They sat at the kitchen table, helping in
the preparation of dinner by peeling potatoes and trimming green
beans. The girls traditionally came home, on the other side of
Meryton, to have dinner with their family on Sunday evenings.
Usually, they would stay and watch the <I>Ed Sullivan Show</I> before
heading back to school, but this was a long weekend – they had no
classes on Monday, so they were staying the night.

"I don't care who those <I>Beatles</I> are, or that Paul, what's-his-
name," their mother began, "what kind of name is `Beatles' anyway?
They sound like <I>insects! </I> And their hair! What they need is
a good haircut." She shook a big fork at the girls. Jane and
Elizabeth continued their work while Mrs. Bennet nodded her
approval "Whatever happened to that nice Pat Boone you girls used to
like?"

Lizzy and Jane smirked, but kept quiet. They knew better than to
disagree with their mother in one of her `moods.' Mrs. Bennet took
dinner from the oven and placed it on a cutting board to rest; the
delicious aroma of roast beef wafted throughout the house. She wiped
her hands on her apron and then busied herself making gravy.

Lizzy saw an opportunity to change the subject, "Mom, did you hear
that Jane has a new <I>boy</I> friend?" She eyed her sister teasingly
as Jane blushed and repaid her with a dirty look.

"A new boyfriend!" Mrs. Bennet gasped and turned around to look at
her eldest daughter. "Who is he? Where did you meet him? Is he
rich?" she said breathlessly.

Jane narrowed her eyes and gave Elizabeth an "I'll get you for this"
look, then, turning back to her mother she smiled. "His name is
Charles Bingley. He's a graduate student at Princeton."

"Graduate School!" Mrs. Bennet finally breathed, "Oh, Jane, how
wonderful! What is he studying?" she asked eagerly, "Medicine? Is he
going to be a doctor?"

"No, Mother," Jane said patiently, "Princeton doesn't have a medical
school. He's studying to be an architect."

"Oh, well that's good too!" Mrs. Bennet cooed, "A very fine career!"
She turned back to her gravy, still talking. "Is he handsome?"

"Is who handsome?" Mr. Bennet walked into the kitchen, making his way
over to the standing rib roast.

"Jane has a new, <I>very</I> promising boyfriend from <I>Princeton.
</I>" Said Mrs. Bennet significantly as she slapped Mr. Bennet's hand
from the roast.

"Princeton, you say?" he turned to Jane, "I hope he's bright, and not
just some rich playboy, eh?" he said poking fun at Jane good
naturedly, "I don't want to have to get my shotgun out."

"Oh, Daddy." Even knowing her father was teasing, Jane blushed as she
put the potatoes on the stove to boil.

"What about you, Lizzy?" Mr. Bennet turned to his second eldest
daughter to continue his teasing, "Any new boyfriends for you?" Lizzy
looked uncomfortable -- she didn't like thinking about boys. The
tall Will Darcy with his dark curls and broad shoulders had been on
her mind too much lately.

"Lizzy never has any boyfriends," said Lydia as she bounced into the
kitchen. "When's dinner?" she asked, opening the refrigerator door
to look for something to eat.

"Out of the refrigerator, young lady," admonished Mrs. Bennet,
pushing Lydia aside and closing the door "dinner will be served in
half an hour, and I don't want you eating anything before and
spoiling your appetite!"

Lydia rolled her eyes and grabbed a string bean to munch. "So,
Lizzy, don't forget, you said you'd drive me to Korvettes tomorrow."
She leaned against the kitchen counter. "Their big sale is tomorrow
and I want to get the Beatles' record "Something New." I don't have
that one yet, and it's got "I Want to Hold Your Hand" on it in<I>
German. </I>" Her eyes widened appreciably in anticipation of such a
treat.

Lizzy eyed Lydia, "Yes, I know, I haven't forgotten."

As the evening progressed, the Bennet family sat down to dinner
where, as usual, conversation was monopolized by Lydia, avid
Beatlemaniac, who talked incessantly about the British phenomenon
sweeping the country. Around the large rectangular kitchen table was
the entire Bennet family, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet at either end with
their five disparate daughters on either side of the table. Jane,
the eldest and Elizabeth, the second, were highly regarded by all
their friends and family. Jane, especially, had always been noticed
for her beauty and generosity. While no slouch when it came to looks,
Lizzy was more notably considered the wit of the family, taking after
their father in that regard. Mary, a studious senior in high school
and the most serious of the girls, hoped to be admitted to Bryn Mawr
College the following year. Kitty, was next in line, a year younger
than Mary and, as she ensured everyone knew, a cheerleader this year
at Meryton High School. Lydia, the baby of the family, just turned
fifteen was the most boisterous of the family, and being the
youngest, usually indulged by their mother. Mary and Kitty thought
her a spoiled brat, and never hesitated to let her know it. Jane and
Elizabeth were more circumspect in their criticism, saving it for
those times they thought it would do some good. They were more apt to
think that Lydia simply needed to do some more growing up.

As the conversation flowed around the dinner table, the subject of
Jane's new boyfriend came up. All were eager to hear about him, and
Jane told them what she could, even though she had only known him for
two weeks. Charles had kept his promise to call her and they had
been out on a few dates. Jane told her parents that he had been a
perfect gentleman -- she didn't think they needed to know that he was
a great kisser as well as a gentleman.

The next day, Lizzy, Lydia and Kitty, who decided at the last moment
that she wanted to go as well, set off in the Bennet's Rambler
station wagon for Korvette City, a local inexpensive department store
that sold everything from clothing to house wares, as well as records
and books. After they parked and headed into the store, Lydia took
off for the record department, yelling behind her, "I'll be
downstairs!" and headed for the escalators. Kitty made her way to
the teens section, always on the lookout for bargains on the latest
fashions, and Lizzy meandered about looking for a desk lamp and a
throw rug for the dorm room that she shared with her roommate,
Charlotte Lucas.

Lizzy finished her shopping, making note of the prices, but not
purchasing anything yet. She went looking for her younger sisters
and found Kitty in a dressing room trying on a matching skirt and
sweater set with a cotton blouse.

"Lizzy, what do you think?" Kitty admired her reflection in the
mirror, "This blouse will be perfect to wear with my circle pin." No
girl was seen without her gold, monogrammed circle pin worn with
matching cardigan sweater and skirts sets and this blouse had the
requisite Peter Pan collar. "It's not from Ladybug, but if I buy them
here, I can afford all three with my allowance.

Lizzy agreed "Yes, it looks very nice, Kitty. Now, hurry up and buy
it. It's getting late. Look for us downstairs in the record
department." Impatient, she left Kitty in the dressing room and went
in search of Lydia.

Lizzy noticed Lydia as soon as she entered the record department,
talking to a salesman, if the nametag on the front of his jacket was
any indication. <I>Flirting is more like it</I>. It was no small
wonder. Tall, dark and handsome, he had a terrific smile and his hair
was worn long, coming down around his ears and neck. His dark suit
had a modern look to it, with a black turtleneck and black leather
pointed boots. <I>How Beatle-esque. I guess that's one way to sell
records. </I>

Lizzy walked up to them, her eyes twinkling, "Lydia, did you find the
record you were looking for?"

George Wickham had been thumbing through the latest batch of albums
just in. His boss had told him to make sure they were filed and out
in the record racks as soon as possible for the customers, but the
boss was gone for the rest of the day and George decided that it
could wait. Today was busy and George didn't want to miss out on the
view. School holidays meant one thing: ideal-viewing opportunities
of ripe, young high school girls --- his favorite. He had an eye for
the young ones, and his job at Korvettes's record department gave him
a perfect opportunity to meet them. It was easy to chat them up,
especially lately.

George had always known he was good looking and he was able to parlay
it to his best advantage. Getting a job was never a problem, keeping
it was an entirely different matter. George was lazy, and without a
college education, his job prospects were limited. He bounced from
job to job; fired many times due to his laziness; not that he ever
believed it was his fault. He was forever convinced that he had been
maligned and the blame always seemed to come back to the Darcy
family --- Will Darcy, in particular. William's father, Mr. Darcy,
had died three years earlier and with his death George's free ticket
to everything stopped, or so he believed. He had told the story so
many times he had nearly come to believe it himself, but it was far
from the truth.

The bane of George's life was money – or rather the lack of it. He
never seemed to be able to hold it. He had a penchant for poker,
sometimes he was a winner, but oftentimes he was not. So far he had
managed to keep himself out of trouble despite his poker debts, but
there had been several close calls. He didn't want to get in trouble
with loan sharks if he could help it. His mind was often working up
ways to make a lot of money, without having to really work hard at
it. Unfortunately for him, he never really came up with anything
very promising.

This job in the record department at Korvettes had lasted for almost
two weeks. He was hired on the spot -- as soon as he filled out the
application and opened his mouth. He had a knack for imitating
accents, and had lost no time in acquiring a slight Liverpool
accent. He couldn't believe how well it had worked. Inspired by his
success, he grew his hair longer, bought the right clothes and
<I>voilà</I>, Beatle look-a-like. The chicks ate it up, particularly
the young ones. No matter that he wasn't from England, just a trace
of an accent was enough to please these Beatlemaniacs.

Looking around the aisles of records in his department he espied a
young girl, sporting the Beatle haircut, popular with so many girls
these days. Ignoring the hair, his attention went straight for what
counted, <I>Hmm, nice chest. This one might be worth checking out.
</I> He sauntered up behind her and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Excuse me, love, are you looking for something in particular?" It
was his best Paul McCartney imitation.

Lydia whirled around, speechless. She couldn't believe her ears.

"Um…uh…um…" she couldn't get the words out. She stared into his
handsome face, lost in the flash of white teeth and the sparkle of
green eyes. He dazzled her with his best smile and repeated the
question. He was frequently treated to this reaction.

She swallowed and tried again. "Wh-who are you?" Eyes were wide with
curiosity she looked up at him.

"Name's Wickham, but you can call me George, if you want. I work
here" He smiled down at her. She nearly swooned in his arms. <I>Oh,
this is too easy, George. </I> His mouth twitched as he stopped
himself from laughing.

"So, can I help you find something?" he asked again. She let out a
sigh and answered.

"Yes, I'm looking for the Beatles, "Something New" record. I don't
see it out here, do you have it?" she gazed at him dreamily.

"Yes, I believe we do, come this way." He led her to an exhibit of
Beatles records and 45's at the end of another aisle. Miming
expertise he looked over the display and found what she was looking
for. "Ah, here it is, love, is this what you were looking for?"

Lydia nodded eagerly and took the album from him as he offered it to
her. "Thank you," she said politely. She hesitated for a second and
then asked reverently, "Are you from <I>England</I>?"

George smiled at her, ready with his smooth answer, "No, but my mum
was English." Lydia accepted this unhesitatingly.

"Are you new here? I don't remember seeing you before." she found her
nerve again. "I'm sure I'd remember <I>you. </I>"

"I've been here for about two weeks." He grinned, "I would have
remembered you <I>too. </I>" He reached over her head and leaned his
hand against the record rack, effectively surrounding her. Enjoying
the attention immensely she boldly looked up at him, grinning back.

A feminine voice interrupted them, "Lydia, did you find the record
you were looking for?"

George quickly and guiltily backed away from Lydia. <I>Hmm, what do
we have here? </I> Seeing Lizzy, George quickly lost interest in
Lydia.

"Lizzy!" Lydia squealed in excitement. "I was just talking to
George, he helped me find my record." She leaned over to Lizzy and
whispered in her ear, "He looks just like Paul McCartney!"

Lizzy looked "George" up and down and voiced her disapproval, "Since
when do you call salesmen by their first names, Lydia?"

"Oh, it's okay, he said I could." Lydia said guilelessly. She turned
to George, "It's all right, George, Lizzy's my sister."

George stepped forward, forgetting to keep up his accent "I'm sorry,
miss, we were just talking about records,"

She arched one eyebrow, surveying him. <I>Too good- looking -- and
too old for Lydia. </I> Lizzy looked at his Korvette's nametag.

"So, <I>Mr. Wickham</I>, you work here in the record department."
stressing his name, Lizzy voiced this as a statement, not a question.

"Yes," he offered his most dazzling smile. This was one cutie he
wanted to know much better.

Lizzy wanted to convey disapproval, but he was so darn handsome, it
was hard to keep it up. They talked for a bit, introducing
themselves further.

"I'm at Longbourn College, here in Meryton." She answered when asked
if she was in school.

"Ah, yes." a new song played in the background as he spoke.

<I>The best things in life are free
But you can keep them for the birds and bees
Now give me money
That's what I want</I>

"I was in college myself. Princeton actually, but I had to leave,
due to a death and financial reasons." He artfully cast his eyes
down.

<I>That's what I want, yeah
That's what I want</I>

"Oh, I'm sorry," Lizzy couldn't resist asking, "what happened?"

George gave his pat story. "A very dear man to me, my godfather,
actually, was paying for my college tuition. When he died my junior
year, his son convinced the executor of the estate to stop paying my
tuition. Now I have to work my way through Forster Community College"
<I>So I'm bending the truth, sue me! </I>

Lizzy was appalled and her sympathy aroused. "How awful for you!
Wasn't there some kind of legal action you could take?"

<I>You're lovin' gives me a thrill
But you're lovin' don't pay my bills
Now give me money
That's what I want
That's what I want, yeah
That's what I want</I>

"Unfortunately, no." George replied dolefully. "Mr. Darcy didn't
actually name me as a benefactor in his will. It was understood that
I was to receive payment until my graduation but it wasn't actually
put in writing."

"Darcy?" said Lizzy, surprised, "I know that name. I know a Will
Darcy, he's at Princeton. Is he related to your Mr. Darcy?"

"William Darcy is the son I told you about." George looked at Lizzy a
little warily, "Is he a friend of yours?"

<I>Money don't get everything it's true
What it don't get, I can't use
Now give me money
That's what I want
That's what I want, yeah
That's what I want</I>

"N-no, not exactly." Lizzy faltered. She wasn't sure what to think of
Will, or how to describe him. "His best friend is dating my sister,
Jane." She paused, "I can't honestly say that he is my friend," she
said remembering his arrogance at the Ivy Club.

George was relieved. "I'm glad to hear that. Will can be ruthless,
and he'll lie to get what he wants. I've always believed he was
jealous of me, because his father loved me," he said
reflectively. "I'm convinced that's why he stopped my tuition
payments. He's also quite the womanizer. He can be quite dangerous,
if you don't watch out." George looked at her intently, "I'd hate to
think someone as lovely as you could be sucked into his lies."

<I>Money don't get everything it's true
What it don't get, I can't use</I>

Lizzy was shaken by George's words. Deep down she wanted to believe
that Will was good, that somehow she had been wrong about him. In
the past weeks, as Jane and Charles got better acquainted, she'd had
nothing but nice things to say about his friend. After listening to
George, though, Lizzy didn't know what to think about Will Darcy.

George continued, "The Darcys are a very wealthy family. William and
his sister, Georgiana are now the sole heirs to the Darcy
pharmaceutical fortune." He waited to see how this affected her.
Lizzy was stunned. She had no idea. <I>Pharmaceutical fortune?

Now give me money
That's what I want
That's what I want, yeah
That's what I want*</I>

"I guess you know he's engaged to be married?" Lizzy nodded silently,
this confirmation was the final blow. "It's been in the works since
they were children. You know how it is with rich families." This was
added a little too casually, but Lizzy was so wrapped up in her
thoughts it didn't occur to her how improper their conversation
really was. They'd just met.

At this point, Lydia was more than a little bored. Not only was she
irritated with her sister for "stealing" George from her, but she was
also monopolizing the conversation about some rich guy that she
didn't even <I>know! </I>

"Lizzy, I'm going to buy my record now." Lydia's voice stirred Lizzy
out of her thoughts of Will and Caroline.

"Oh, of course! You get in the check out line, Kitty should be here
any minute." Lydia gave George a soulful parting glance, not exactly
wanting to leave her pretty sister alone with him, and shuffled to
the check out.

"Is Kitty another sister of yours?" asked George conversationally.

"Yes." Lizzy was beginning to think twice about his intentions, and
while she believed his story about Will Darcy, she didn't know if it
was such a good idea to reveal too much about her family. After all,
she didn't even really know him.

"In fact, she should have been down here by now, I'd better go get
her." Lizzy said, glancing over towards the escalators looking for
Kitty. "Excuse me, it was very nice meeting you,"

"I enjoyed meeting <I>you. </I>" Without a qualm he let Lizzy know
he'd like to see her again, taking a step closer and looking her up
and down appreciatively, "I hope we can meet again. Why don't I call
you?"

She wasn't sure if she wanted him to call her or not, which was
reflected in her uneasy response. "Um, sure…you can reach me through
the Longbourn College switchboard."

Realizing it was getting late she looked at him apologetically and
gave him a half-smile, "Sorry. I really have to go find my sister."
She backed off toward the escalators. With a last wave she turned to
look for Kitty.

Later that evening, in her dorm room, Lizzy reviewed her conversation
with George Wickham with her roommate, Charlotte as Charlotte went
through the nightly ritual of setting her hair.

"Lizzy, if I were you, I wouldn't believe everything he said. You
don't even know this George person." Charlotte dipped her fingers
into the `Dippity Do' hair gel, and smeared it on her hair before
rolling it up with large pink curlers.

"But Char, he really seemed like he knew what he was talking about,
he even knew that Will is engaged to Caroline Bingley."

Charlotte shook her head. "I still don't believe <I>that. </I> From
what you've told me about Will Darcy, how could Caroline Bingley be
engaged to a honey like him?"

Lizzy privately agreed. She still couldn't get the image of Will out
of her mind. He was so noble looking and handsome, he couldn't
possibly be engaged to that horrible witch, Caroline Bingley. She
sighed while lowering her head to her pillow, ready for sleep.
Charlotte finished setting her hair, tucked the curlers under her
curler cap and turned off the light.

"Good night, Lizzy. Who knows, maybe it's all a big mistake."
Charlotte said, trying to reassure her friend.

Lizzy closed her eyes. She thought about George, and then thought
about Will. Comparing the two, she definitely preferred Will.
<I>But he's already taken. </I> She tried to push him out of her
mind. <I>Maybe I should think about George. </I> She punched her
pillow a few times to fluff it up and drifted off to sleep with
visions of George Wickham and Will Darcy in her head.


*Money (That's What I Want) – Performed by the Beatles. Written by
Bradford/Gordy © 1959, 1962 Jobete Music Company Incorporated, USA.
Dominion Music Limited, 127 Charing Cross Road, London WC2. All
Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured.

Special thanks to Grace, my beta, for her herculean effort on this
long chapter. Again, sorry about the lack of italics. You can go to
my website to hear the songs, the address is:
http://www.geocities.com/ktleyed/ISHST/index.html.

Will Darcy was modest about his looks, never really taking them
seriously. At the same time, he'd have to be a fool not to realize
he was a good catch in the marriage market. More than just
handsome, at the age of 22, he was also independently wealthy. After
his father's death from a heart attack three years earlier, Will and
his younger sister, Georgiana, inherited his estate and business
holdings. Since they had lost their mother twelve years earlier,
brother and sister were each the only immediate family the other
had. Their closest living relatives were their mother's sister,
Catherine DeBourgh, a widow, and her daughter, Anne who lived on
their estate, Rosings Park, on the North Shore of Long Island.
Fifteen-year-old Georgiana was a student at a boarding school in
Connecticut while Will completed his education at Princeton.

Having graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a business major, Will was
continuing his education. His chosen field of study, Chemical
Engineering, was universally recognized as the most challenging
field to master, even for someone with Will's head for figures. He
intended to use his degree by taking over the reins of the company
his grandfather, Fitzwilliam Darcy, began and his father, George
Darcy, continued. His father's successful operation of the company
created a multi-million dollar pharmaceutical conglomerate known as
Darcy Pharmaceuticals.

As Charles and Jane's relationship blossomed, Will was disappointed
not to have had an opportunity to see Elizabeth again. Jane and
Charles were spending most of their time alone, in spite of the
overt hints that Will had made about foursomes with Jane's sister,
Elizabeth. It had been a frustrating month for Will since
the `debacle,' What could he do to see Elizabeth Bennet again?
Luckily, Charles had the solution.

As the weather grew chilly, Charles wanted to invite Jane to his
parent's house in Bedminster. The fall foliage was beautiful and he
knew Jane would appreciate it in its glorious splendor. Charles's
parents would not be there as they spent most of their time in
Europe. Charles's father was the United States' commercial attaché
to Norway and his parents spent the majority of their time in Oslo,
returning to summer in Bedminster. It was a short distance from
Princeton, and Charles looked forward to time alone with Jane, away
from her family and school. They had been on several dates, he had
met her parents, but he was ready for something more. As a
gentleman he had no intention of seducing her, so he asked her to
invite Elizabeth to join them. He knew very well William wanted to
see Elizabeth again, and perhaps getting them together at last would
stop William's obvious hints about double dating.

Jane was thrilled at the idea of going with Charles to his parents'
estate, and at the same time grateful that he had the sensitivity to
invite Lizzy. Jane would have turned down his offer, had he asked
her to come alone, however, Lizzy was hesitant.

" Jane, I don't know." She didn't like the idea at all, asking "Who
else will be there?" She could already guess the answer, "Is Will
Darcy invited? I really don't think it would be a good idea for the
two of us to be in the same house for a whole weekend." She made up
her mind. "I just don't think I can do it."

"Please Lizzy!" Jane begged, "If you don't go with me, then I can't
possibly accept, it would be unseemly." She hesitated, brushing her
long blonde hair, "I'm pretty sure William will be there, but I'm
not positive." She winced, anticipating Lizzy's reaction, "and I
think Caroline might be there too."

"Oh well, that settles it then!" Lizzy said sarcastically, "If
Caroline's going to be there, then I <I>have</i> to go!" she rolled
her eyes and looked at Jane as if she were crazy. "Jane, why in the
world would I want to spend a weekend in the country with that
witch? Especially after what she did to me last year?" she folded
her arms in front of her and stated dramatically "I refuse!"

Two days later, as he drew near the house in Bedminster, Will Darcy
ran his fingers through his unruly mop of hair in nervous
anticipation. It was a clear Saturday morning and he raced along
the back roads in his Jaguar, bracing wind in his face, keeping him
alert as he tried to plan what he was going to say to Elizabeth.
<I>I'm going to spend a whole weekend in the same house with her!
</i> He couldn't believe it when Charles told him Elizabeth would be
coming too.

Lizzy found herself riding in the back seat of Charles's red Mustang
convertible, roof down, wind in her face. She had to admit it
looked like it was going to be a gorgeous weekend, at least in
regard to the weather. The sky was a dazzling blue and the leaves
on the trees were a bright gold, with patches of deep red and orange
throughout. It was exhilarating to get out of town for a change.
She almost looked forward to it, except for the fact that Caroline
Bingley was going to be there along with her fiancé, <I>Will Darcy.
</i> Lizzy scowled at the thought of the two of them together.
Charles said Will would be coming in his own car. Apparently the
house would be crowded; Charles's other sister, Louisa, and her
husband, Ben Hurst, were also going to be there. Caroline had
arrived the night before with the Hursts. <I>This was going to be
</I>some<I> weekend. </i> Lizzy slouched in the back seat, thinking
about how interesting it would be to actually see what Caroline and
Will were like as a couple, trying to convince herself that he meant
nothing to her. <I>It just might be a real laugh. </i>

Before long, Charles's car pulled into a hidden driveway with a
small unobtrusive sign that said "Netherfield Farm". As they drove
down the long driveway, lined on either side by split rail fencing,
Lizzy noticed horses grazing in the distance. Most of the property
appeared to be open fields and farmland. Jane's eyes widened as it
dawned on her just how well to do the Bingleys must be. The thought
was disconcerting.

"Charles, you didn't say your parents' place was a farm." Lizzy
said, looking around in wonder, delighted at this discovery.

"Well, it's not exactly a real farm," he said modestly, "It's a
horse farm. We breed horses, or rather, the couple that my parents
hired to take care of the place when they're gone, breed and sell
the horses." He reached over and squeezed Jane's hand, sensing her
nervousness.

The mustang reached the house, a large fieldstone colonial, fronted
by a white pillared portico and overlooking the graveled circular
driveway. They got out of the car and stretched their arms and legs
before entering.

"Oh Charles, this is beautiful!" said Jane in awe, "I had no idea
your parents had so much property." She uneasily surveyed the view.
The foliage on the trees was at its autumnal peak, creating a
striking vista as she looked across the Bingley's land -- land that
stretched far beyond where she could see.

Charles beamed and said meaningfully, "Thank you, I'm glad you like
it. Let's all go in and get settled." He grabbed Lizzy and Jane's
small traveling cases and helped them inside the house.

Upon entering, the first person Lizzy saw was Caroline, making a
grand descent on the staircase. A lit cigarette in a holder was
held aloft in one hand and she wore a multi-colored, geometric
patterned tunic, pencil thin black pants and high heels. She stopped
on the bottom step and struck a pose.

Lizzy hid a smirk. <I>Not exactly what I would call `country.'</i>

"Charles! Here you are." Caroline called out in an affected accent.
Quickly she scanned over the group, frowning, "Where's Will? Didn't
he come with you?"

"He's coming, he just preferred to drive his own car." Charles
looked at his watch, "He should be here any minute."

Temporarily gratified, Caroline looked disdainfully at Lizzy and
Jane. In sharp contrast, Charles made a point of making Jane and
Lizzy welcome.

"Caroline, I'm sure you already know Jane Bennet and her sister,
Elizabeth? I promised we'd treat them to a fun weekend." He gave
his sister a warning glance with his words.

"Jane, of course, I'm sure we've bumped into each other on campus."
Caroline condescended before turning to Lizzy. "I do believe I've
met your sister, Eliza, as well. I seem to remember giving her
some valuable `advice' not too long ago." She gave Lizzy a pointed
look, raising an eyebrow.

Charles looked surprised, "Oh, isn't that nice." He couldn't help
but smile at the thought of his sister actually being nice to
someone.

Jane being polite said, "That's a beautiful blouse you're wearing,
Caroline, is it new?"

"Oh, this?" she said referring to her tunic, "it's just one of my
Pucci's that I threw on." Jane and Lizzy knew very well that an
Emilio Pucci original was not just something you `threw on.'
Clothing by the Italian fashion designer were the height of fashion
and very expensive.

Lizzy found it hard not to roll her eyes at Caroline, and made a
decision that it would be best to keep her distance from Caroline,
as she felt a distinct chill in the air coming from that direction.
Charles showed them each to their rooms, which shared a bathroom
between them. Everything was clean and modern, but with a relaxed,
casual feel to it that made the girls feel right at home.

Shortly after they unpacked and hung up their clothes, they heard a
rumble from outside signaling Will's arrival. Lizzy looked out the
window and saw a sleek dark green convertible in the circular drive
behind Charles's mustang. "Wow" Lizzy said aloud, "that must be
his." Her eyes were as big as saucers. Jane came over to see what
Lizzy was referring to.

"Yes, that's Will's car, isn't it nice?" Jane turned to Lizzy with a
look of understanding on her face, "I know this will be difficult
for you, but, maybe things won't be quite as bad as you think." With
a hug, she went on, "Thank you for coming with me, I really do
appreciate it." Lizzy smiled slightly at Jane's warm embrace, and
put on her brave face.

"Come on," she said, "let's go face the lions."

Jane giggled, "You mean, Tigers. Remember, they're Princeton men."

"Ha-ha, Jane." Lizzy retorted, and they left their rooms to make
their way down to the center hall.

Will's heart was in this throat as he pulled into the driveway and
butterflies flitted in his stomach as he drove up to the house. He
was disgusted with himself. "C'mon Will, get hold of yourself," he
muttered., "She's just a girl you danced with once." He still could
not understand the pull she had over him. He parked his car behind
Charles's Mustang, grabbed his leather overnight bag and leapt up
the front steps to the door. Charles answered right away, welcoming
him inside. Caroline was right behind him, looking a fright in some
crazy looking outfit, waving a smoking cigarette around as she
hovered like an annoying mosquito.

Will looked up and his heart nearly stopped beating as he saw
Elizabeth standing at the top of the stairs. He couldn't take his
eyes off her. Her dark hair was worn casually loose, and in her
faded jeans and turtleneck sweater, she took his breath away.
<I>Whoa, when did she get so sexy? </i>He stopped speaking to
Charles mid-sentence and waited for her and Jane to descend. The
greetings between Will and Lizzy were awkward, but Jane reached over
and gave him a peck on the cheek and acknowledged him pleasantly.

"It's good to see you, Will." Jane knew this was an awkward moment,
and she wanted to try and smooth things over.

"It's good to see you too, Jane." He looked over at Elizabeth and
nodded silently, unsure what to say. At that moment, Caroline, who
was taking in the whole scene, interrupted.

"Will, darling," she said as she grabbed his arm, "why don't you
come with me. I'll take you to your room and make sure you're all
settled in, hmmm?" she fluttered her eyelashes at him and began to
lead him away. He didn't want to leave the group, but he also
didn't want to be rude to his hostess, so he allowed her to show him
to his room, confident he would be have a chance to talk to Lizzy
later.

Lizzy couldn't help staring after them as they left the hallway,
musing. <I>What an odd couple.</i> She turned to Charles and asked
him abruptly, "So, when are they getting married?"

He gave her with a confused look, "When are <I>who</I> getting
married?" he asked. She motioned in the direction Will and Caroline
had just gone.

"Will and Caroline." She said, wondering whom else he could possibly
think she was talking about.

He nearly snorted in disbelief, "Will and Caroline? My <I>sister?
</i> Whatever made you think they were getting married?" he asked.

Lizzy was taken aback and confused. She and Jane both exchanged
glances wondering what to say. Neither thought it would be a good
idea to reveal to him Caroline's "advice" to Lizzy at the Longbourn
dance. Jane spoke into the breach,

"We heard that Will was engaged to Caroline," she said, "someone at
school told us." She looked to Lizzy for corroboration.

Lizzy was lost in her thoughts, barely paying attention to what Jane
was saying. <I>He's <U>not</u> engaged to her?</I> She was
surprised. <I> That little… </i> Lizzy's eyes narrowed as she
thought about what she'd like to do to Caroline. <i>Ooh… am I going
to get her for this! </i>

"I assure you," Charles began to say, but his own laughter cut him
off. "Darcy engaged to Caroline? Not in a million years. She'd
like that, but it will never happen if Will has any say." With this
last he looked straight at Lizzy. She blushed, and wondered what he
meant. Then she had another realization, <I> If he's not engaged to
Caroline, then who </i>is<I> he engaged to? </i> She wondered just
whom George was talking about when he mentioned Will's engagement,
and began to question the veracity of his story.

At that moment, Louisa and Ben Hurst came downstairs and Charles
introduced Jane and Lizzy. Louisa was the eldest in the Bingley
family, and had been married to Benjamin Hurst for five years, no
children. Ben was a big golfer, with a decent handicap, although he
probably enjoyed scotch and card playing in the men's locker room
more than actual golf. Louisa, not much of an athlete, enjoyed the
social life and status that went with their golf club. Rarely did
they venture outside their circle of acquaintances and friends from
the club, except for the requisite summers in Nantucket.

They were polite to Jane and Lizzy, but Lizzy's distinct impression
was that Louisa felt they were not worthy of her little brother.
After a few minutes of polite conversation, the Hursts excused
themselves. Louisa was in charge in their parents' absence and she
needed to go over that night's menu with the cook, and Ben was eager
to see a college football game on television.

After some coaxing by Jane and Lizzy, Charles agreed to give them a
tour of the house and grounds. As they were nearing the end of the
house tour, they bumped into Will, who had just finished changing
his clothes and was headed for the stables.

"Will, there you are, all settled in?" asked Charles.

"Yes, thank you." He looked at Charles and then at both Jane and
Elizabeth. Lizzy couldn't look at him, and pretended she was
studying a sculpture of a horse nearby.

"I was going to ask you if you wanted to go horseback riding,
Charles." He thought the fresh air would help to clear his head so
that he could decide on a strategy to win Elizabeth. "What were you
all going to do?" he asked.

"I was giving the girls a tour of the house and I was about to take
them outside to see the grounds, why don't you join us?"

Will agreed right away, thankful Caroline was nowhere in sight, and
the four of them set out together. Will wished for the opportunity
to be alone with Elizabeth, but at first he couldn't think of
anything that would achieve that goal. Finally he had an idea.

"Elizabeth, do you ride?" he asked her.

"Not really, just a little, I never took lessons or anything." She
responded, embarrassed not to know how to ride well. Obviously
William and Charles were used to the finer things in life, horseback
riding being one of them.

"I'd be glad to teach you while we're here." He offered. Lizzy
wasn't so sure she was comfortable with the idea. She could barely
look at Will now; he was devastating in his britches and riding
boots. What would several days in his company do to her
equilibrium?

"I have a good idea," said Charles with a big smile on his
face, "why doesn't Will take Lizzy to the stables, show her around
and take a ride, while I show Jane the rest of the property." He
said this last part with a knowing look at Will that didn't escape
either Lizzy or Jane.

The look of hesitation on Lizzy's face was inescapable, but Will was
all for the idea, and wouldn't take no for an answer. Ignoring her
reluctance, he motioned for her to follow him. As they walked down
the path to the stables, Lizzy took stock of the situation. <I>This
doesn't have to be so bad, really. </i> Now that she knew he wasn't
engaged to Caroline, her feelings about him were all over the place,
leaving her totally confused. One side of her was glad that he
wasn't engaged to Caroline, but the other side worried about the
ruthless Will Darcy described by George Wickham. When they got to
the stables, Darcy instructed one of the groomsmen to choose one of
the gentler horses for Lizzy's mount on a ride with him.

"I'm not really dressed properly for riding." Lizzy said, looking
down at her jeans and white tennis shoes.

Will couldn't find a single thing wrong with what she was wearing
and smiled down at her, "What you have on is fine for today."

"Well…if you say so," Intent on not giving in to his charms, she
agreed doubtfully. He was arrogant and, if George was to be
believed, dangerous. She was going to have to play it cool with
him. The groomsman brought out two horses, saddled and ready to
go. Lizzy looked at her horse a little nervously, not exactly sure
what she should do first. Will noticed her hesitation and offered
to help. He led her horse over to the mounting block and told her
to get up on it.

"Don't be nervous, the horse will sense it," he said, "Now put your
right foot in the stirrup" she did as he directed, "and hold onto
the pommel there on the front of the saddle…good…easy… now hoist
yourself up," she followed his instructions, and easily pulled
herself up and threw her other leg over the horse's back and sat up
in the saddle.

She laughed nervously, feeling like she was going to fall. "I
forgot how high up being on a horse makes you feel," she said,
looking down at Will. Will was still standing right beside her and
he noticed her uneasiness. He placed his hand gently on her knee,
trying to calm her. It did anything but.

"Don't worry, just put your other foot in the stirrup," she found
her footing in the stirrup and looked down at him, "now take the
reins in your hands." Her eyes widened.

"How?" she asked. She had completely forgotten how to hold them.
All she could think about was that Will's hand was on her leg. Will
was able to reach over and easily guide the reins into her hands.

"Like this." he said, and nimbly maneuvered her fingers around the
leather reins and squeezed his fingers over hers. Lizzy held her
breath during this process; the feel of his hands on hers was
tantalizing. "Now, just hold them like that until I get up on my
horse." Lizzy didn't like to admit it, but she liked his take-charge
manner. He was so self-assured and masculine. <I>Plus, he smells
good. </i>

Will swung himself easily into the saddle, and guided his horse over
to Lizzy's, whose breath caught at the sight of him. <I>Oh my gosh
he looks <u>great </u>on a horse.</i> His back was erect and
straight as he sat in the saddle, and she had a momentary vision of
him in a shining suit of armor. She bit her bottom lip and tried
not to look too much at him. <I>How am I going to get through this?
</i>

"You certainly look like you've done this before." She said
casually, trying to sound like her old self.

"Well, I rode every summer growing up," he said, trying not to sound
too superior. He still remembered the sting of her words at the Ivy
Club when she called him a snob.

Will told Lizzy to follow him as they slowly exited the barn on
their horses. Will pointed towards some woods and a field and
motioned that they would head in that direction. He gave her some
pointers, and was pleasantly surprised to see that she wasn't as
lacking in skills on a horse as she claimed.

Lizzy kept reminding herself to be wary of Will, who was certainly
putting on the charm. After they had ridden for a while, they
stopped for a rest. Will helped her down from her horse, savoring
the feel of his hands on her waist as he guided her down from the
saddle, momentarily holding her at eye level. Their eyes locked for
that moment, until Lizzy said archly, "Better put me down, you know
what an overactive appetite we Freshmen have."

He shook his head and gently deposited her on the ground. He tied
the horses to a nearby tree before coming to sit down across from
her on the grass.

"Elizabeth…" he began, studying the blade of grass he had picked up
in his hands. They had been avoiding the subject that was uppermost
in their minds the entire time they'd been together. He felt he
needed to get it out in the open and hoped it would clear the air
between them.

"I'm sorry for what I said at the Ivy Club. I had no idea it was
you that Charles wanted to introduce me to. I didn't mean it." He
looked up at her meaningfully. "If I had known –"

"Oh, it makes it <I>better</i> that you didn't mean it? Heaven help
me if I hadn't been me!" she said derisively. "There's really no
need to apologize, Will. I already know." Lizzy said, her cool
demeanor in place.

"If there's no need to apologize, why you are still so distant with
me, what's the matter?" he asked, puzzled at her reserve. Most of
the girls he knew would be eager to make up with him, had they ever
been angry with him in the first place.

Lizzy didn't know how to answer him. She didn't know herself. When
he touched her, she wanted to fall in his arms. Physically, yes, he
was forgiven, it was her mind telling her something else. <I>He's
out of your league, Lizzy, you'll never last with him.</i> That
thought scared her, deeply. She didn't want to lose her heart to
him, and then have it broken when she was left behind.

She decided to change the subject. "I met someone the other day, who
knows you."

Will's interest was piqued, "Oh? Who was that?"

"George Wickham," she answered, waiting expectantly for his
reaction.

Will's demeanor changed, he scowled when he heard the name.

"Where did you meet him?" he ground his teeth at the thought of
Wickham anywhere near Elizabeth.

Lizzy responded dismissing his question. "That doesn't matter, but
he told me some very interesting things."

"I'm sure he did, lies most likely. I wouldn't trust him,
Elizabeth, if you know what's good for you." He spoke with callous
disregard for Wickham's remarks.

"Funny, that's what he said about you." She returned.

"Elizabeth, I'm not at liberty to go into detail, but he's
dangerous. Please, believe me when I say stay away from him." Will
was determined.

That determination merely served to raise Lizzy's hackles. "Who do
you think you are?" she said hotly. "You can't tell me who I can and
cannot associate with -- especially with a cryptic remark like
<I>that!</i>"

Will considered trying to drive his point home, but thought better
of continuing to argue with her and stood up. "I think it would be
best if we headed back to the stables," he said coldly, brushing
fallen leaves from his pants, "it's getting late."

Lizzy was frustrated. She had been itching to get to the truth
about George Wickham, and he effectively silenced her with his
haughty reserve and authoritative commands! Scowling, she agreed
and let him give her a leg up to her horse without speaking a word.
Their silence continued all the way back to the stables and into the
house. Lizzy went her way, Will went his, and they didn't see one
another again until dinner.

***

After a delightfully private time of meandering around Netherfield's
grounds, Jane and Charles found themselves, lying side-by-side, upon
a small embankment that overlooked a private pond. As the late
afternoon sun warmed them, they lay on the soft grass amidst fallen
leaves. The ubiquitous autumnal scent of burning leaves wafted
their way from the distance. Charles was exactly where he had hoped
and wanted to be with Jane. His feelings for her had skyrocketed
over the weeks they'd been dating. He couldn't explain it, but he
instinctively knew he was a lost man when it came to Jane Bennet.
With his head resting in his hands, Charles looked at her, in awe of
her beauty. He studied her golden hair, glistening in the sunlight
and how her dark lashes formed delicate crescents in contrast to the
paleness of her skin. His eyes moved downwards and rested on her
lips as she kept her eyes closed.

They had been seeing each other regularly ever since they met.
They'd been to football games, movies, and had even studied together
at the library. But Charles was getting tired of dropping her off
outside her dormitory, always careful to deliver her before curfew.
Once they were five minutes past her curfew of eleven o'clock, and
as a result Jane had accumulated five "late minutes." He sent her a
rose for every late minute the next day. Late minutes were no small
matter at Longbourn, once a student accrued 15 late minutes, she was
grounded for the whole next weekend.

He wanted to kiss her. Not a little kiss, like the ones he'd given
her furtively at the front door of her dorm after their dates. He
<I>really</i> wanted to kiss her. It was time. He rolled toward
her, pushing himself up on his forearm, as he leaned forward and
lightly placed a kiss on her lips. She smiled, keeping her eyes
closed, licking her lips once before he kissed her again, with a
little more pressure. He felt her response as she returned his
kiss, putting her arms around his neck. Parting her lips, he was
allowed entry and his tongue dared to explore her dewy sweetness.
He released a deep breath as he gave in to the ardor he'd been
keeping in check -- up to this point. Running his hands through her
silky hair, he kissed her thoroughly. He now lay atop her and her
hands ran down his back, tiny moans of pleasure issued from her as
their movements grew more and more fevered. Both wanted to give in
to the passion that had been bubbling between them ever since they
met and danced together.

Without thinking, Charles ran his hand under her sweater, stroking
the downy softness of her stomach, edging upwards. Jane's breath
hitched, as she delighted in the sensations going through her. A
little voice inside her was telling her to stop, but it felt so
<I>good.</i> His lips on her neck were wreaking havoc with her
senses. She had never felt this way with anyone before.

"Jane…Jane," he said between kisses, "you are so lovely…I've wanted
to…"

"Oh, Charles, Charles… we can't…we have to stop." She barely
whispered as he continued his passionate assault. Pulling aside the
fabric of her neckline, he rained kissed along her shoulder and
neck, inching further and further downwards. Beneath her sweater
his other hand was almost upon her breast. The little voice in
Jane's head was getting louder.

"Charles!" she said loudly this time, "Stop!" she cried out, forcing
him off of her, and sitting up. He stopped as soon as she
cried `stop' and, breathing heavily, he apologized through his
hitched breathing.

"Jane, I'm sorry, I'm such a beast. I should have known better."

She looked at him ruefully, smiling fondly. "It wasn't your fault,
Charles. I think we both got kind of carried away,"

Their eyes met as he took her hand in his, entwining his fingers
with hers. Looking down at their hands, he said, "Jane, I think I'm
falling in love with you."

Although her eyes were shining as all she could say in a tremulous
voice was, "Me too."

They looked into each other's eyes, until they both realized how
absurd they would seem to outsiders, and they started to laugh the
happy, heartfelt, delightful laugh of new love. They held each
other for a few moments more. They decided they'd better make their
way home before it got too late when they noticed the sun beginning
to set. Hand in hand they walked back to the house, relishing the
moment of newfound love.

Later that evening, relaxing after dinner in the rec room, some
members of the party noticed a difference between Jane and Charles.
There was a warmth, an intimacy between them now that hadn't been
there before. Lizzy noticed it right away, and couldn't help but
wonder what had happened while Jane and Charles were alone earlier.
She tried questioning Jane while they changed their clothes for
dinner, but Jane was too preoccupied with getting ready -- she
wanted to look her best for Charles.

Will also noticed the change in his friend. He recognized the look
of love on Charles' face; he'd seen it there before. Will had seen
Charles fall in and out of love many times. His privately held
hopes were that if and when he and Jane broke up, it wouldn't ruin
his own likelihood of success with Elizabeth -- Will remained
optimistic about his chances with her.

While they all listened to music on Charles's hi-fi, Lizzy studied
her sister again. She noticed a new glow, the contented smile upon
her face as she gazed up at Charles.

As soon as the opening strains of the harmonica came through the
speakers, Charles pulled Jane up from her seat and they began an
impromptu dance.

"I should have known better with a girl like you
That I would love everything that you do
And I do, hey hey hey, and I do"

Caroline and the Hursts seemed oblivious to the spell that was being
cast in the room. Ben sipped his after dinner cognac as he, Louisa
and Caroline played a game of Hearts at the card table set up in the
corner.

"Whoa, whoa, I
Never realized what a kiss could be
This could only happen to me
Can't you see, can't you see"

Will glanced at Elizabeth, wishing he could ask her to dance as
well. She had been frosty, to say the least, throughout dinner.

"That when I tell you that I love you, oh
You're gonna say you love me too, oh
And when I ask you to be mine
You're gonna say you love me too"

Jane and Charles were in another world as they danced. Looking into
each other's eyes with dreamy smiles upon their faces, they were
miles away.

"So, I never realized what a kiss could be
This could only happen to me
Can't you see, can't you see"

Trying to make up his mind, Will kept throwing glances at Lizzy.
<I>That does it, I'm going to ask her to dance.</i> He got up,
walked across the room to where Elizabeth was sitting, and stopped
in front of her.

"That when I tell you that I love you, oh
You're gonna say you love me too, oh"

Lizzy followed his movements with her eyes, wondering what he was
doing. As he came up to her he stopped, looking down at her.

"And when I ask you to be mine
You're gonna say you love me too"

"Elizabeth, doesn't this music make you want to dance?" he asked
with all the self-assurance he could muster at this crucial moment.
Lizzy was stunned that he had come to her. Speechless, she didn't
know how to answer. <I>Is he asking me to dance with him? </i>

Will looked down at her, watching her lips, waiting for her answer.

"Whoa whoa I never realized what a kiss could be
This could only happen to me
Can't you see, can't you see"

When no response was given the first time, he repeated
himself, "Doesn't this music make you feel like dancing?"

Lizzy licked her lips and thought about what to say; she wasn't sure
how to respond.

"That when I tell you that I love you, oh
You're gonna say you love me too, oh"

After a pause, she said, "Oh, I heard you the first time," looking
up at him impudently, "but no, I've not the least intention of
dancing right now, I much prefer watching Jane and Charles."
Glancing in their direction, she continued, "They look very happy
together." she looked at them, smiling. "Besides, I think the song
is almost over, anyway." she added.

"And when I ask you to be mine
You're gonna say you love me too
You love me too
You love me too"*

Will looked wistfully at Charles and Jane as the song ended,
regretting that he had lost his chance to dance with Elizabeth.

At this point, Caroline, who had been listening to their
conversation, decided that she wasn't about to let it go any
further. She pointedly came to Will, hoping to make it clear to
Elizabeth that he was hers. She wasn't about to let that hussy
steal him away from her.

"Will, darling, let's go for a walk, it's a beautiful night out,"
she said, giving him her most beguiling smile while tugging at his
arm.

Will resisted Caroline's efforts, trying not to grimace. He glanced
at Lizzy, anxious over her reaction to Caroline's antics. He was
surprised, and not a little disappointed, to see she didn't seem to
mind in the least bit.

Lizzy knew only too well what Caroline was trying to do, and she
could barely hide a smirk, seizing upon the perfect revenge for what
Caroline did to her the year before. She was determined to kill her
with kindness. She looked over at the two of them, intending to let
Caroline go on with her charade. She could see that Will wasn't
interested in Caroline, it was obvious now, but she enjoyed watching
him squirm, anyway.

With her eyes dancing, she smiled at him impishly "Yes, I'm sure you
two would like to be <I>alone.</i>"

She pretended not to see the beseeching look he threw her way.
Feigning a yawn, she grabbed the book that she had been reading
earlier, and said her good nights to everyone, announcing that she
was sleepy and going up to bed. Giving Will a cheeky look as she
passed by him, she couldn't miss the self-satisfied expression on
Caroline's face, nor the look of distress on Will's as she turned
and went off to bed.

*I Should Have Known Better – performed by The Beatles, written by
John Lennon and Paul McCartney © 1964 Northern Songs. All Rights
Reserved. International Copyright Secured.


As Christmas approached, so too did the <i>Holly Hop</i>,
Longbourn's annual holiday semi-formal dance held just before the
school break. Every girl at Longbourn was encouraged to ask a date
to the dance. The main topic of conversation all across campus
was `What are you going to wear?' `How are you going to wear your
hair?' and, most importantly of all, `Who are you going to invite?'

It was a foregone conclusion Jane would invite Charles to the
dance. That they were deliriously in love was no secret, judging by
the blissful looks and dreamy glances they exchanged. As a favor
to some of her dateless girlfriends, Jane asked Charles to drum up a
few of his acquaintances to be much needed blind dates. Jane's
first thought being Will, she offered to find Lizzy a date, but
Caroline beat her to the punch, and unexpectedly, Will had accepted
her invitation. Lizzy thanked Jane for her concern, but assured her
she was planning something on her own.

At first Lizzy didn't know whom she was going to ask. There just
didn't seem to be anyone out there that thrilled her – a veritable
dearth of `dream dates.' <i>Why couldn't Lydia's "Mystery Date"
board game be real?</i> she mused. Unconsciously or not, Lizzy
avoided one obvious person, one who made it clear he was eager to be
her man. George Wickham. He had called a few times, asking Lizzy
for dates. She couldn't make up her mind about him, and each time
he asked, Lizzy found an excuse to say no. He was certainly
handsome, but there was something about him she couldn't quite
pinpoint. He seemed a little `dangerous' to her. However, with the
<i>Holly Hop</i> fast approaching and Lizzy still dateless, a
feeling of desperation enveloped her. George Wickham was looking
better and better. He'd certainly cut quite a figure in tie and
jacket, and she couldn't help feeling a slight nervous thrill at the
prospect of going with him. <I>He does kind of look like a Beatle,
</I> she thought reflectively. She finally decided to ask George,
and give him a chance for that date he kept asking for.

Lizzy felt nervous phoning him, it went against the grain for her.
She was taught to wait for the boy to call you. She could hear her
mother's litany of dos and don'ts in the back of her mind. "Boys
<>never</i> go with girls that call them! Wait for <I>them</i> to
call you." Tapping her fingers fretfully on the receiver, she waited
for him to answer the phone, nearly hanging up after the fourth
ring. When he answered, it seemed sudden.

"Hello?"

"Hello, George? This is Elizabeth Bennet, I hope…um… you aren't
busy or anything," she said nervously.

Today was payday and George had been about to leave his flat en
route to a poker game with four co-workers from Korvettes, a pimply
crew of green rubes he was certain to take for all they had.

"Elizabeth," he lied smoothly, "I'm never too busy for you."

If she hadn't been so desperate – yes, she had to admit it – she was
desperate for a date, Lizzy would have rolled her eyes at the
absurdity of his obvious lines. <I>Is he for real? </I> Although
she was gratified he sounded interested, he also sounded much too
smooth for her own taste. With no choice but to forge ahead she got
to the point. "I'm glad to hear that. I wanted to ask you
something…"

"Ye-es?" he said, leadingly.

Heart beating wildly, she asked all in a rush, "We're having a dance
Saturday night, it's a semi-formal, and I was wondering if you
wanted to come with me as my date?" She held her breath waiting for
his answer.

"Next Saturday?" George had to think quickly – was there a poker
game that night? It didn't matter. He'd been trying to snag the
delectable Elizabeth Bennet ever since he met her, but so far his
efforts had been unsuccessful. <I>Maybe this is just the opening I
need.</i>

"I'd be honored to go with you." With his answer, she closed her
eyes as relief spread over her. <I>Yes! I have a date!</i>

"Thank you!" Enthused by her success, she proceeded to give him the
details of the dance and when it began.

"It sounds wonderful, Elizabeth, I'm really looking forward to it."
George said as he eyed the clock. "But, as much as I relish the
sound of your voice on the phone, I must go now, I was just on my
way out."

"Oh, that's all right." She was still too excited and relieved to
notice his smarmy tone. "I'm sorry to keep you," she said
apologetically. "I'll see you next week."

"Yes, thanks for inviting me." He put on the charm. "I'll be
thinking of you, until then." His voice dropped. "Good night,
Elizabeth." Later, when she had time to review their conversation,
it struck her as artificial. A tiny feeling of doubt crept into her
brain, but she pushed it away, convinced it was her overactive
imagination playing tricks on her.

"Good night, George, thanks again!" She hung up the phone, thrilled
that she got a date all on her own for the <i>Holly Hop</i>. She ran
down the hall to tell Charlotte and Jane her happy news.

<center>***</center>

With so little time before the dance, Lizzy nearly gave up finding
just the right dress to wear. Fortunately, with Jane as her
advisor, she found what she was looking for in time: a shimmering
deep red dress, perfect for the holiday season, with a low round
front neckline, close fitting bodice, and plunging back. A delicate
overlay with tiny iridescent beads cascaded over the very full skirt
with tucking at her sides beneath the waistline, which gave the
shimmering skirt a draping effect. The color set off her dark hair
and pale skin beautifully. Jane planned to do Lizzy's hair, piling
it on top allowing a few curls to escape, creating a romantic and
seductive picture.

Jane's dress, elegant in its simplicity, was a silver-blue silk
chiffon, a gown fit for a princess. Filmy and strapless, cut close
in the bodice, it accentuated Jane's trim waist. Flaring out at the
hips, it appeared to float over layers of crinoline. Her pearl
necklace and matching earrings would complete the graceful look she
hoped would please Charles.

<center>***</center>

George Wickham was pleased with what he saw before him. He ticked
off the attributes mentally, <I>Attractive, stylish - check. Good
build. Teeth. Straight. Hair. Perfect.</i> Satisfied, he adjusted
the lapels on his jacket and glanced at his reflection in the store
front window one last time before entering the formal shop.

"No! No, that won't do at all!" A loud, grating voice came from the
rear of the store. "It has to be just right." The voice continued
snootily, "Will Darcy expects nothing less than perfection. It has
to be taken in more!"

George's ears perked up at the mention of his nemesis. Curious to
hear more, he casually strolled toward the back of the store, nearer
to the voice that captured his attention.

"Yes, ma'am," was the obedient reply from behind the dressing room
door.

"Watch it with those pins!" screeched the voice. George raised his
eyebrows with a smirk. <I>Whoever she is, Darcy deserves her!</i>

He took his time perusing menswear until a tall, heavily made-up,
self-important looking young woman exited the dressing room in too
much of a hurry. She gave George a fleeting glance on her way to
the sales counter. George turned his back to her, feigning interest
in the dinner jackets on display.

"This <i>has</i> to be ready by Saturday." The woman told the sales
clerk in no uncertain terms. "I have a very important event to
attend that evening. I must look my best. My date for the <i>Holly
Hop</i> is Will Darcy," adding importantly, "the heir to Darcy
Pharmaceuticals."

George stole another look at her, sizing her up. Her manner said
she had money, but no style or grace. He was incredulous. <I>What
was Will thinking?</i> George found it hard to believe Will's
standards could drop so considerably as to let him be seen with such
a person. The Darcy family was one of quiet dignity, never flashy
or obvious, like this minx before him. He looked at her back
critically.

He bided his time, waiting for the young woman to leave the store
before leaving himself, without a purchase. In light of what he had
just learned, he made a decision. There would be no need for formal
wear.

<center>***</center>

Finally, the day of the dance arrived. Jane, Lizzy, Charlotte and
nearly every girl at Longbourn primped and prepared all day for the
big night. Lizzy and Charlotte were both nervous. Lizzy was edgy,
thinking of an entire evening with the attractive and dangerously
thrilling George Wickham as her date. Charlotte was jumpy for a
different reason. She was anxious about her blind date, one of
Charles's friends from Princeton. While not the most attractive
girl at Longbourn, Charlotte tried her best to make the most of her
looks. Practical, she admitted freely to herself and her closest
friends that all she wanted in life was to get married and have a
family as soon as she graduated, if not earlier.

At about three o'clock, when the girls were just about to begin
their preparations, Lizzy heard her name called from down the hall;
a phone call for her. Surprised, Lizzy looked at the clock.<I> Who
could be calling now?</I>

"Hello?" she said cautiously.

"Elizabeth?" said the muffled voice. "This is George." Between
coughs he croaked, "I'm afraid I have some bad news." Lizzy nearly
gasped when she recognized George's voice and the words he said
registered.

"George?" she said worriedly, a sinking feeling growing in her
stomach. "Are you okay?"

"I've been sick as a dog -- a stomach thing. I won't be able to go
to the dance tonight." As she heard the words all the air went out
of Lizzy's lungs.

"Oh!" was all she could manage to say at first. "I'm so sorry."

"I hate to do this to you, but it came over me so suddenly." He
apologized, "I would have let you know earlier, if possible. I hate
to think what a spot this must put you in."

"I understand." She was numb, but wished for him to feel better,
even though all she wanted to do was hang up the phone. "I better
let you go." She could barely muster any compassion for George at
that moment; she felt miserable and overcome by disappointment. "You
better get back into bed, George, don't worry about me."

On the other end, George hung up the receiver and turned to his
companions. "All set. I'm back in the game."

Lizzy trudged back to her room, where Jane and Charlotte were
waiting.

"Who was that on the phone?" Charlotte asked, noticing the
crestfallen look on her roommate's face.

"That was George. He can't come tonight. He's sick with a stomach
flu."

"No!" Jane and Charlotte said in unison. Jane put her arm around
Lizzy's shoulders, comforting her. "Don't worry, Lizzy, you'll
still be able to go tonight. I'm certain Charles will find you a
date."

"Who?" Lizzy asked glumly. She didn't want a blind date. She had
been looking forward to going with George – and, deep down – she
wanted to see Will Darcy's reaction.

"I'm not sure, but I'm certain he'll be very nice," Jane reassured
Lizzy. Lizzy didn't like the idea, but having no choice she went
along.

<center>***</center>

"Oh, Lizzy!" Jane said breathlessly. "You look absolutely
gorgeous!" She was delighted with the way Lizzy turned out; her date
would flip when he saw her – whoever he was. Lizzy had to admit she
was very pleased with how well she looked. The reflection in the
mirror didn't even feel like her. <I>I hope he likes it…whoever he
is</I>. Will Darcy's face flashed before her for a fleeting moment.
Briefly, she wished he were her date. Then she remembered with
distaste he was going with Caroline. There was no love lost between
them -- ever since the weekend at Netherfield, she and Caroline
ignored one another whenever they crossed paths on campus. To
Lizzy's amusement, Caroline pretended Lizzy didn't exist. A senior
like Caroline Bingley would never give the time of day to a lowly
freshman, especially if that lowly freshman was in the dubious
position of being at the top of Caroline's hit list.

The dance began at seven o'clock, and as the girls finished their
last minute preparations of lipstick and perfume, the phone rang.
It was the desk downstairs telling them the men were there.
Apprehensive, Lizzy grabbed her wrap and purse and made her way
downstairs with Jane and Charlotte.

The dormitory lobby was already crowded with young men, corsages in
hand, waiting for their dates. Amidst the sea of dinner jackets and
evening attire, four particular gentlemen stood in front of the rest
at the foot of the grand stairway. As each group of elaborately
dressed girls came down the staircase with chatter and laughter, all
of the young men looked up in anticipation. A collective sigh would
emit from below at the wondrous site before them as the girls
appeared in their finest gowns.

When Lizzy saw Will standing at the foot of the stairway, she felt a
sudden lurch in her stomach as she was instantly reminded – again --
that he was <I>not</I> her date. Her stomach refused to cease its
somersaults when she saw the shy smile on his face and the noble
expression in his dark eyes. She couldn't miss the look of
admiration he gave her. She couldn't help but return it, as she
noted how handsome he looked in his silk tie and dark suit. His
hair was neatly combed for the evening, not the unruly mop of curls
Lizzy was accustomed to seeing. In his hand, he held a box with a
corsage in it. The sight of that corsage hit her, bursting their
little cocoon of intimacy. <I>It's not for me. It's for
<u>Caroline.</u></i> Determined not to let him spoil her evening,
she reminded herself of his haughtiness and arrogance. <I>He and
Caroline deserve each other.</i>

Although William thought he was prepared for the moment when he
would first set eyes on Elizabeth again, he was overcome by the
sight of her. Completely unaware of Jane or Charlotte, Elizabeth
had his undivided attention as the threesome came down the stairs.
His eyes were only for his Elizabeth, forgetting the minor detail
that she was not his that evening -- nor any other evening for that
matter. He caught his breath at the sight of her, slowly exhaling
in awe of the beauty before him. His eyes widened as he noticed the
pleasing display of cleavage her dress afforded. She was alluring
in her brilliant red gown. It accentuated the smallness of her waist
and curves of her body, and she appeared taller with her glossy,
dark hair worn up. He unwaveringly smiled up at her, taking in
every inch of her as she continued her descent.

Lizzy gave him an arch look as she walked past him to approach
Charles and the two other men beside him. Charles immediately
greeted Jane, complimenting her appearance before he introduced
Lizzy and Charlotte to their dates. Charlotte's date was Maxwell
Saunderson, a shy looking young man who was a little short in the
height department. He seemed somewhat tongue-tied, but anxious to
please.

Lizzy's date was not exactly what she'd hoped for. Bill Collins was
an awkward, lanky young man, who was a definite devotee of
the "greasy look." Pushing up his thick black tortoise-shell
glasses, he stepped forward and bowed clumsily before her.

"It is an honor, Miss Bennet, or may I call you…Lizzy?" he asked,
bowing. With him bent before her, Lizzy fought the urge to gag as
she stared at his hair in horror. He stood up, grinning, then
realized he was forgetting to give her the corsage he was holding,
and held it out to her.

"Is this for me?" she asked, still incredulous that <i>this</i> was
her date.

He was a bit nonplussed, but remained polite. "Yes. I hope you like
it."

"Oh, yes, thank you." It took every ounce of self control for her
not to turn around and run away screaming. Out of the corner of her
eye she saw from Jane's face that she felt terrible about Lizzy's
lackluster date. Dumbly, Lizzy pinned the painfully garish
evergreen corsage onto her dress. <I>A Christmas tree corsage?
Happy thought, indeed.</i> She made a note to herself to `misplace'
the thing as soon she could manage it. As she finished arranging it
so it wasn't too noticeable, she realized someone silently
approached and was standing beside her. She looked up and saw Will
gazing down at her, with kindness in his dark eyes, as if he knew
what she was thinking.

"You look very lovely tonight, Elizabeth," he said quietly. Lizzy
hated herself for blushing at his compliment.

"Thank you," she said, determined to keep her head high.

A hush came over the group as Caroline began her grand entrance down
the staircase.

Lizzy looked up scornfully, half-expecting Caroline to say, `I'm
ready for my close up, Mr. DeMille.' Caroline outdid even herself.
Rumor was that her dress had been made especially for her at one of
the chicest couturiers in New York. <i>No doubt started by the
woman herself.</i> Lizzy thought. <i>Who else would create such a
ridiculous story?</i> The dress was a stunning black and white
satin strapless evening gown that Caroline wore with long black
opera gloves; her hair coifed to perfection. At her ears were
glittering diamond earrings which matched her diamond necklace. Her
eyes looked especially large. <I>Probably those fake eyelashes.
</i> Lizzy smirked. Caroline regally advanced on the group.

"Will, darling!" Holding out her hand, she waited for him to take
it. He noticeably gulped and pulled at his collar.

Lizzy was momentarily distracted from the unpleasantness of her date
as she watched, amused, the spectacle before her.

Will was resigned. <I>I made a pact with the Devil. </I> He took his
overdressed date's arm and led her towards the ballroom. <I>If this
is what I have to do to be near Elizabeth, so be it. </I>

The ballroom was decorated in holiday themes of gold, red and green,
making it look especially festive. A large resplendently lit
Christmas tree stood in one corner of the room while a bar and a
refreshment table were set up in another. The large dance floor in
the center of the room was the main focus of the evening; with music
blasting and lights dimly lit, it was oddly reminiscent to Will. It
was in this very room that he and Elizabeth had first met.

Bill Collins could not be more pleased with his date. He did not
hesitate to ask Elizabeth to dance two dances right away. Confident
his expertise in the art of dancing would impress her; he believed
she would immediately recognize his magnificence and jump at the
chance to dance with him as much as possible. He would also try his
best to live up to the reputation of a `Princeton Man' and was
confidant she would be awed that he was a member of the Ivy Club.

Lizzy was not looking forward to dancing with him. She allowed him
to lead her to the dance floor as an especially lively song was
playing. Holding his hand, much less dancing with him made her
cringe inside. <I>It's going to be a long evening. </I>

It was torture. Bill was one of the most outlandish dancers she had
ever seen. Mortified to be with him on the dance floor, she wished
that floor would open up and swallow her whole. <I>How am I going to
get through this? </I> Arms flying and legs moving frantically, he
wasn't even keeping in time to the beat. At some points, he seemed
to be completely unaware of his partner, so engrossed was he in his
own movements. She stood back from him, trying to hide her horror.
Her only thought was to finish this dance and get away from him as
soon as possible; her moment of release would be ecstasy.

Will watched the scene before him with a glint of amusement in his
eyes. He gave Caroline his usual, "I don't dance" line, freeing
himself to observe. He shook his head at Bill Collins. <I>What a
character.</I> He couldn't help but feel sorry for Elizabeth. She
looked as uncomfortable as a person could be, but he admired the
grace and poise she exhibited in spite of her dancing partner. As
the final bars of the second song came to a merciful ending, he
watched relief spread across her features as she dashed away from
the source of her torment.

Will had been apprised earlier of Elizabeth's unexpected need for a
blind date. Jane had told Charles that Lizzy needed a date because
hers, George Wickham, had become sick and could not attend. Will
had blanched at the name. <I>That good-for-nothing reprobate</I>.
He couldn't bear the thought of her with him – dancing with him.
Better a fool like Collins than a slippery eel like Wickham. How
fortuitous he backed out at the last moment. Will was sure the
stomach excuse was a sham.

A little later in the evening, Lizzy and Charlotte found a moment to
talk and compare.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" Charlotte asked. Lizzy rolled her eyes.

"What do you think, Charlotte? At least, I don't have to dance
with Bill for a while, I told him I was tired -- he <i>is</i>
exhausting."

"Will Darcy looks at you a lot, Lizzy. He definitely likes you."

"Probably just finding fault with me," she said, trying to convince
herself more than anything. "I wish he weren't here, he only makes
me feel uncomfortable." Lizzy looked around to see if she could see
him before adding, "I'm convinced we'd never get along."

"I wouldn't write him off too quickly, if I were you, Lizzy."
Charlotte said. Looking beyond Lizzy she added, "Here he comes."

The opening riffs of a new song came on. Will would not take "no"
for an answer. He watched Elizabeth dance with that fool long
enough. Now that she was talking with her friend, and Collins was
nowhere in sight, he seized his chance.

Lizzy turned in surprise just as Will came up to her with a
determined look on his face. His dark eyes never wavered from hers
as he took her hand, pulling her toward him. Lizzy was speechless. A
familiar jolt of electricity ran through her fingers as he pulled
her out onto the dance floor. Standing across from him, her
astounded eyes were riveted to his.

<I>How dare he drag me out here, without even asking me!<i/> she
thought resentfully, though the song was irresistible. <I>I'll show
him!</I> Grinning up at him, she grabbed her skirt, hiked it up
provocatively and began to twist to the music. Her eyes dared him
to follow.

"Well, shake it up baby now (shake it up baby)
Twist and shout (twist and shout)
Come on, come on, come, come on baby now (come on baby)
Come on and work it on out (work it on out)"

Will grinned back. "Is this a contest?" he shouted to her over the
music, matching her twists. His eyes never left hers as he followed
her movements. <i>I can match you easily</i>.

"Well work it on out, honey (work it on out)
You know you look so good (look so good)
You know you got me goin' now (got me goin')
Just like I know you would (like I knew you would)"

She laughed out loud at him. "You want a contest, Will Darcy?" she
yelled back, with an impish grin. "You're on!" She let loose
enthusiastically, daring him to follow her.

"Well, shake it up baby now (shake it up baby)
Twist and shout (twist and shout)
Come on, come on, come, come on baby now (come on baby)
Come on and work it on out (work it on out)"

Will kept up with Lizzy, taking her dare. They continued to twist as
the music controlled their actions. The rest of the room
disappeared.

"You know you twist, little girl (twist, little girl)
You know you twist so fine (twist so fine)
Come on and twist a little closer now (twist a little closer)
And let me know that you're mine, woo (know you're mine)"

Will leaned closer and closer to Lizzy, their faces inches apart.

"Ah, ah, ah, ah "

His heart beating rapidly, he thought if he got any closer to her,
he would kiss her. Will nearly got his wish.

Suddenly realizing how close they really were, Lizzy lost her
bravado and her footing, and stumbled slightly. As she tripped
forward, their lips practically met but for Will's quick reflexes.
He reached out, breaking her fall. Pulling her close to his chest,
he delighted in the feel of her in his arms. Their eyes met and
both felt the intimacy of the moment. Time seemed to stop. The
music reached its crescendo. As if on fire, Lizzy jumped back,
carrying on with the song, afraid of what may have happened had she
not come to her senses. Savoring the brief moment and wishing it
were longer, he followed her lead and let it pass, continuing to
dance energetically.

"Yeah, shake it up baby now (shake it up, baby)
Twist and shout (twist and shout)
Come on, come on, come, come on baby now (come on baby)
Come on and work it on out (work it on out)"

It was exhilarating twisting up, twisting down, meeting the other's
moves.

"You know you twist, little girl (twist, little girl)
You know you twist so fine (twist so fine)
Come on and twist a little closer now (twist a little closer)
And let me know that you're mine (know you're mine)"
.
Breathless, they worked themselves up, bodies in perfect rhythm.
There was no denying it -- they were good together.

"Well shake it, shake it, shake it, baby now (shake it up baby)
Well shake it, shake it, shake it, baby now (shake it up baby)
Well shake it, shake it, shake it, baby now (shake it up baby)
Ah, ah, ah, ah*"

Having thoroughly enjoyed every minute of their dance, Will guided
an out of breath Elizabeth over to the refreshment table. Her face
was flushed and excited, her eyes sparkled, and with a feeling of
<I>déjà vu,</i> Will grabbed a Coke for her, popped off the cap and
handed it to her, all the while grinning.

"Now," he said smugly, "aren't you glad you didn't come with George
Wickham?"

Lizzy froze at his words. A feeling of alarm descended upon him as
she gave him an icy stare.

<I>Oh no, not again. </I> There was no doubt in his mind what she
was thinking.

*Twist and Shout performed by the Beatles, written by Russell/Medley
© 1960 and 1963 Screen Gems-EMI Music Incorporation, USA. EMI Music
Publishing Limited, London WC2. All Rights Reserved. International
Copyright Secured.

<I>Oh no, not again,</i> Will thought, wincing at the angry look in
Elizabeth's eyes.

"You really know how to spoil a moment, don't you," Lizzy spat out
bitterly. "I suppose you want to gloat that my date couldn't make
it?"

With a short laugh, Will blurted out, "Stood you up, more like." As
soon as he said it, he wanted to kick himself.

"You arrogant ass!" she cried without thinking. "You think you know
everything, don't you?"

Will folded his arms, looking down at her, his regret quickly
forgotten. "He doesn't deserve your sympathy, Elizabeth. He's a
louse and a loser."

She rolled her eyes. "You really have no consideration for the
feelings of others do you? No thanks to you he has to work his way
through college!" Will's eyebrows shot up, and he wondered what kind
of lies George was telling her. "I knew it was too good to be
true…" Lizzy began. "You're just – you're just --" Searching for the
right word – a name – anything bad enough to call him, she stamped
her foot. <I>Hateful man! What is he doing to me?</i> Frustrated,
and not a little bewildered by her unexpected burst of anger, Lizzy
nonetheless felt a heady exhilaration battling with Will. The palms
of her hands tingled and she couldn't think straight when she was
with him.

Will could not help but think how beautiful she looked when she was
angry. Her eyes were sparkling, her face was vibrant. He knew she
couldn't remain angry with him for long. There was chemistry
between them, surely she couldn't deny <i>that</i>. But his
curiosity was piqued by her words.

"What was too good to be true?" He wanted to hear this.

"That we could actually be <I>civil</i> to one another!" Lizzy
laughed shortly. "Well, at least we managed to until your giant ego
came into the picture!"

"So you think we're <I>good together?</i>" he said, smiling.
<I><U>Now</u> we're getting somewhere!</i>

Lizzy was infuriated with him and it didn't help that the smirk on
his face showed off his dimples in the most disconcerting manner.

"Stop it!" She looked away from him. <I>This is getting too
dangerous!</i> She was losing ground. She felt he was forcing her
to say things she didn't want to say. Feeling desperate, she began
to walk away, but he grabbed her hand, not ready to let her go. A
sudden jolt of electricity shot through her arm. She pulled at it,
and looked him in the eye.

"Let me go," she said levelly, acutely aware of the pressure of his
fingers on the palm of her hand.

He shook his head. "Not this time. I'm through with having you run
away from me," he said, not willing to let her run off again.

"Well, did you ever think that maybe it's your own fault?" she said,
trying to get loose from his grip. "Or is that impossible for the
<I>great</i> William Darcy?" she added sarcastically.

"Elizabeth, where is this coming from?" he questioned her. "Don't
you think we should put an end to this cat and mouse game between
us?" he asked, giving her his most charming smile.

"I'm having trouble making you out," she answered. "One minute we're
dancing and having a great time, and the next, you say or do
something like a <I>jerk!</i>" At her words, the smile left his face
and he relaxed his grip.

Coldly, he said, "Pardon me. I would hate to ruin the rest of your
evening." He let go of her hand. With nary a glance, she hurried
away, anxious to be as far from him as humanly possible. Angry and
frustrated he felt like smashing his fist against the wall.
<I>Again, that creep has ruined things for me. Why did I have to
mention Wickham's name?</i>

<center>***</center>

For Jane and Charles the <I>Holly Hop</i> was a bittersweet
evening. The very next day Charles was leaving for Europe to visit
his parents in Oslo for the Christmas holidays. He planned to
remain abroad, having been accepted to the Architectural Association
School of Architecture in London. He would be away for five long
months. On this their last night together they intended to dance
every dance in each other's arms.

As much as Jane wanted to be radiant with a brave face, inside she
was devastated. She focused on the feel of Charles's arms around
her as they danced, and his warm smile as he looked into her face.
She was never lovelier. The delicate gossamer of her silver blue
gown had an ethereal effect, further increasing Charles' belief that
Jane was an angel. He couldn't take his eyes off her all evening.
Her bare shoulders were tantalizing; it was all he could do to stop
from kissing them as they glided across the dance floor.

"I'll miss you so much, Janie." His eyes said all that he left
unspoken.

"Oh, Charles, please let's not talk about it," Jane replied
softly. "We're here to have a good time tonight. It won't do either
one of us any good to dwell on the inevitable," she said, making a
valiant effort to look cheerful.

"You're right, my sweet Jane." He held her close, burying his nose
in her hair, breathing in the clean scent that he loved.

<I>Close your eyes and I'll kiss you
Tomorrow I'll miss you
Remember I'll always be true
And then while I'm away
I'll write home every day
And I'll send all my loving to you/</I>

Jane couldn't help herself; as soon as she heard the words to the
song she couldn't fight back the tears. <I>So much for being
brave,</i> she thought. Burying her face in his chest, she wrapped
her arms tightly around him. She didn't want him to see her cry.

<I>I'll pretend that I'm kissing
The lips I am missing
And hope that my dreams will come true
And then while I'm away
I'll write home every day
And I'll send all my loving to you </i>

Charles knew what she was going through, he saw the pain in her eyes
before she tried to hide them -- how could he not? It was tearing
him apart. He hated the thought of leaving her, but he had to.
Studying abroad had been in the works for too long, his family was
expecting it of him. No matter how much he wanted to, he couldn't
change things now. Tilting her chin up, he sought out her eyes to
see them fill with tears.

<I>All my loving, I will send to you
All my loving, darling I'll be true</i>

Jane's resolve crumbled as she choked out, "Oh, Charles, I know I
should be stronger, but I just can't!" She broke down, giving in to
the tears she had tried so hard to prevent. "I love you! I can't let
you go!" Aware she wouldn't want to be seen crying, he quickly
guided her off the dance floor and led her out of the ballroom. He
looked for the nearest place -- somewhere – anywhere where they
could be alone. Behind them, they could still hear the heart-
wrenching words of the song:

<I>Close your eyes and I'll kiss you
Tomorrow I'll miss you
Remember I'll always be true
And then while I'm away
I'll write home every day
And I'll send all my loving to you</I>

Finding a nearby bench, Charles gently sat Jane down beside him,
holding her and trying to comfort her, kissing the tears away as she
sobbed in his arms. His lovely, dear Jane. It was killing him to
see her so upset.

<I>All my loving, I will send to you
All my loving, darling I'll be true
All my loving, All my loving
Woo, all my loving, I will send to you</i>

"I love you, Janie," he whispered in her ear, trying to reassure
her. "I won't be gone forever." Kissing her hair, he murmured words
of comfort. "I promise I'll come back to you." He longed to make
her feel better. "I'll write you everyday," he said in between
kisses. "Believe me." Her tears began to subside as she sniffed and
hiccupped, giving him a small smile.

"I know, it's just me being silly, I guess." She dabbed at her eyes
with the handkerchief he handed her. "When I heard the words of that
song, I couldn't stop myself."

"I know what you mean," he agreed, sighing deeply. "I feel the same
way too." He continued to hold her until her crying stopped
completely.

Gazing down at her meaningfully, Charles simply said, "Let's go."
Jane looked at him in complete agreement. She sniffed one last
time, wiping at what she was sure were mascara stains under her eyes.

"Yes. Let's go."

<center>***</center>

After her most recent and trying altercation with Will, Lizzy made
her way to the Ladies' Lounge. Muttering as she entered, "The nerve
of that conceited –," she stopped short when she realized who was
there already. <I>Caroline. </i>

"Well, well, look what the cat dragged in," Caroline scoffed,
spotting Lizzy. "Isn't it strange that we always seem to be meeting
here?" She turned to Lizzy and looked her up and down. "Tsk tsk,
poor girl. Hiding from your date?" Caroline asked, barely
suppressing a laugh.

As the image of Bill Collins loomed in the front of her mind's eye,
Lizzy contained the mortification she felt at Caroline's petty
remark.

"No, Caroline, I'm not hiding from my date, in fact," she said
innocently, raising an eyebrow, "I was just dancing with yours."

<i>Dancing! He said he didn't dance!</i> Caroline's face briefly
showed her displeasure, but she recovered quickly. With a
condescending air she parried. "He's more than just my date, Eliza.
He's my fiancé"

Lizzy thought it was high time that she and Caroline had it out.
She'd been itching for a fight ever since she found out the truth
about Caroline and Will, no matter what she happened to think of
<I>him</i> at the moment.

"Yes, I've heard that one before, Caroline, remember?" Lizzy said,
stepping closer to her. "But since then, I've learned a few things."

Caroline didn't like the way Lizzy was looking at her. She was too
self-assured.

"Well whatever they are, I really couldn't be bothered." Caroline
tried to brush her off with a bored tone. "I'm leaving."

Lizzy called out. "Not so hasty, please. I think you might be
interested in hearing what your `fiancé' thinks about you."
Caroline stopped and slowly turned to face Lizzy.

Lizzy was just warming up. "Yes, your fiancé. Will Darcy? Funny, I
heard you two weren't remotely close to being engaged. In fact,"
Lizzy paused, pretending to think aloud. "What was it? `Darcy
engaged to Caroline? Not in a million years. She'd like that, but
it will never happen if Will has any say.'" She finished with a
triumphant smile, remembering Charles's words back at Netherfield.

"No doubt from my brother," Caroline said mockingly and decided to
change the subject before Lizzy could dispute her lies any
further. "I wouldn't believe everything he says, if I were you -- or
your sister, for that matter." Lizzy looked up sharply at the
reference to Jane. Any arguments about Darcy's betrothed status were
quickly forgotten.

"I hope you realize my brother is going to dump that `Tweety bird'
sister of yours as soon as he gets to Europe," she stated in a bored
manner, leaning forward, primping in the mirror again.

If Caroline's intent was to get Lizzy furious, she succeeded. When
it came to Jane, Lizzy's loyalty was as fierce and protective as a
tigress with her cubs.

"And what makes you so knowledgeable?" Lizzy asked.

"I know my brother." She stood back from the mirror, viewing
herself. Shrugging, she turned to Lizzy with a superior look. "I've
seen him do this `love `em and leave `em routine' countless times.
Your sister is just one on a list of many."

She turned dismissively, brushing against Lizzy's shoulder roughly
as she passed her, intent on ending their conversation. Lizzy was
having none of it.

"Oh, no you don't, <I>missy,</i>" Lizzy said menacingly, reaching
for Caroline. "I should have done this long ago."

Caroline let out a screech as Lizzy grabbed her shoulder and whirled
her around. "I've been dying to do this ever since I first met you."
Lizzy hauled back and gave Caroline a well-aimed blow to the face,
slapping her as hard as she could.

A scarlet handprint immediately surfaced on Caroline's horrified
face. As soon as she recovered from the shock of being slapped, she
managed to spit out a venomous, "You'll regret this, Eliza Bennet."
Holding her head high, she stormed out of the lounge as Lizzy
remained behind laughing out of sheer giddiness and an adrenaline
high. She was amazed she had the nerve to actually slap the witch.

After a few moments to compose herself, Lizzy left the lounge in
search of Jane, hoping she wouldn't run into Will. Unfortunately,
she ran into her date instead. At this point, Lizzy wasn't sure
which was worse.

"Lizzy, I've been looking for you. They're playing our song!" Bill
said, making a move to lead her to the dance floor.

"Bill, I'm sorry, I can't right now. I have a headache," she said
tersely, feigning illness. "Would you mind asking someone else?
Maybe my roommate Charlotte is free," she offered. Bill looked put
out at first, but then brightened at the idea of Charlotte and left
to look for her.

<i>Good, got rid of him.</i> Lizzy thought, scanning the floor,
looking for Jane and Charles. She was on a mission.

<center>***</center>

Will was not a happy man. Leaning against the increasingly familiar
wall in which he had found so much solace in the last time he was at
Longbourn, he nursed a stiff drink, necessitated by Lizzy running
off -- again. Indulging in a bout of self-pity, he ignored everyone
around him. <I>Here I am, stuck at this dance, Caroline as my date,
and once again, Elizabeth is angry with me</I>. To make matters
worse, he realized it was his own fault. He rolled his eyes
heavenward. <I>Could life get any worse?</I>

At that moment, Caroline sidled up to him.

<i>It just did,</i> he thought wearily, and downed his drink in one
gulp.

Taking hold of his arm possessively with her spidery-like fingers,
she viewed the rest of the room dispassionately.

"I bet I can guess what you're thinking," she whispered to him in
what she thought was a sultry voice.

"I doubt it," he said shortly, studying his empty glass.

"You are thinking how insipid and beneath you this dance is and how
you wish to leave. Am I right?" she guessed, leaning towards him
conspiratorially.

"Not exactly, Caroline," he replied, ignoring her blatant attempt to
give him a more than adequate view of the paltry assets revealed by
the cut of her gown.

Unhappily aware that he did not find her décolletage as fascinating
as she hoped, she decided to broach a subject that would catch his
attention.

"I just heard a very interesting conversation between Miss Eliza
Bennet and that roommate of hers in the ladies' room," she said,
while absently rubbing her cheek, the memory of Elizabeth's slap not
easily forgotten. His eyes quickly lit up at the mention of
Elizabeth's name. He was suddenly interested. <I>I'll show you,
Elizabeth Bennet!</i> she thought triumphantly. "I overheard Eliza
tell her friend what her sister <I> really </I>thinks about Charles,
and it wasn't very nice."

Will faced her, interested in what Elizabeth had to say, but he knew
it was rude of Caroline to have listened to their conversation.

"Caroline, you know it's not polite to eavesdrop."

"Well, if you don't want to know…" she started moving away,
confident of Will's reaction.

Of course he wanted to know. "What did she say?"

"She was saying that Jane was planning to break up with Charles
while he's studying in London. She wanted to be free to date others
while he was gone." Shrugging, the lies tripped easily from her
lips. "I'm not surprised, a gold-digger like that, probably looking
for a bigger fish to land."

Will found it hard to believe that Jane Bennet was the mercenary
type that Caroline was describing. He didn't know Jane very well --
or her family, apart from Elizabeth. Thinking it over he remembered
Charles <I>had</i> described their mother a few times. A
matchmaking mama if ever there was one. For all he knew what
Caroline claimed to have heard could be true, and because of it he
was concerned for Charles. He knew how much he cared for Jane.

"Are you sure about this?" Will asked.

"Oh yes, I heard Eliza say it myself." Caroline said blithely. At
the mention of Elizabeth's name, Will thought about what she had
said to him and anger pulsed through him. <i>She called me a
jerk.</i> In his alcohol befuddled mind, he didn't want Charles to
go through the sort of punishment Lizzy had given him.

"Maybe we should encourage him to forget about her while he's in
London. He'll probably meet someone else there, anyway," he
suggested thoughtfully, hoping to save Charles from certain
misery. "In the long run, it would probably be better for him to
forget her."

"I agree. It would most definitely be better in the long run." She
nodded her head, certain her plan was working.

Out of the corner of her eye, Lizzy saw Caroline beside Will. She
was hanging all over him, while he stared down into his glass,
looking a little worse for wear. Curious what Caroline might be
saying to him, she was a little worried she might be telling him
about their altercation in the lounge. Drawing nearer, she heard
them unobserved.

<blockquote> <I>"Maybe we should encourage him to forget about her
while he's in London. He'll probably meet someone else there,
anyway." In a menacing tone he added, "In the long run, it would
probably be better for him to forget her"</i> </blockquote>

Lizzy's eyes widened, her mouth agape at what she had just heard.
<I>They're talking about Jane and Charles!

<blockquote> <I>"I agree. It would most definitely be better in the
long run." Caroline nodded her head furtively.

"You know how Charles is, he's always meeting a new girl and falling
in love wherever he goes."

"Yes, I know. Would you talk to him before he leaves, anyway?
You're his best friend after all." </i>

"Yes, I think that's a good idea."</i> </blockquote>

Lizzy couldn't bear to hear any more. She ran off blindly in the
opposite direction feeling powerless. What could she do? Had she
not heard it with her own ears she never would have believed it.
Will and Caroline in cahoots? Encouraging Charles to break up with
Jane? She expected such behavior from Caroline, but <I>Will? How
could he do this to them?</i> She was crushed. Once again, she
felt she was seeing the real Will Darcy and he was worse than she
thought! Her mind was filled with questions: <I><u>Does</u> Charles
really fall in love all the time? Maybe what Caroline said in the
bathroom was true! </I> Her mind was dizzy at the thought. This
had to be the night from hell -- first Will was a complete jerk
about George, and now Jane was facing the biggest heartache of her
life - all at the hands of Will and Caroline! She had to do
something to stop it. How? Charles was leaving the next day. She
looked around for them, but they weren't to be found anywhere. With
a sinking sensation, she realized, it was too late. <I>They must
have already left.</i> Understanding took hold of her as she knew
she would not be seeing them again that night.



<small>*The Beatles - "All My Loving" performed by the Beatles ©
1963 Northern Songs. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright
Secured.</small>

Chapter 8

The Christmas holidays weren't easy for Jane. She missed Charles
terribly. The day after the <i>Holly Hop</i> he had flown off to
Oslo with Caroline to spend Christmas with their parents. From
there he would go to London until he completed his graduate studies
in architecture in May. Amid a tearful farewell he had promised to
write her. She missed him as soon she said goodbye to him for the
last time, waving incessantly as the red tail lights of his Mustang
disappeared into the night.

Once Lizzy and Jane were home, the bustle of the holidays helped
take Jane's mind off Charles a little. She immersed herself in
Christmas shopping and decorating the Bennet house in its
traditional Christmas finery. Lizzy was thankful she had something
to take <i>her</i> mind off Will and Charles as well. She didn't
know how to broach the subject of what she'd overheard Will and
Caroline discussing. What if they didn't succeed? She didn't want
to plant any doubts in Jane's head that Charles would drop her as
soon as he was in Europe if their plan didn't work. Should she warn
Jane of the possibility, knowing it would only alarm her if it
didn't come to fruition? Lizzy was in a quandary, and thinking
about it only made her head ache.

Adding to her headache was a pain in the neck; George Wickham. The
more she thought about him, the more she doubted he had told her the
truth the night he canceled. Will's words came back to haunt her,
<i>"He doesn't deserve your sympathy, Elizabeth. He's a louse and a
loser."</i> She wondered about him. <i>Did he make it up? Was George
really sick?</i> She tried to convince herself not to believe
Darcy, but it just wouldn't stick. If George called, she planned to
tell him she'd never go out with him and not to call again.

Unfortunately, that was only part of Lizzy's man troubles. There
was another one that was interested in her – Bill Collins. <i>Ucch!
</i> She shuddered. Ever since the <i>Holly Hop</i> he was
convinced they were an item. He asked her to go steady the night of
the dance. At first she was polite and tried to let him down easy,
but he wouldn't take no for an answer. When he persisted and called
her over the Christmas break -- long distance from his house on Long
Island -- she had to draw the line. She told her sisters that in no
uncertain terms, if Bill Collins should call again, she was not at
home! Eventually, he stopped calling, and she was grateful he had
finally seemed to get the message.

Her woes of the masculine kind had one more annoyance -- the fact
she couldn't get the arrogant, yet irresistible, Will Darcy off her
mind. Though she told herself she hated him and he was far worse
than she could have ever believed possible, she couldn't forget what
it felt like to be with him. In her weakest moments her mind would
replay their dance together: the way she had stumbled and fallen
into his strong arms; the feel of them around her, the smell of his
aftershave; the way his lips curled up when he smiled, revealing
those dimples. Her breath caught when she remembered the magnetic
look in his eyes as they twisted on the dance floor. "Ooh!" she
cried out loud. <i>Why does he have to be so tempting?</i>

The family's good friends, the Gardiners, visited with their three
children, as was their tradition every Christmas Eve. They lived
north of the Bennets in New York's Westchester County. Thomas Bennet
and Edward Gardiner attended college together at Dartmouth and
remained great friends, although the two could not have taken more
diverse paths. After Dartmouth, Thomas married his sweetheart,
Fanny Worth, and they settled in Fanny's hometown of Meryton.
Thomas chose a career in education. Edward Gardiner went on to
Harvard Business School and became very successful on Wall Street in
investment banking.

After dinner, Madeline drew Lizzy aside and asked her if she would
be interested in being their "Mother's Helper" for a month that
upcoming summer on Fishers Island, where they owned a house.

"I'd love to!" Lizzy answered.

"Good, then it's settled." Madeline was pleased; her children would
be rapturous having Lizzy at their disposal for a month on the
island. Lizzy was delighted too; this would be a great summer job
and a chance to get out of Meryton for a month. She loved the
Gardiners and couldn't think of a better situation. Lizzy had never
been to their summer house, but she heard a great deal about it.
Fishers Island, off the coast of Connecticut but officially part of
New York State, was small, and home to the bastions of Eastern high
society. To get there, one had to take the ferry from New London,
Connecticut or fly in on a small airstrip that the island provided
for private aircrafts. Many came from the `old guard,' names that
conjured up elevated wealth and privilege. The Gardiners, although
not as wealthy as most of the residents on Fishers, came from an old
family line and had summered on the island for generations.

Lizzy felt much better now that she knew she had a summer job. At
the same time, she couldn't help but see how sad Jane was growing as
the Christmas Break went by. She still had not received any mail
from Charles, and she had no idea where to write to him. He had
told her he would write to her with his address. Lizzy was tempted
to tell Jane what she knew. It now looked obvious to her that
Caroline and Will's plan had worked; otherwise she was sure Jane
would have received a letter from Charles long before now. Hoping
for the right time to break the news, she finally decided to wait
until their Christmas break was over and school had started again.

Adding to the emotional sadness of Jane's loneliness, Lydia was
unwittinglyly rubbing salt in the wound by constantly playing one
particular Beatles song that seemed tailor made for the way Jane was
feeling.

<i>There must be some mail today
From my girlfriend so far away
Please mister postman look and see
If there's a letter, a letter for me</i>

Jane unconsciously substituted the word boyfriend for girlfriend,
just like the earlier version by <I>Martha and the Vandella's</i>,
as she absently sung the lyrics to herself --while staring out the
window. <I>Why hasn't he written?</i> She couldn't believe it had
been two weeks since she had last seen him. <I>Maybe he got the
address wrong,</i> she thought, hoping a letter would come any day.

<i>I've been standing here waiting Mister Postman
So patiently for just a card
or just a letter
Saying she's returning home to me
Please Mister Postman </i>

Lizzy could see all too well what the song was doing to her beloved
sister.

"Lydia! Do you <I>have</i> to play that song over and over?" she
pleaded to the younger one.

"Yes, I love it!" Lydia retorted. "Besides, it's Christmas
vacation. I can do whatever I want." She turned her back to Lizzy
and went back to reading her <I>16</i> magazine. Lizzy was tempted
to pull the plug out of the wall, but decided against it.

<i>So many days you passed me by
See the tears standing in my eye
You didn't stop to make me feel better
By leaving me a card or letter </i>

Lizzy was bitterly certain Caroline and Will Darcy were behind
Jane's sadness. They had obviously succeeded in convincing Charles
to end his relationship with Jane. She was sad for Jane, and
disappointed that Charles had been so easily led. She had hoped he
had more substance than that.

<i>You gotta, wait a minute wait a minute oh yeah
Wait a minute wait a minute oh yeah
you gotta, wait a minute wait a minute oh yeah
you gotta, wait a minute wait a minute oh yeah</i>

Once school was back in session in January, Jane was resigned to the
idea that Charles was not going to contact her. She hadn't received
a single card or letter from him and she had no idea where she could
reach him. She had been certain she would have heard from him by
now. Seeing the pain her sister was experiencing, Lizzy knew it was
time she told Jane the truth.

"Jane, there's something I haven't told you because I wanted to be
sure, but now it looks like that something I was afraid would happen
has."

Jane looked up from her sociology book, surprised at the seriousness
of Lizzy's tone. "What are you talking about, Lizzy?"

"It's about Charles." Lizzy nervously fidgeted with her hands,
hating what she had to tell her sister.

Jane waited serenely for Lizzy to continue, although Lizzy could see
the interest in her eyes.

"I overheard Caroline and Will Darcy talking the night of the Holly
Hop about you and Charles."

Jane, ever the watchful older sister, chastised her, "Lizzy, you
know you shouldn't eavesdrop."

Exasperated, Lizzy rolled her eyes. "I know, but don't you want to
know what I heard them say?"

"About us?" Jane was surprised at Lizzy, who was obviously upset.
She couldn't imagine what would have her so worked up. "What was it?
Was it something bad?"

"Yes." Lizzy said stoutly. "They were planning on breaking the two
of you up. I heard them scheming together." Once Lizzy started, she
let loose the floodgates. "Caroline asked Will to talk to Charles
and convince him to break up with you while he was in London." She
saw the look of hurt on Jane's face and felt awful for what she was
telling her. "I even heard Will say that Charles was always meeting
someone new anyway, and it would be better if he were rid of you."

Jane couldn't believe such a thing coming from Will. He had always
been so kind and pleasant to her. Caroline too had always been
pleasant to her, albeit a snob, but she had never given her any
cause to believe she didn't want Jane to date her brother or didn't
like her.

"Are you sure about this? I find it incredibly hard to believe."
Jane looked at her doubtfully.

"I know what I heard, Jane. There's no doubt in my mind. Caroline
has always looked down her nose at us. The case is this: we are not
rich enough or grand enough for them."

"I think you're exaggerating. Frankly, I find it hard to believe
that Caroline could talk Will into anything. You must have
misunderstood them or misheard."

"She talked him into going to the dance with her, didn't he?" Lizzy
pointed out, without mentioning how that thought hat still rankled
deep down inside.

"Yes, that's true, but we don't know what the whole story is there
either. Charles was very vague about it when I asked him about it."
Jane remembered her surprise upon learning Will was Caroline's date
to the dance at Longbourn. She still could not quiet believe it.

Charles wouldn't listen to Caroline, though. They were hardly close.

"You think his sister has so much influence over him that she could
convince Charles to forget about me?" Jane asked.

"Yes, with his friend Will's recommendation, I do." Lizzy said
folding her arms, determined she was right.

"I can't believe it. Why would they try to influence him? I'm sure
they only wish his happiness; and if he is in love with me, no other
woman can make him happy."

"Jane, you just refuse to believe that some people can be mean and
devious. Not everyone looks to make other people happy, you know."
Lizzy said shaking her head.

"That's not all true. But I refuse to believe someone is guilty
until proven so, and Will Darcy has never done anything to make me
believe he would do such a thing to Charles and me. He's always
been a true friend, he encouraged Charles to date me at least
that's what Charles told me."

Lizzy refused to believe, but let it rest. If Jane wanted to walk
around with her head in the sand, refusing to believe the truth
about Caroline and Will then let her.

A few days after their talk, Jane began to have second thoughts
about what Lizzy had told her. Especially when she bumped into
Caroline at the school bookstore and Caroline was less than
enthusiastic at their impromptu meeting. She made it clear to Jane
that she did not intend to pursue any friendship between them.
Caroline's coldness on campus seemed to be the final nail in the
coffin. <I>Charles dumped me.</I> While she began to believe
Caroline capable of duplicity, she could not believe it of Will. He
was too good and too much a gentleman to behave the way Lizzy
described. He and Lizzy may have their misunderstandings but he had
always been a friend to her.

She tried to throw herself into her studies, but it was hard. She
couldn't forget him, she loved him! There was also the niggling
worry that he had dropped her for the more glamorous girls he was
probably meeting in London. Jane couldn't help but envision him
dancing and living it up. He probably hadn't given her another
thought since he left her that night. Counting the days on the
calendar since she had last seen him, she bit her lip, worried;
wishing she had done things differently. <i>If only…</i>

<center>***</center>

"It's so good to be back at school again, isn't it?" said Charlotte
merrily. "I really missed it!"

Lizzy looked at her roommate, somewhat surprised at her demeanor.
If she didn't know better, she'd say Charlotte was hiding something
from her.

"You're awfully chipper, Char, what gives?" Lizzy asked her, raising
an eyebrow. "Are you keeping something from me?" Charlotte blushed
and then looked up and grinned.

"I have a boyfriend, Lizzy!" she said joyfully, "Can you believe it?
I'm so happy!"

A broad smile lit up Lizzy's face. She was floored! At the same
time she was delighted for her friend. <i>Charlotte finally has a
boyfriend?</i> She wondered when it happened and with whom?

"When? How did this happen? Tell me all about it!" Lizzy assaulted
her with questions as they curled up on their beds, ready for a good
girl talk.

"Oh, Lizzy, he is so wonderful, and it was such a surprise!"
Charlotte said dreamily.

"Is it someone you met back at home?" Lizzy asked, curious about
whom the mystery man was.

"Yes, he lives near me at home, but he goes to school here." She
blushed again and looked down at her hands, suddenly embarrassed.

"Here?" Lizzy was puzzled. <i>Who could it be?</i>

"I hope you don't mind, but he was your date from the <I>Holly
Hop.</i> Lizzy eyes widened in surprise.

"Do you mean your boyfriend is Bill Collins?" Lizzy asked slowly, in
disbelief.

"Yes!" she jumped up from the bed and twirled around. "He is so
wonderful!"

Lizzy was stunned, but did her best to hide her disgust from
Charlotte who was so obviously happy.

"I'm very happy for you, Charlotte," she said warmly. "Tell me how
this all happened."

"Well, it turns out that Bill lives nearby me on Long Island. I
live in Hunsford Village. It's just the next town over from his..
One night, my girlfriends and I went out bowling, and who do we run
into but Bill with some of his friends! He recognized me right away
and came over. One thing led to another and we all wound up hanging
out together for the rest of the Christmas break."

"Charlotte, it sounds great. So, now that you two are back down
here, you're definitely going steady?" Lizzy asked, still finding
all of this hard to believe, and not a little worried that Charlotte
might be rushing things.

"Yes -- look! He pinned me!" She pointed to the pin she was wearing
on her sweater. It was small, orange and black with a "P" on it for
Princeton.

Any reservations she had disappeared as she saw how joyful her
roommate was. So what if it was Bill Collins? If he made Charlotte
happy, that was all that mattered. Lizzy gave her a big hug and
kiss.

Lizzy felt a proclamation was in order. "I think this calls for a
celebration. How about we go to Bond's and get some burgers and
<I>Awful Awfuls?</i>"

Bond's was the local hamburger hang out in Meryton, famous for their
super big milkshakes called <I>Awful Awfuls.</i>

"You're on! But only this one time, I have to watch my figure!"
Charlotte replied, and they both laughed and headed on out.

<center>***</center>

"Well, well who do we have here?" a deep voice said from behind.

Lydia turned around and a great big smile spread across her
face. "George!" she cried out. Lydia had hoped she would run into
the Paul McCartney look-a-like salesman at Korvettes, and her wish
was granted.

George had been relaxing with his co-workers, Denny Grubb and Alex
Carter, before finishing up for the day, when he noticed Lydia
saunter into the record department. It had been a while since he'd
talked to her sister, Elizabeth. <i>That one's a lost cause.</i> He
realized in hindsight it had been an error in judgment to leave her
in the lurch the night of the semi-formal, but at the time he had no
choice. There had been more important matters to deal with that
evening. Attending some dull college dance, with barely the chance
of a quick feel and some necking -- and that was if he was lucky --
or heading to a high stakes poker game with where he could win a
bundle of money in poker? Hmm, not a hard decision to make – money
definitely won out. And there was always the need to avoid a Darcy.

Now, here was her sister, who looked as eager as ever. <i>This
could be interesting.</i> He ignored the warning in the back of his
head that said <i>Jail Bait</i> and sauntered over, approaching her
from behind. <i>What was her name again?</i>

<center>***</center>

A lone, melancholy figure appeared in the moonlight. Slowly he
walked to the iron railing in front of him. Leaning against it, he
stared into the dark, frigid water of the Thames . His only
thoughts were of the girl he loved. He sighed as he remembered the
words of his best friend. <i>How could she do this to me,
especially after our last night?</i> He would never forget her. He
had thought he knew her feelings, he would have sworn she loved him
back. He was brokenhearted.

<i>The world is treating me bad
Misery

I'm the kind of guy
Who never used to cry
The world is treatin' me bad
Misery </i>

Embarrassed to find a tear had fallen down his cheek, Charles wiped
it away, fearful of anyone seeing his vulnerability. He shook his
head, still puzzled over how it all happened.

<i>I've lost her now for sure
I won't see her no more
It's gonna be a drag
Misery

I'll remember all the little things we've done
Can't she see she'll always be the only one
Only one </i>

As his mind wandered he painfully thought of all the happy times
they'd spent together.

<i>Send her back to me
Cause everyone can see
Without her I will be
In misery </i>

Charles knew he'd never be the same without her. He found his true
love but here he was, miles away from her, helpless.

<i>I'll remember all the little things we've done
She'll remember and she'll miss her lonely one
Lonely one

Send her back to me
Cause everyone can see
Without her I will be
In misery</i>**

Sadly, he wiped his eyes again, squared his shoulders and headed
back across the bridge named Waterloo towards his lodgings.

*Please Mr. Postman performed by the Beatles, written by
Dobbin/Garrett/Garman/Brianbert © 1962 Jobete Music Company
Incorporated, USA. Dominion Music Limited, 127 Charing Cross Road,
London WC2. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured.

**The Beatles, "Misery" - performed by The Beatles, written by John
Lennon and Paul McCartney. © 1963 Northern Songs. All Rights
Reserved. International Copyright Secured.

Chapter 9

Charlotte and Bill became a bona fide couple and Charlotte was in
seventh heaven. Lizzy was happy for Charlotte in spite of her own
feelings about Charlotte's choice of partner. Philosophically she
thought <i>I guess there's someone for everyone in life, I wonder
who will be mine, or if I'll even find someone.</i> Will Darcy's
face loomed in her thoughts with his handsome lips and dark curls.
She shook her head, scowling at the memory, trying to clear him from
her brain, "Drat! Why do I always have to think of him?"

As the Easter break approached, Charlotte invited Lizzy to come with
her to Long Island for a week. It was an easy train ride from
Princeton to New York City, and then out to Long Island. Elizabeth
agreed, although she knew she'd feel like a third wheel most of the
time, since Bill would be there as well.

Jane was still trying to be brave by throwing herself into her
studies at Longbourn, but Lizzy could see through her determination
to get straight A's this semester. Lizzy often thought, <i>at least
something good has come of this, Dad will be glad to see her grades
are up.</i>

Saturday morning, Lizzy kissed her parents and a somber Jane goodbye
before boarding the train from Princeton Junction. She would travel
from here to New York's Penn Station where she and Charlotte would
connect to the Long Island Railroad. Lizzy had never been to the
North Shore of Long Island where Charlotte lived. From Charlotte's
description, it sounded beautiful, with lots of grand mansions and
estates, though its denizens, the affluent society types who
flaunted their wealth, did not impress Lizzy. <I>Caroline Bingley
and her crowd,</i> she thought disgustedly. All the same, she was
admittedly curious to see some of the great estates that Charlotte
talked about.

The ride to New York was uneventful, but once they arrived at Penn
Station it turned chaotic. The great New York landmark,
Pennsylvania Station, was undergoing demolition that made it
difficult for the two girls to find the correct train to Locust
Valley, the closest stop to Hunsford. After a mad dash to find
their gate and catch their train, they were finally able to relax
and sit back in their seats. Lizzy watched from her window as the
train passed by the World's Fair campgrounds in Flushing Meadows.
From a distance, she could see the huge Unisphere, a model of the
Earth, and the observation towers of the New York State Pavilion.
After an hour on the train, they arrived at their stop where
Charlotte's father met them, giving his daughter a big hug and
offering Lizzy a warm welcome. He helped them with their bags,
putting them in the trunk of the car, while Lizzy absently looked
around her. Noticing a charming bandstand on a hill nearby, she
appreciated her surroundings; this part of Long Island was
picturesque and beautiful and Lizzy knew right away that she would
enjoy her visit here very much.

Charlotte's father took great pride in showing Lizzy the sights of
Hunsford and its neighboring towns on the drive home. Many homes
were hidden from the winding roads they traveled, but once in a
while Lizzy would glimpse a grand looking estate set far back from
the road. <I>No wonder this is called the Gold Coast.</i>
Charlotte reminded her that many of the great estates they passed
could only be seen from the water. Lizzy's eyes widened as they
drove down a beautiful lane of sycamore trees that ended in front of
a particularly grand edifice -- a huge Tudor, immaculately kept,
with mature plantings and sprawling grounds.

"Who lives there?" she asked.

"That's Rosings Park, the DeBourgh estate. Catherine DeBourgh and
her daughter, Anne, live there," answered Mr. Lucas.

"Only two people?" she said, amazed that only two people lived in
such a huge house.

"Oh, yes, it's been in the family for a long time, Miss Anne
DeBourgh is quite the heiress." Mr. Lucas replied.

"Bill's father, Reverend Collins, is her pastor. That's his church
right there." Mr. Lucas pointed to a beautiful stone Episcopal
Church across from them. "She shows a great interest in church
affairs and is Reverend Collins's biggest benefactor." Charlotte
piped in. "The DeBourgh family donated those enormous stained glass
windows." The windows were indeed very grand looking; Lizzy could
easily appreciate the value of such a gift.

"I didn't realize Bill's father was a minister. For some reason I
always thought his father was…uh…" she stammered to a stop, unsure
exactly how to put it. Bill always looked so puffed up and full of
himself that Lizzy had been sure that he came from a loftier
background.

Charlotte seemed to understand, "I know what you mean. Mrs.
DeBourgh made it possible for him to go to Princeton. She's on the
board there or something like that and was also very helpful in
getting him into the Ivy Club. His family owes a lot to Mrs.
DeBourgh's kindness and generosity."

"I'm sure they must." Lizzy thought it was no wonder Bill acted like
he was some big shot.

Eventually, Mr. Lucas's little tour came to an end and they drove up
to the Lucas's home, a white clapboard colonial, attractively set
far back from the road, with a huge lawn. Once Charlotte showed
Lizzy her room and they got settled, Charlotte called Bill to see if
he was home and to make plans for the evening. Lizzy could tell
Charlotte was anxious to see him again and Bill let them know that
there was a dance for the younger crowd at the nearby country club
that same evening. He assured the girls that it was bound to be a
lot of fun. Lizzy was grateful she brought a party dress with her,
and the girls promptly set about getting ready. Lizzy dressed in
one of her favorites, a short sleeveless, peg dress in a light blue
shimmering silk. Belted, it came down to her knees with a slimming
effect as it hugged her curves, narrowing at the hemline.

Charlotte exclaimed when she saw her friend, "That dress looks great
on you! You'll knock the boys dead!" Lizzy thanked her and tried to
figure out her hair. The sea air was causing it to be especially
unruly and no amount of brushing would straighten out the long
curls. Charlotte recommended she wear it up off her neck and helped
her put it up. With a matching ribbon woven through it, she looked
spectacular. They were ready.

"I can't wait to see Bill again; it's been three whole days since
we've seen each other." Charlotte was clearly eager to see her
boyfriend.

Lizzy kept her mouth shut. She had promised herself she would not
utter a single word <I>ever</i> to Charlotte about her true feelings
in regard to Bill Collins – no matter how much of a boob she thought
he really was.

"Can you believe we're seeing him tonight – our first night here?"
she continued enthusiastically, as unaware as Lizzy had hoped of
Lizzy's thoughts. She nodded and smiled, in spite of her
reservations of being with Bill for the evening. If it made
Charlotte happy, then so be it.

Bill picked them up and drove them to the country club. As the
threesome entered the ballroom, the grandiose surroundings caused
Lizzy some nervousness. She did not relish the fact that the only
one she knew there was Bill Collins, besides Charlotte, of course.
The music was popular for the most part, and the floor already
crowded with dancers. As Lizzy watched Charlotte and Bill walk to
the dance floor she couldn't help but remember how embarrassing it
was to dance with him at the <I>Holly Hop. Thank goodness I don't
have to worry about that tonight.</i> She was more than happy to let
Charlotte dance with Bill every dance for the entire evening. Lizzy
casually observed the people dancing and noticed a few young men
glancing appreciatively her way. Their scrutiny made her self-
conscious and she made her way over to a group of girls and stood
nearby, hoping she might blend in with them.

At the insistence of his Aunt Catherine, Will agreed to attend that
evening's dance at the club, but inwardly he rebelled at the idea.
As a guest at his aunt's home for the Easter holiday break, Will
felt obligated to indulge her wishes, but had no intention of
actually dancing. Fortunately, he was not alone on this foray.
His cousin, Richard Fitzwilliam, on leave from the Marines, was with
him. It was just the two of them. Anne, Catherine's daughter, did
not feel up to going to the dance and stayed at home with her
mother. As the two good-looking men entered the ballroom, many eyes
came to rest upon them as they were alone and seemingly free of any
female companionship. Will scanned the crowd with a detached look,
careful to avoid meeting anyone's eye. Making note of the balcony
upstairs that overlooked the ballroom, he decided to head upstairs
and observe the crowd from above. There he could remain alone and
away from the coquettish debutantes who, no doubt, would be in
attendance. Richard, ever the charmer, made a beeline for a group
of girls, eager to strike up an acquaintance with a pretty one or
two.

With a sigh of relief Will found refuge on the balcony. Drink in
hand, he looked down upon the dancers wistfully. His thoughts
turned to one particular girl he would do anything to dance with
again. He shook his head, trying to clear the painful thoughts
away. His eyes lit upon a couple on the dance floor that looked
familiar. He did a double take at the fellow's dancing. <I>Is that
Collins?</i> He smirked, remembering how outrageous he was the last
time he had seen him dancing. <I>With Elizabeth.</i> He scowled
remembering the rest of that evening at Longbourn and the argument
he had with her that night, the last time he had seen her. With
Charles in London Will had no contact with Elizabeth's sister; and
no excuse to see Elizabeth. She had made it clear she did not want
him to contact her, so he had stayed away though it had been torture
for him, knowing she was so close, yet unable to see her. His mind
wandered as he thought of her. He watched Collins dancing, and then
recognized his partner. <I>Isn't that Elizabeth's friend?</i> His
heart beat faster. This was too coincidental. <I>What is<U>
she</u> doing here? Could Elizabeth be here too?</i>

<center>***</center>

Out of the corner of her eye Lizzy noticed the nice looking man
coming in her direction, but she was surprised when he approached
her of all people. After all, she was still next to the group of
girls as she felt less conspicuous that way. She had been on her
own ever since Charlotte and Bill had left her to dance. As he came
up to her, she admired his easy good looks and graceful stride.
Tall, with a muscular build and sandy brown crew cut hair, he had a
decided look of confidence about him. His smile was his most
noticeable feature, lighting up his tanned face as Lizzy waited for
him to approach.

"Hello, gorgeous, what's your name? I'm Richard." His teeth were
dazzling against his tan.

It was hard not to roll her eyes at him, but his charm and manner
were too difficult to ignore, and the sparkle in his blue eyes made
her laugh. He was irresistible.

"Hello there, yourself. My name is Lizzy." She smiled back at him
archly, "Do you always come up to girls and introduce yourself and
call them gorgeous?"

"Only the gorgeous ones. So, what's a nice girl like you doing in a
place like this?"

Now Lizzy really did roll her eyes and responded laughingly, "Oh,
<I>please!</i> You can't be serious with that line. Does it really
get you results?"

He feigned injury; "I'm hurt and insulted!" he smiled boyishly at
her, "You mean I can't get you to come away with me after that
one?" Lizzy giggled, in spite of his attempts at obvious pick up
lines, she found him charming and amusing; she liked him at once.

"No, really, I'm serious. Are you from around here?" he asked.

"No, I'm here with a friend, she lives nearby."

He noticed her foot tapping to the music and asked her to
dance. "This music is nice, would you care to dance?"

"Yes, I'd love to." She took his arm and he led her to the floor.
He continued to flirt outrageously with her and she let him. He
told her that he was a Marine, expecting to graduate from Officers'
Basic School in Quantico, Virginia. He anticipated going to
Vietnam in the near future. Lizzy was horrified to hear this,
especially since he seemed so eager to go.

"Are you sure? Isn't that awfully dangerous?" The look on her face
was stricken.

"Yes, but I'm well trained. I know what to expect." He added, "I'm
a Marine." he said confidently, waggling his eyebrows at her.

She looked at him doubtfully. The little she had seen of Vietnam in
the news looked pretty grim. She didn't like the idea at all. She
may have just met him, but she hated to think of the danger he would
be involved in over there.

<center>***</center>

Will's eyes darted around the ballroom looking for Elizabeth. From
his perch in the balcony it was easy for him to view the entire
floor below him. He scanned the crowd, looking for a girl with long
dark hair. His heart thumped loudly in his chest. He could barely
breathe at the thought that she might be there and he was unaware of
it. As he perused the many dancers and heads from above, he saw his
cousin, laughing, obviously enjoying himself on the dance floor with
a shapely brunette. Will nearly glossed over them, but his heart
stopped and he peered down at them more closely. <I>Is that her? Is
that my Elizabeth?</i> He held his breath, waiting for them to turn
so he could see her face. She had glossy dark hair, tied up with a
ribbon – <I>a ribbon!</i> The couple turned and there she was!
<I>It's her!</i> He was in no doubt. <I>Richard is dancing with her!
</i> Hot, furious, jealousy overcame Will as he watched the two of
them appear to have a great time together. Elizabeth was laughing,
throwing her head back, her arms wrapped around Richard's shoulders.
<I>How dare she</i>, he thought indignantly. <I>She never danced
that way with <u>me!</u></i> He couldn't bear to watch them
together any longer. He was only too well aware what kind of a
charmer his cousin could be. He had to stop this; <I>Elizabeth
could already be falling in love with him!</i> he thought crazily.
Stumbling down the stairway, he nearly collided with another couple
as he rushed to reach Elizabeth and Richard.

As he made his way closer he shortened his stride and tried to
relax. He didn't want to appear too flustered and give himself away
to Richard. Always in competition with one another, all Richard
needed was an inkling of Will's feelings for Elizabeth and he would
run with it. He hadn't even thought about what he would say to her
when she saw him. Making his way through the crowd, he saw them
together. They had just finished their dance and were walking off
the dance floor.

All the old feelings came rushing back to Will as he neared; the
very vision of her assaulted him. She had never looked lovelier in
his eyes. Why deny it? He was still hopelessly in love. He took a
deep breath and from behind tapped her on the shoulder.

"Hello Elizabeth. It's good to see you again."

She'd recognize that deep voice anywhere. <i>Will! What's <u>he</u>
doing here?</i> Lizzy turned around. Alarmed at suddenly seeing
him, her heart started pounding furiously. She looked up at him,
concealing her unease, "Hello, Will."

"I hope your family is well and school is going all right for you?"
he asked politely.

"Yes, thank you, my family is well," she answered coolly, regaining
her composure, "Although my older sister, Jane, has been out of
sorts," she added meaningfully. Will tried not to read too much
into what Elizabeth said, but he couldn't help feeling a twinge of
guilt over his part in separating Charles from Jane. <i>Why is she
looking that way at me, as if she knows something? Could I have been
wrong about them?</i>

"I'm sorry to hear that." He cleared his throat, "I saw your friend…
um… dancing with Collins…over there." <i>That's right, impress with
your eloquence, you fool,</i> he thought, frustrated by his lack of
conversational skill.

"Yes, I'm here with Charlotte, my roommate. She lives up here."
Lizzy paused before adding in a low voice, "Bill is her…um…
boyfriend." She couldn't help feeling embarrassed at the memory of
being his date at the <I>Holly Hop</i> – and the fact that Will was
there to witness it. She felt her cheeks burning.

Richard watched the two of them curiously, with some amusement.
Raising an eyebrow he wondered, <I>What's this? She's blushing! </i>
Richard thought it was time to investigate.

"How do you two know each other?" Richard asked with an innocent
look, a look which wasn't lost on Will.

"Will and I met before, down in Princeton." She said, eyeing Will
with amusement, "As I recall, on the night we were introduced, he
made a derogatory comment about a particular young lady."

Will looked uncomfortable, even though he knew Elizabeth was
teasing. He reached for the ribbon in his pocket, feeling for the
silky softness that always brought him relief.

"Ha!" laughed Richard, "I'd love to know how my cousin behaves when
he's at parties!" Richard egged Lizzy on, knowing how it would
affect Will.

"It wasn't how it seemed." Will said quietly, his dark eyes never
wavering from Elizabeth.

<I>Cousins?</i> "He left quite an impression," Lizzy said, on her
guard.

"I'm not surprised by that." Richard knew his cousin only too
well. "He can be quite the stick in the mud, I daresay. I bet you
couldn't get him near the dance floor either." Richard grinned,
noticing the changed expressions on both their faces. <I>Aha! Struck
a nerve, didn't I?</i> Richard went in for the kill, "Isn't it about
time you got out on the dance floor, Will?" he slapped him on the
shoulder in a friendly gesture, "How about breaking your rule for
Lizzy?"

"Maybe he's afraid to," Lizzy said, her eyes dancing.

"I am not afraid of you," he said smilingly.

<I>Oh yeah, oh yeah,
oh yeah, oh yeah, </i>

Will inwardly rejoiced. Richard had unwittingly handed Elizabeth to
him on a silver platter. Wasting no time, he ignored the raised
eyebrow and pert expression of her lips and took her hand in his.
He wrapped his arm about her waist, aware of the silky softness of
her dress as he pulled her body close. Easily guiding her in a mini-
waltz step with a rock `n roll beat, he relished the sensation of
holding her in his arms. This was the first time they had danced
together so intimately. Not willing to appear rude in front of
Will's cousin, Lizzy hesitatingly placed her hand upon his shoulder
and let him take the lead.

<I>Imagine I'm in love with you
it's easy 'cause I know
I've imagined I'm in love with you
many, many, many times before

It's not like me to pretend
But I'll get you
I'll get you in the end
Yes, I will, I'll get you in the end
Oh yeah, oh yeah</i>

Will smiled at the words of the song. <I>How apropos.</i> He looked
down into Elizabeth's eyes, nodding in rhythm to the song. Could
she guess what he was thinking?

<I>I think about you night and day
I need you and it's true
When I think about you I can say
I'm never, never, never, never blue

So I'm telling you, my friend
That I'll get you
I'll get you in the end
Yes, I will, I'll get you in the end
Oh yeah

I don't like that look in his eye</I>. Elizabeth knew he was
enjoying every bit of this little charade. A quick glance at his
face had her nearly cringing at the roguish smile upon his lips. He
looked devastating. The words of the song didn't escape her, she
knew all too well what he thinking – and she didn't like it!

<I>Well, there's gonna be a time
When I'm gonna change your mind
So you might as well resign yourself to me
Oh yeah,</i>

Lizzy felt caught in a trap. Her insides were in turmoil -- her
stomach turned somersaults as he pulled her closer. The old
feelings she had for him were wreaking havoc on her senses again;
she tried not to dwell on the fact his hand was holding her waist so
provocatively, but it was impossible not to. Not only that, she
thought with despair, <I>did he always have to smell so good too?
</i> Swallowing, she didn't dare look into his face again. Every
time she saw those dimples of his, her legs turned to jelly. It was
hard enough for her to appear cool and collected while she was in
his arms, but the heat of his body next to hers was overwhelming.
She closed her eyes, resisting the urge to hold him tighter and lose
herself in his deep brown eyes.

<I>Imagine I'm in love with you
it's easy 'cause I know
I've imagined I'm in love with you
many, many, many times before</i>

Will could see the effect he was having on her, a whole range of
emotions crossed her face, and he felt more confident. He smiled,
licking his lips, thinking about kissing her. Should he? Her lips
were so tempting!

<I>It's not like me to pretend
But I'll get you
I'll get you in the end
Yes, I will, I'll get you in the end
Oh yeah, oh yeah
oh yeah oh yeah
oh yeah</i>

Will didn't let her go after the song ended, they remained standing
on the dance floor, both a little dazed by their thoughts. Lizzy
was only too well aware that it was dangerous to be too close to
him. <I>What is it about him</i>? She found him nearly impossible
to resist when he was this charming and magnetic.

She excused herself, using the powder room as an excuse.
Sidestepping the door to the powder room she found a set of French
doors that led to a patio overlooking the golf course. There were
other people – mostly couples –enjoying the moonlight, and Lizzy
took advantage of the darkness to collect herself and take a few
gulps of much needed air. Her thoughts were confused, she was
undeniably attracted to Will Darcy, but she couldn't trust him –<I>
I hate him!</i> Then she remembered how it felt to be in his arms,
the tingle she got when they touched, the way his eyes would draw
her in, as if he could read her mind…

"Penny for your thoughts."

Lizzy whirled, the deep voice behind her startling her out of her
reverie. "You!" she cried in relief as she recognized Richard in the
dim light. "You nearly scared me to death!" she said, clutching her
stomach, "Didn't your mother ever tell you to never sneak up on
someone?"

"I must not have been listening if she did. Sorry if I scared you,"
he apologized smoothly, with that same boyish smile. "It wasn't my
intention, believe me."

"All right, I believe you." Lizzy smiled, relieved it wasn't Will
who had snuck up on her.

Although glad to see her smile again, Richard was still curious
about this vivacious girl and his cousin. He could see that this
would need further delving into.

"My aunt likes to have tea parties every Sunday, how would you and
your girlfriend like to join us tomorrow afternoon?" he asked.

"Your aunt?" Lizzy echoed, hesitating, wondering if Darcy would be
there too. "That would be very nice. I'll have to ask Charlotte, of
course, she has a boyfriend whom she may have plans with already."

"Bring him too! The more the merrier, my aunt always has loads of
food."

"Thank you, I'll pass on the invitation – you're sure it's all
right?" she asked, a bit skeptical.

"You don't know my aunt. Believe me, she loves holding court. She
welcomes everyone -- as long as they agree with everything she says."

Lizzy raised her eyebrows, "Well, in that case, I better be on my
best behavior." she said impishly.

"I hope not," he said waggling his eyebrows at her, grinning. She
rolled her eyes at him for the third time that evening and gave him
a smirk.

"You're incorrigible!" she said, smiling. She really did enjoy his
company.

"Thank you. I take that as a compliment." he responded. He took her
arm in his and began to lead her back inside, "Shall we go back in?
I think it's getting too chilly out here." Lizzy nodded in agreement
and the two returned to the ballroom.

Will saw Elizabeth and Richard return through the French doors and
ground his teeth in consternation. <I>Damn Richard!</i> He strode
over to them, intent on breaking them apart. But as he came nearer
he realized it wouldn't do him any good to appear in a jealous fury
in front of Elizabeth. After their last dance he felt he had made
some inroads with her and didn't want to lose those precious points
in his favor.

He slowed his gait and appeared to stroll up to them.

"Ah, Will," Richard said with a mischievous glint in his eye, "I've
invited Lizzy and her friends to Rosings for tea tomorrow!"

<I>Rosings!</i> Lizzy's eyes shot open at the realization of who
Richard and Will's aunt actually was – Mrs. DeBourgh!

Will smiled with inward satisfaction, delighted with the news. His
cousin was turning out to be a godsend. He continued to watch
Elizabeth's face as the words of the song they had just danced to
repeated in his head. He was hopeful.

<I>It's not like me to pretend
But I'll get you
I'll get you in the end
Yes, I will, I'll get you in the end
Oh yeah, oh yeah
oh yeah oh yeah
oh yeah*</i>


<small>*The Beatles, "I'll Get You" - performed by The Beatles,
written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. © 1963 Northern Songs.
All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured.</small>


Chapter 10

The next day as Bill Collins drove Charlotte and Lizzy to Rosings
Park, he spoke freely of the DeBourgh family.

"Will Darcy is a Princeton man like I am," he said proudly,
unconsciously sticking out his scrawny chest. As if in the know, he
added importantly, "He's Mrs. DeBourgh's favorite nephew. I have it
on good authority that he and Mrs. DeBourgh's daughter, Anne, have
an understanding. They'll probably be announcing their engagement
shortly."

Charlotte looked startled at this pronouncement, and quickly turned
to Lizzy to gauge her reaction. Lizzy was not completely unfamiliar
with first cousins marrying, but the idea bothered her; it seemed
positively archaic.

"Who marries their first cousin nowadays?" asked Charlotte, showing
she did not agree with this custom.

Bill answered authoritatively, "Miss DeBourgh is adopted. There is
no actual blood connection."

<I>So <U>that's</u> it?</i> Lizzy thought, with a small sigh of
relief. Now it made perfect sense to her. She realized it was Anne
to whom George Wickham had referred. <I>You know how it is with
rich families.</i> George's words in regard to their engagement came
back to her. <i>No wonder</i>, she thought resignedly. Although it
dampened Lizzy's spirits somewhat, she was curious to see what kind
of girl this Anne DeBourgh was and interested in observing how Will
behaved around her. Maybe by witnessing them firsthand, she would
be able to get the handsome Will Darcy out of her mind once and for
all. Ever the optimist, Lizzy reflected that their visit to Rosings
Park could turn out to be pleasing in any case. She looked forward
to seeing Richard; after all, <I>he</i> was the one who invited them
to his aunt's, not Will.

Bill droned on with his history of the Fitzwilliam and Darcy
families. "Richard, the other one…" He shook his head. "Mrs.
DeBourgh is not as pleased with him. He's the black sheep of the
family. He insists on entering the <I>military</i>, and Mrs.
DeBourgh is very disappointed." Lizzy remembered Richard's words
about being a Marine and going off to Vietnam. It worried her.

"It's inexcusable for a Fitzwilliam, which is Mrs. DeBourgh's maiden
name, you know," Bill said, turning to the girls while he was
driving. "Mrs. DeBourgh could easily make a simple phone call and he
could have a lucrative job anywhere he wanted. He did graduate from
the University of Pennsylvania, after all. But he insisted on
joining the Marines and going over <I>there!</i>" His eyes looked
eastward, a look of horror on his face. He muttered
disgustedly, "He must have some sort of death wish." Lizzy's eyes
widened at the thought. Bill Collins obviously did not share
Richard's opinions and values. As much as Lizzy disliked the idea
that Richard's career choice was dangerous and he could go to
Vietnam, she admired him for his decision. She thought it was very
brave and noble.

The car traveled down the majestic lane of sycamore trees on the
approach to the house. Lizzy's eyes widened as it stopped in front
of the gates, and as if by magic the gates opened all by themselves
and they continued up the long driveway, paved in red granite
chips. Lizzy was now able to get her first real good look at
Rosings Park, a magnificent Tudor manor, rich in detail. Lizzy was
no expert on architecture, but she knew enough to recognize that
Rosings was more than just another mansion. It was an amazing piece
of art. The brick patchwork between the timbers revealed an
exquisite herringbone inlay, complimented by the superb diamond
leaded glass windows throughout. A thick frame of limestone
surrounded the massive front door, made of an unusual blonde
chestnut wood. Lizzy looked up at the doorway in wonder, thinking
it must be at least ten feet tall. As the three young people got
out of their car and walked up to the impressive front entrance,
Lizzy took a deep breath and braced herself for the inevitable first
meeting with the formidable Catherine DeBourgh.

As soon as they rang the doorbell, a butler answered and greeted
them formally. He led them into the sumptuously decorated drawing
room and Lizzy instantly spotted Richard, whose face opened into a
wide smile as soon as he saw her. Will was standing in front of the
stained glass windows, with his back to them, looking out onto the
rear lawn of the house. Lizzy could only make out his silhouette,
for the sun's rays through the window created a backlit effect
behind him. As soon as he heard their voices and the butler's
announcement, he turned to face them with a small smile upon his
lips. His eyes lit up when he saw Lizzy, and a feeling of warmth
spread throughout his body. But all too soon, his eyes darkened as
he saw Richard immediately approach Elizabeth and give her -- what
Will considered -- a familiar kiss on the cheek.

"Lizzy! Welcome to Rosings!" Richard said gaily. Turning to Bill
and Charlotte, he added, "and these must be your friends."

Lizzy introduced them to Richard, and Bill piped in, "I'm William
Collins, I'm already acquainted with the DeBourgh family." He lifted
his chin proudly. "My father is well known to Mrs. DeBourgh."

Richard's smile faded slightly upon noticing Bill's demeanor, but
soon recovered. "Well…then, you should feel right at home!" He took
Lizzy's arm in his and led her across the room toward the enormous
leaded glass windows where Will was standing. Will nodded stiffly
to her as he passed her on his way to greet Charlotte and Bill. He
couldn't stand the way Richard was touching her and needed some
space.

Lizzy thought how comfortable Will looked in these opulent
surroundings, as if he were to the manor born. She glanced around
the large room, her eyes widening as she noticed a striking piece of
art hanging on one of the walls. <I>Is that an original Renoir?</i>
Richard's flirtatious, low voice brought her out of her
reverie. "It seems I already know a bit about you, and didn't even
realize it."

Lizzy, who had been watching Will out of the corner of her eye,
turned to Richard, looking puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"My cousin has told me so much about you, but I had no idea you were
the girl he was talking about."

"Well, I'm sure it couldn't be anything too great. You see, your
cousin and I are not the best of friends."

"That's not at all the impression Will gave me." Richard smiled,
looking over at Will. By this point, Will was aware that Richard
and Elizabeth must be talking about him, and he at once felt
uncomfortable under their scrutiny.

Lizzy raised one eyebrow at this and responded while looking over at
Will, "I'd like to hear what your cousin has said about me. I'm
sure it would to be very interesting."

"On our drive out here, he told me about a girl he met at school and
how taken he was with her. I seem to remember him remarking on how
fine her eyes were." Richard added this last part casually, curious
to see Lizzy's reaction to this statement. So what if it was a
little white lie? Will hadn't said anything about fine eyes or a
girl for that matter, but Richard knew this would help him in his
cause to learn the truth about these two.

Lizzy blushed and couldn't help but wonder at Richard's words.<i>
What else has Will said to him about me?</i> She nearly cringed at
the thought of their last conversation at the <I>Holly Hop.</i>

"I'm sure he must have been talking about someone else, it couldn't
possibly have been me," Lizzy said self-deprecatingly. Richard
shook his head in disagreement, amused at her discomfiture.

Again she looked over at Will standing next to Charlotte,
contemplating his profile. He was undeniably attractive. He threw a
glance in her direction, their eyes met and she quickly averted
hers, afraid she would reveal too much of her inner thoughts about
him. The look in her eyes gave Will hope and he took it as a good
sign to join them. He'd had enough of Bill Collins, who seemed to
be basking in the glory of Rosings, and didn't like the idea of
Richard working his well-known charms upon Elizabeth without him.
<I>Who knows what he's saying to her?</i>

"Will, we were just talking about you. Were your ears burning?"
Richard asked laughingly.

Ignoring Richard, Will turned to Elizabeth. "I hope my cousin wasn't
boring you."

Lizzy smiled valiantly at Richard. She was intent on erasing the
discomposure she had been feeling earlier. "No, not at all, your
cousin is very entertaining. I was just about to tell Richard some
stories about why you and I aren't the best of friends," she said
impishly with a glint in her eye, as if daring him to stop her.

Will smiled down at her, his dimples showing; Lizzy's stomach did a
flip.

"What, <I>more</i> unflattering stories about my cousin?" Richard
said mockingly. "Will, you better change your ways, or you're going
to lose this girl," he warned, throwing his arm around Elizabeth's
shoulders and pulling her closer to him, in a good-natured hug.

"He never had me," Lizzy said under her breath.

Darcy couldn't be sure what she said, but Richard heard it and
raised an eyebrow at the thought, <I>something is definitely going
on between these two.</i> That same moment, a rustle in the hallway
heralded the arrival of a dignified looking woman of sixty years in
the doorway.

<I>The great Catherine DeBourgh,</i> thought Lizzy. Behind her
appeared a wisp of a girl with light brown hair in a non-descript
hairdo. She quickly ducked out of the way, as if she was trying to
disappear into the woodwork. <i>The daughter.</i> Mrs. DeBourgh,
bedecked in pearls and an elegant suit in dove gray taffeta,
surveyed the room, her piercing eyes resting upon Lizzy. Lizzy
guiltily freed herself from Richard's arm and tried her best to
smile under the hawk-like stare of Mrs. DeBourgh.

"Well!" the older woman paused dramatically. "Isn't anyone going to
introduce these young people to me?" She had a pronounced look of
disagreeableness.

Bill stepped up, nearly genuflecting before her, and said, "Mrs.
DeBourgh, remember me? I am William Collins, your minister's son.
It is an honor to see you once again and thank you for allowing – "

She cut him off, barely glancing his way. "Yes, yes, I remember
<I>you.</i>" She said testily. "But who are these young girls?"

"I was about to say – "Richard began, until Will stepped in and took
over.

"Aunt Catherine," he said smoothly while turning towards Lizzy and
ignoring the irritated look on his cousin's face, "Please allow me
to introduce Miss Elizabeth Bennet and Miss Charlotte Lucas." He
motioned toward Charlotte. "They're in the area visiting Charlotte's
family for Easter break."

Mrs. DeBourgh looked the girls over, while Bill remained speechless,
in awe of the woman. She asked them, "You are in school then?"

Fighting an impulse to curtsey, Lizzy answered, "Yes, ma'am, we
attend Longbourn College." Lizzy looked at Charlotte, her eyes
asking if she wanted to add anything to this. Charlotte looked like
a deer caught in headlights. She imperceptibly shook her head and
Lizzy did not elaborate on her answer. Anne DeBourgh remained in
the background, taking a seat on the sofa alone, saying nothing, and
only nodding her head when she was introduced.

Mrs. DeBourgh appeared satisfied and motioned for everyone to come
and sit down for tea. For the remainder of their visit, Lizzy
managed to observe Will, while avoiding conversation with him. She
saw absolutely no sign of an attachment between him and Anne. She
found it hard to believe they were engaged. <I>It couldn't possibly
be true,</i> she thought doubtfully. She was sorry to say but the
girl had no personality whatsoever.

Mrs. DeBourgh questioned Lizzy about her family and background, and
once satisfied that she knew all, turned her questions to
Charlotte. Bill had succeeded in informing Mrs. DeBourgh that he
and Charlotte were seeing one another, and the great lady, satisfied
with Charlotte's responses to her questions, decided Charlotte
passed muster and condoned the match.

The tea party was a stilted and grueling affair. Mrs. DeBourgh's
interrogation on Lizzy's entire family and background had been
exhausting to Lizzy. Richard tried his best to counteract some of
his aunt's more pointed questions, but overall Lizzy was left
unsettled, especially when she noticed how intently Will stared and
listened to everything she said. Much as she hated to admit it,
Lizzy felt out of her league in these surrounding. More than once
she cast her eyes again towards the Renoir. She also regarded many
of the other paintings and tapestries on the walls; everything
looked so noble and regal, like a castle or museum, she thought in
awe. <I>What kind of people live like this?</i>

Will studied Elizabeth as she sipped her tea. He noticed the way
she looked around, as if she felt uncomfortable amidst the luxuries
in his aunt's home. Luxuries that he took for granted. Such
opulent living could be daunting for someone not used to it and his
heart went out to her; he worried that she felt out of place. He
wanted to gauge her reaction by speaking with her and allay any
fears she might have in that regard. Was he correct in his
estimation of her feelings? He was about to get up and leave his
seat, when he saw Richard whisper something to her.

She shrugged her shoulders in response to whatever he said to her,
and looked slightly embarrassed. Richard smiled at her
reassuringly, patting her hand.

Will looked at them jealously, <I>What is going on between those two?
</i> He vowed not to let Richard foil his chances with Elizabeth.
He encouraged his aunt to invite them all back to Rosings for dinner.

Once tea was over, Lizzy was grateful to return to the Lucas's where
she and Charlotte went over every detail of their meeting with the
DeBourghs. They both agreed Mrs. DeBourgh was a formidable lady and
that it seemed unlikely that Will was actually engaged to her
daughter. Lizzy couldn't help feeling relieved at the thought. At
the same time, she looked forward to seeing Richard, and
subconsciously Will, over the next few days.

<center>***</center>

The following day, while playing pool in the billiard room, Richard
brought up Elizabeth to Will.

"You know, Darce, I think I might ask Lizzy Bennet for a date. Do
you think she'd go out with me if I asked her?" He waited for Will's
answer, trying not to laugh and give himself away at the look of
consternation in Will's eyes.

Will waited for a moment before he spoke, thinking carefully about
what he wanted to say.

"No, I don't think you should ask her out," he stated firmly.

Richard feigned shock at this reply. "Why ever not?" he asked.

Will avoided Richard's eyes as he answered simply. "Because I want
to. I met her first. I've had my eye on her for months." He wasn't
about to let Richard in on all the details of his rocky courtship
with Elizabeth.

Richard snorted. "Well, you could have fooled me. You're hardly
going about it the right way."

Will thought ruefully about his past blunders with Elizabeth.
<I>Tell me something I don't already know.</i>

"I know that, but it's not helping that <I>you're</i> hanging all
over her!" he said, his jealousy again surfacing.

Richard replied innocently. "Me? I haven't been behaving any
differently than any other red blooded American male would …under
the circumstances."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Will was suspicious of his cousin's
motives.

"Well, I expect to be going overseas once my graduation and training
are done; it would be nice to have a sweetheart waiting for me,"
Richard explained, half-serious.

Will aimed his next shot in the corner pocket, not at all pleased
Richard was interested in Lizzy as his `sweetheart'. "It's hardly
fair using that excuse, Richard. No one forced you to become a
Marine. It's not like you were drafted."

"I know, it's my own choosing. But that doesn't mean I can't have a
shot at her, does it?" He walked over to the hi-fi and turned on
some music. Will landed his shot and prepared for his next as the
words of the song filled the room:

<I>You're going to lose that girl</i>

Will's cue stick glaringly missed the ball as the words enveloped
him. Richard grinned and took his turn.

<I>(Yes, yes you're going to lose that girl)
You're going to lose that girl
(Yes, yes you're going to lose that girl)</i>

<I>If you don't take her out tonight
she's going to change her mind
(she's going to change her mind)
And I will take her out tonight
And I will treat her kind
(I'm gonna treat her kind)</i>

Sinking his ball into the side pocket, Richard continued on,
seemingly unaffected by the words of the song.

<I>You're going to lose that girl
(Yes, yes, you're going to lose that girl)
You're going to lose that girl
(Yes, yes, you're going to lose that girl)</i>

Will rolled his eyes at the silly grin on Richard's face, knowing
what his cousin was thinking. Richard shrugged at him innocently,
bouncing to the mambo beat as he aimed for his next shot.

<I>If you don't treat her right, my friend
You're going to find her gone
(You're going to find her gone)
'Cause I will treat her right and then
You'll be the lonely one
(You're not the only one)</i>

Taking pity on his cousin, Richard spoke up. "How about this, Will?
I won't make a move on Lizzy until you've given it a try first."
The words of the song inspired him. "But you have to ask her out
tomorrow when they're here at Rosings again. If you fail -- then I
get a chance." <i>If that doesn't light a fire under my cousin's
posterior, I don't know what will.</i> Shaking his head, Richard
continued smiling as he lined up his next shot.

<I>You're going to lose that girl
(Yes, yes, you're going to lose that girl)
You're going to lose that girl
(Yes, yes, you're going to lose that girl)
You're going to lose that girl</i>

Will glared at him. "You seem very sure of yourself. What makes you
think I'll fail?"

<I>I'll make a point of taking her away from you
(Watch what you do)
Yeah, the way you treat her, what else can I do</i>

Richard leaned on his cue stick. "Isn't it obvious?"

"Isn't <I>what</i> obvious?" he asked. He didn't like the way
Richard presumed to understand Elizabeth better than he did. Richard
rolled his eyes at Will's obtuseness.

<I>You're going to lose that girl</i>

Richard was now quite serious. "I can see it with my own eyes, Will.
Don't be so sure of yourself, she's skittish with you."

<I>You're going to lose that girl
(Yes, yes, you're going to lose that girl)
You're going to lose that girl
(Yes, yes, you're going to lose that girl)
You're going to lose that girl</i>

Will chose to ignore Richard's words, convinced he knew better and
proceeded to continue with the game. <I>I'll show you, Richard.
Tomorrow at this time, she'll be mine.</i>

<center>***</center>

Thinking about the conversation later, Will dismissed Richard's
prophecy. He took Elizabeth's white ribbon out of his pocket and
stared at it, remembering the moment they first met; it was
imprinted in his memory forever. He was convinced when Elizabeth
knew how much he really cared for her and how much she meant to him,
she would realize how good they would be together. He smiled,
warming to the thought. She would gladly fall into his arms; he had
felt it the last time they danced together. Certain she felt
something for him, Will had it all planned out. Everyone was
invited back to his aunt's tomorrow, Will would somehow arrange to
be alone with Elizabeth and make his feelings known to her in no
uncertain terms. With a deep sigh, Will luxuriated in the thought,
<I>By this time tomorrow, Elizabeth will be my girlfriend.</i>

The next day was glorious -- the temperature unusually warm for that
time of year, the sun was bright and there wasn't a cloud in the
sky. Charlotte, Bill and Lizzy set out for Rosings ready for a
casual afternoon enjoying the beautiful grounds surrounding the
Tudor mansion.

Will awoke early, energized at the thought of seeing Elizabeth later
that day. Much to his chagrin, his aunt requested that he join her
and her attorney to discuss some important business matters; it
would take up the majority of the afternoon. Once he reached the
age of majority, his aunt decided it was important for him to be
privy to the family's many investment and business decisions. Will
was well aware of his aunt's wish for him to marry Anne, and that
she was grooming him for a future role in the family as her son-in-
law. He had absolutely no intention of ever marrying Anne and he
knew for certain she felt the same way. Unfortunately, Anne was
completely under the thumb of her mother, unable to say no to
anything Aunt Catherine insisted upon.

Will knew that one day soon he would have it out with his aunt; he
had to inform her that he had every intention of deciding whom and
when he would marry, and that it would not be Anne. Will considered
a `marriage of convenience' as something from the Dark Ages; he
would never allow himself to be subjected to one. Now that he was
coming into his own and would be taking over the reigns at Darcy
Pharmaceuticals, he intended to be his own man, master of his own
affairs, in all areas.

Upstairs in his aunt's study, Will resigned himself to the fact he
would have to wait to see Elizabeth. She was staying for dinner and
Will comforted himself that there would be plenty of time to talk
with her before they dined. He even had the perfect moment and
setting in mind for his declaration. He nervously tapped his
fingers in anticipation, garnering his aunt's disapproval at his
preoccupied manner.

When Lizzy, Bill and Charlotte arrived, Richard greeted them and
offered to show them around the estate. He explained that Will
would be occupied with their aunt for most of the afternoon, and
Lizzy inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. Lately, the tempting Will
Darcy had been invading her thoughts again and again. She dreaded
seeing him. Each time they were together, she was inexplicably
drawn to him. Her resistance was crumbling bit by bit with each
encounter. She wasn't stupid; she knew what he was about. It was
apparent he found her attractive, but she was not about to fall
victim to his charms. No matter how much he tried, Lizzy could
never forgive him for his role in ruining Jane's happiness with
Charles.</i>

After their tour Richard offered refreshments. They drank lemonade
on the patio, while Will remained inside with his aunt. When they
finished, Richard suggested a game of croquet and all delightedly
agreed.

"I haven't played croquet since I was a kid!" Lizzy laughed,
settling on a color and adding decisively "I'll be red. It's my
favorite."

"I'll be black. It's usually Will's color, but since he's not here
I'll usurp his place," he noted with his eyes twinkling. He hadn't
forgotten the conversation with his cousin the day before.

Charlotte and Bill chose their colors and the game began. Everyone
enjoyed the competition while Richard took especial delight in
assisting Lizzy on the proper method of handling her mallet and
knocking the ball. Briefly glancing up to the windows of his aunt's
study, he put his arms around her from behind as he guided her
attempt to hit the ball. Lizzy turned around smirking at him, she
was no fool. She was quite capable of holding the mallet and
hitting the ball but she laughed, allowing him this small
concession. <I>He is such a flirt!</i> She couldn't help but
relish the attention . It had been a long time since she enjoyed
herself with a nice young man like Richard. Charlotte and Bill were
preoccupied at the other end of the field where Charlotte was
showing Bill how to hit the ball properly through the wickets.
While they lagged behind, Richard preferred to remain close to
Lizzy. He regaled her with stories about his family and his aunt.
Eventually the talk turned to Will and his family.

<center>***</center>

Will looked forlornly out the window of his aunt's study as he
viewed the croquet game about to begin on the immaculately
landscaped croquet lawn below. Being cooped up with his aunt and her
attorney the entire afternoon was torturous for Will. Now, with
Elizabeth in Richard's determined presence, it was almost impossible
for him to keep his mind on anything but the two of them. That
dastardly tune flitted through his head, mocking him with every word.

<I>You're going to lose that girl </i>

He looked at her from above, thinking how adorable and somehow still
alluring she looked in a plaid sleeveless blouse tucked into a pair
of cotton pants. <I> How could something so simple look so
fantastic,</i> he wondered as he unconsciously licked his lips. Her
clothing hugged every curve, showing off shapely legs that tapered
down to a pair of simple tennis shoes.

He didn't trust his cousin with her for a minute.

<I>I'll make a point of taking her away from you
(Watch what you do)
Yeah, the way you treat her, what else can I do</i>

As he was about to turn away from the window he gasped as he saw his
cousin put his arms around Elizabeth. <i>That troublemaker!</i> He
silently fumed in indignation as he saw them laughing and flirting.
Will hastily disregarded the thought of opening the casement window
and calling out to them, in spite of the insane jealousy he felt for
his cousin at that moment.

<I>If you don't take her out tonight
She's going to change her mind
(She's going to change her mind)
And I will take her out tonight
And I will treat her kind
(I'm gonna treat her kind)

You're going to lose that girl
(Yes, yes, you're going to lose that girl)
You're going to lose that girl
(Yes, yes, you're going to lose that girl)
You're going to lose that girl</i>

Will turned away from the window disgustedly, unable to watch any
longer. <I> Later, I'll have my chance… give me time,</i> he
thought as he wiped perspiration from his forehead and tried to
concentrate on the intricacies of his aunt's latest business
acquisition.

Meanwhile, on the croquet lawn below, Elizabeth, who was curious
about William's family, asked Richard about Will's sister.

"What's Will's sister like?"

"Georgiana's a nice girl; she's in that teenager phase right now."
Richard lined up his shot before knocking his ball through the
wicket with his mallet.

"Getting into trouble, no doubt?" Lizzy said, thinking of Lydia.
Richard looked up at her questioningly, his eyes suddenly serious.
The look on his face made her regret her words and she rushed to
reassure him. "I have a fifteen year old sister, too." She laughed,
trying to lighten the mood. "She's a Beatlemaniac, and has a
tendency to act before thinking, which tends to lead to trouble."

Richard kept his head down as he prepared for his next shot.

Lizzy tried to reassure him, by adding, "I'm sure Georgiana is
nothing like Lydia." He looked up and smiled at her, his good mood
returning. Lizzy continued, thinking perhaps now would be a good
time to bring up another subject that had been on her mind.

"I've only heard good things about Georgiana, especially from Will's
friends. Do you know his friend… Charles Bingley?" She tried to
make it sound casual as he knocked his ball into hers.

"A little," Richard said, concentrating on his next shot, "I know he
and Will are great friends. In fact, I believe Will saved him
recently from a certain unsettling situation with a girl."

Lizzy could barely breathe after hearing Richards's casual
reply. "Oh? Why is that?"

Unaware of Lizzy's discomfort, he replied vaguely, "I'm not sure,
but apparently there was some problem with the girl – she wasn't
what Charles thought she was. I'm not really sure, but Will
convinced him to try and forget her while he was away in London."

He stepped on his ball next to Lizzy's. "Sorry, old girl, but I'm
sending you flying!" He knocked his mallet into his ball, sending
Lizzy's ball clear across the playing field.

Elizabeth's heart swelled with indignation for Jane. <I>I knew it!
He <U>did </u>convince Charles to drop her!</i> Lizzy was quiet
after this, barely interested in continuing the game. Richard
noticed her lack of enthusiasm and asked if she was feeling all
right.

"I guess I've been out in the sun too much. I didn't realize it
would be so warm." She was feeling sick after hearing this
confirmation about Will's involvement between Jane and
Charles. "Perhaps we could go in the shade?" she asked.

Richard put his hand on her forehead; concerned she was
overheated. "Of course. Let me take you back to the house."

He called out to Charlotte and Bill to continue with the game while
he saw that Lizzy was settled on a chaise-lounge in a shady spot of
the terrace. Charlotte looked worried but Lizzy waved her
off. "Don't worry about me, Char. I'll be fine, I'm just going to
lie down here for a while."

Lizzy assured Charlotte she would be all right and convinced her to
go with Bill and enjoy the rest of the day on their own. Richard
added that he would be glad to give Lizzy a ride home later on. When
Charlotte agreed, Richard left to get Lizzy a cold drink, promising
to return right away. Lizzy took advantage of her time alone to
think about what Richard had told her about Will. She was furious
with him and hurt for Jane. She looked forward to letting him know
exactly what she thought of him!

Richard returned momentarily with an iced tea and sat with her,
hoping it would make her feel better. Lizzy assured him she was
much better, but a little tired. He offered to leave her alone, so
she could have time to rest in peace and quiet. She thanked him,
saying that it really wasn't necessary, but he insisted. He
promised to return in an hour as Lizzy lay back on the cushion and
closed her eyes. Thoughts of Jane and Charles tumbled through her
head as she remembered the conversation she had overheard between
Will and Caroline at the <I>Holly Hop.</i>

As soon as Will finished with his aunt and her attorney, he rushed
outside to find Elizabeth and the rest of the party. Looking around
he didn't see them anywhere. He headed back to the house, worried
he would miss his window of opportunity to tell her of his
feelings. Lost in his thoughts as he crossed the rear terrace, he
was startled when out of the corner of his eye he noticed a figure
lying down on one of the chaise-lounges. <I>Elizabeth! </i> He
couldn't believe his luck. <I>And she's alone! </i> She looked
beautiful lying there peacefully with her eyes closed. He came
closer, drinking in the sight of her and remained standing before
her lost in her loveliness. Suddenly, she opened her eyes; as if
aware she was being watched.

"Will!" She was startled at first, then her eyebrows furrowed. "How
long have you been here?"

"Not too long" He smiled down at her. She felt uncomfortable under
his scrutiny and sat up.

"Elizabeth, there's something I'd like to show you. The sunset is
beautiful down at the dock, will you join me?" he motioned in that
direction.

What better time to give him a piece of her mind? "Yes, thank you,
I'd like that. There's something I want to tell you," she said
enigmatically. Will was encouraged; hoping she returned his
feelings. They set out toward the water.

Will led Lizzy to the Rosings' waterfront, revealing a well kept,
but weathered, dock that jutted about 50 yards into the bay. They
walked to the end of the dock and stood side by side. The moist,
salt air created an unruly mass of curls about Lizzy's face. The
creaking of the pilings and the sound of the water lapping against
them were the only sounds but for the occasional seagull. The sun
was hovering over the horizon, turning the sky magnificent shades of
pink and orange. Will drew in a breath as he looked at Elizabeth's
profile. He knew this was his moment --this was his chance to tell
her of his love for her.

"Elizabeth," Will began, "there's something I need to tell you."

Tucking a wayward strand of hair behind her ear, Lizzy bit her lip,
avoiding his eyes. Ill at ease, she watched the sun slowly sink
lower over the horizon. Its reflection cast a gorgeous tangerine
hue over the bay before her. Later she would look back on this
moment and have no memory of the stunning sunset unfolding before
them.

"I have a thing or two to tell you as well," she said shortly,
staring out at the water. Will was so intent on what he was about
to say, he didn't notice the coldness in her voice.

With little hesitation, he launched in. "I'm sorry, I can't wait any
longer. I've got to tell you." He took her hands in his and turned
her toward him. Taking a deep breath, he fought off his nervousness
and continued, "Elizabeth…I love you. I have been in love with you
ever since the moment we first met." A wide smile spread across his
face as relief and joy washed over him. <I>Finally I've said it!
</i> He had been so uneasy and worried about admitting his love to
her for the first time, now that it was over, he felt a huge burden
had been lifted from his shoulders. He almost felt giddy with
relief. He tried to see what she was thinking, but her eyes were
downcast, her expression unreadable in the dim light.

He began to babble, nervous and unsure of what else to say. "I
realize we had a shaky beginning and I've noticed you're a little
nervous about our different… backgrounds."

He didn't know how to tactfully say this, "My family is…well…" He
turned to look at Rosings, as if to indicate what he meant. He
continued to hold her hands in his, running his thumbs lightly
across their soft skin.

Lizzy numbly listened to his declaration without looking at him
until he mentioned their backgrounds, and she couldn't help but feel
affronted. <I>What does he mean by our <u>backgrounds?</u></i> Her
feelings of resentment toward him deepened as he continued in what
she perceived as his self-assured way.

Grinning, he blindly dug himself in deeper. "I knew you'd come
around eventually. We were meant to be together -- don't you see? I
can't wait to show you off to the world as my girlfriend." He
squeezed her hands, wishing she would look up at him. He wasn't
sure what else to say. He suspected she was nervous at the prospect
of being his steady. He smiled down at her, oblivious to her real
thoughts. He was so caught up in his own reflections; he didn't
stop to realize she had yet to say anything.

All Lizzy could think about was his pride and arrogance. <I>What
nerve! As if I should be grateful! </i> She'd heard about all she
could, sickened by his words.

Unknowing, he continued in the same vein. "I haven't been able to
get you out of my head ever since we first danced together at
Longbourn. I dream of you -- worship you -- you can't believe how
much I've wanted you, to touch you, hold you." As he said the
words, Lizzy realized he was going to kiss her. He reached to take
her in his arms and hold her close, but she avoided his grasp and
pushed him away.

"Stop it! I don't want to hear any more! I don't want your
<I>love!</i>" She spat out the last word as if it were a curse. Her
eyes glinted with hatred as she backed away from him.

"Elizabeth, what's the matter?" Perplexed by her behavior, he
approached her.

"How could you <I>possibly</i> think that I'd fall for your lines,
when you're the one behind Jane's broken heart!" She began to walk
up the dock, leaving him behind. He came after her, shocked at her
disclosure and tried to reach for her hand. She turned to face
him. "I know that you and Caroline were behind Charles and Jane's
break-up. I heard you at the <I>Holly Hop!</i> Jane has been
miserable for the past two months thanks to you!"

Did he hear her right? "What are you talking about? You can't be
serious!" He was confident he could straighten this out, if she'd
only listen. He tried to speak calmly and patiently. "I didn't break
up Jane and Charles. Jane did that herself. I was only trying to
save Charles from a broken heart."

She couldn't believe his arrogance. "Are you crazy? Jane loves
him! She's still pining for him! She never would have broken up
with him!"

"That's not what I heard," he maintained.

"Oh, and I suppose you know my sister better than I do?" She stamped
her foot and folded her arms, glaring up at him.

"Of course not, I don't pretend to know your sister very well. But,
I know Charles better than you do. I wasn't about to let your
sister hurt him once he left for London."

She was seething. "Who do you think you are? What gives <I>you</I>
the right to play God?"

"I have no wish to `play God.' I just did everything in my power to
separate my friend from your sister, to save him from certain
disaster." He ran his hand through his hair, frustrated.
<I>Towards him I have been kinder than towards myself.</i> Quietly
he added, "I thought I was doing Charles a favor."

A growing unease was taking over, as he began to realize he might
have made a huge mistake in regard to listening to Caroline. At
that moment the incongruity of his siding with Caroline hit him, but
it was too late. <I>Caroline! Since when do I listen to <u>Caroline?
</u> </I>

"Elizabeth, if you'll let me explain – "

"No." Cutting him off, she wouldn't let him get a word in, intent on
giving it to him. "Not only did you manage to ruin any happiness for
my sister, I had already made up my mind about you based upon your
treatment of George Wickham."

"Again! We <I>always</i> come back to poor George Wickham!" Will
responded in exasperation, face flushed, anger rising.

"Who couldn't help but feel sorry for him after hearing what you've
done to him?"

He turned away from her, looking out at the water, repeating
contemptuously. "What <i>I</i> did to him? Is that what he told you?
Yes, his misfortunes have been <i>great</i> indeed."
Elizabeth cried out accusingly, "It's because of you! It's your
fault that the money for his schooling was cut off. He could have
had the advantage of an education from Princeton. His career
choices would have been boundless! Only now, to make his way in
life, <I>thanks to you,</i> he has to work his way through school in
a record store." She took a deep breath and continued, "<I>You
</i>are responsible for this! And yet you mock him!" Lizzy tried to
remember exactly what George had said. <I>Will can be ruthless when
he wants something.</i>

Will strode to the other side of the dock. "And this -- this is
what you think of me?" He was appalled. He tried to reign in his
anger at Wickham for telling such lies and at Elizabeth for
believing them, but his success was limited. Sarcastically, he
spoke to her in his haughtiest of tones. "Thank you <I>so much</i>
for making it crystal clear! My faults, according to you, are
limitless!"

Elizabeth grew angrier every moment; balling her hands into fists,
she tried to speak with composure. "Yes, they are. From the very
beginning -- no, <I>almost</i> from the very beginning – I was
positive that you were the most arrogant, conceited, and selfish
egomaniac I have ever come across. Everything you've done and shown
me has only proven that. I could never really trust you, especially
after the <I>Holly Hop</i> when I overheard you and Caroline
plotting against my sister!"

The remembrance of Will's overconfident demeanor fueled her anger.
Disgustedly, she asked, "Did you really think I want to be your
<I>girlfriend?</i> I guess it will come as a surprise to you that
you're the last boy in the world I could <I>ever</i> go out with."
He came toward her with a mixture of incredulity and indignation on
his face. As he approached, she added, "Nothing you say could make
me change my mind about you."

Will reached out in one desperate last attempt to persuade her, but
Lizzy surprised even herself. Warding off his effort, she raised
her hand to his chest and shoved him away. Throwing him off
balance, she stood transfixed and watched in horror as he stood on
one leg, waving his arms as if in slow motion. He gracelessly fell
backward off the dock into the water below. With amazement and shock
upon his face, his eyes locked with hers before he crashed through
the water's surface. A huge splash sent ripples and droplets of
water everywhere before he disappeared beneath the murky water.
Lizzy shrieked, gasping in fear as she scurried to the edge of the
dock.

Unhurt, Will didn't have far to fall, since it was high tide, but
the water was freezing, and he gasped as it enveloped him. Lizzy
stood frozen looking down at him in the water. Astounded at her
actions, she had to be sure he wouldn't drown. <I>Oh God, please
let him be all right!</i> She knelt as close to the water as she
could, ready to jump in if necessary. The cold hand of fear clamped
down on her heart as she waited. As irrational as it seemed, she
didn't want any harm to come to him. After what seemed like an
eternity, Will popped to the surface, spit out some seawater and
swam to the ladder on the dock.

She watched in silence as he slowly climbed up, dripping wet, his
thin shirt plastered to his body. She couldn't take her eyes off
him. <I>He's stunning. </i> She had an inexplicable desire to run
her hands across his chest. She was horrified that all she could
think of as she looked at him was how fine he looked soaking wet.
So fit, so chiseled, so…<I>male</i>. She was speechless. Some
kind of primordial feeling deep inside her left her confused. She
hated herself for being so physically attracted to him – especially
at such a moment! They stood in silence facing each other. Neither
could take their eyes off the other. Finally, breaking the spell,
Lizzy turned abruptly and ran up the dock, wasting no time in
getting as far away from Rosings and Will Darcy as soon as possible.

As he watched the retreating figure of Elizabeth disappear behind a
clump of bushes in the fading twilight, Will remembered the look on
her face. He didn't try to go after her; he knew it was fruitless.
He shivered as the cool air hit his soaking wet body, and he thought
of her in despair. His last memory of her was the look in her
eyes. It was one of deep loathing. She despised him.

<I>You're going to lose that girl
(Yes, yes, you're going to lose that girl)
You're going to lose that girl
You're going to lose that girl*</i>



<small>*The Beatles, "You're Going to Lose That Girl" - performed by
The Beatles, written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. © 1965
Northern Songs. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright
Secured.</small>

<u>Chapter 11</u>


With a heavy heart, Will slowly trudged the long way up the hill,
away from the water to his aunt's house. Dripping wet, he felt and
heard the sound of his water-logged shoes mocking his every step.
Head bowed, eyes on his feet, he reached the side door to the
kitchen, used mostly by the staff. <I>How could I have been so wrong?
</i> He sighed as he opened the door, barely catching a sob that
threatened to emerge from his throat. Intent on retreating to his
room, he passed through the kitchen, ignoring the incredulous faces
of cook and the parlor maid, and took the back stairs to the second
floor two at a time.

He slammed the door to his room behind him in frustration. Alone he
was free to give in to the misery he was feeling. He walked to the
bureau and looked at his reflection in the mirror above it. <I>How
could she say those things to me?</i> he thought incredulously.
<i>She really hates me!</i> He still couldn't believe it; she had
positively, with absolutely no doubt whatsoever, turned him down.
She didn't hesitate -- she even went so far as to push him in the
water! He would have felt outraged if he hadn't felt so
heartbroken. <I>She took my words and tossed them back like they
were dirt!</I> Bitterly he turned away from the mirror and threw
himself on the bed, oblivious to the dampness of his clothes on his
aunt's finest linens.

As he lay there, it felt as if a profound weight was pressing down
on his chest, suffocating him. In despair, he tried to take a deep
breath, but choked as a wrenching sob escaped from within and his
body gave way to the sadness enveloping him. He gave in to the
wracking pain, wallowing in it, wishing it weren't true, that it was
all a nightmare -- but it wasn't. The burning tears he shed did not
last long, but they served as a release. Wiping his eyes, the pain
was as great as ever, but at least he was able to think more
clearly. He still felt an overpowering need for her. He couldn't
bear that she left him like this. She wasn't coming back; it was
hopeless. He never had her; it was unfathomable for him. Even in
the darkest of times, Will had never faced such a desolate outlook
before.

<I>You don't realize how much I need you
Love you all the time and never leave you
Please come on back to me
I'm lonely as can be
I need you</I>

With more deep breaths he tried to focus on Elizabeth and all that
she had said to him. He wanted to remember what it was that made
her so angry. He had to understand why this happened. What did he
do that was so wrong? How did this get so crazy?

<I>Said you had a thing or two to tell me
How was I to know you would upset me
I didn't realize
As I looked in your eyes
You told me </i>

Her words came back to haunt him.

<I>Oh, yes you told me
you don't want my lovin' anymore
That's when it hurt me
And feeling like this
I just can't go on anymore </i>

What could he do? Even if all was hopeless between them, he still
couldn't bear the thought of her being alive in the world – out of
reach -- and thinking badly of him. He knew he would have to make
amends and make things right for everyone concerned. There must be
some way to get her to trust him, to make her see how much he loved
her. <I>Do I really love her?</i> The pain in his chest told him
so.

<I>Please remember how I feel about you
I could never really live without you
So come on back and see
Just what you mean to me
I need you</i>

He closed his eyes; the cold, miserable ache returned and tears
threatened again.

<I>Look, when you told me
you don't want my lovin' anymore
That's when it hurt me
And feeling like this
I just can't go on anymore

Please remember how I feel about you
I could never really live without you
So come on back and see
Just what you mean to me
I need you
I need you
I need you</i>

His feeling of despair slowly turned into anger as he remembered her
accusations regarding Wickham.

"At least I can defend myself against Wickham's lies," he said
aloud. As bad as he felt, he was determined to set things straight,
if he could. He sat down at the desk in his room, took out a piece
of writing paper and began to compose a letter to Elizabeth. Intent
on her knowing the truth, he poured his heart and soul into it. By
the time Elizabeth finished this letter, there could be no doubt in
her mind in regard to the evil and dissolute ways of George Wickham,
at least that was his hope.

<blockquote><I>Rosings Park
Glen Cove, Long Island

Dear Elizabeth,

Before you begin this letter, let me assure you, you have no reason
to worry, this is not a repeat of my previous offer. All I ask is
that you please do me one favor -- read this letter.

I need to set right some misconceptions you have against me, and to
defend myself and my behavior. One, George Wickham's lies against
my family, and two, what you think are the reasons for my breaking
up Charles and Jane. I wish I didn't need to write this letter, but
it's necessary for you to understand the whole entire story.

It didn't take long for me to recognize that Charles was smitten
with your sister, almost as soon as they first met that evening at
the Ivy last October. I was happy for him, but I've seen Charles
fall in and out of love – or what he <u>thought</u> was love –
often. After the weekend at Netherfield, I was almost positive Jane
returned his feelings and I was glad for them. I have always
thought your sister a kind, warm, generous-hearted girl, and perfect
in so many ways for Charles, who matches her in affection and
temperament. They seemed to be made for one another.

It wasn't until the night of the Christmas dance at Longbourn that I
began to doubt the sincerity of your sister's feelings for Charles.
I admit, I wasn't in the best frame of mind at the time. I began
drinking after our argument, and feeling sorry for myself, I was
intent on getting blitzed. I know that's no excuse – but it's the
truth.

At the same time, it came to my attention that your sister was
planning on breaking up with Charles once he was in London. The
source of this information implied that Jane was looking for
something better than Charles. I now realize I was taken advantage
of and lied to. I think you can guess who told me this.

I am thoroughly ashamed for the part I played in separating Charles
from Jane and what I later said to him before he left for Europe. I
told him what I had heard, hoping to save him the heartache of
losing your sister while abroad. I hoped it would give him the
opportunity to forget her and possibly meet someone else while
there. At the time, I was still angry with you and feeling bitter
and resentful. I wasn't sure what to think or believe. I'm truly
sorry for my part in this and I will do all I can to set things
right, if possible. I have no idea how Charles feels about Jane
now, since I haven't heard from him since he left for London, but I
will try my best to reunite them when he comes back.

In regard to your other point, I need to tell you everything about
George Wickham's relationship to my family, as painful and personal
as it is.

George is the son of a very close and good friend of my late
father. My father was George's godfather and we spent a lot of time
together growing up. We were friends until I went away to boarding
school. George remained at home attending a local school in the area
and we grew apart. When I returned after graduating from Andover,
it was obvious what a degenerate George had become. During this
period, George's father – a decent and honest man, died. His mother
was alive, but she was used to the finer things in life but without
the money to support her accustomed lifestyle. I believe she
encouraged George to take advantage of the love and kindness of
those around him – namely my father. My father never saw the darker
side of George and loved and trusted him like a son. He willingly
took him under his wing, offered to pay for his entire education --
provided George graduate from college. Then, if it suited him, he
could look forward to a job with Darcy Pharmaceuticals, paving the
way for a solid and lucrative career that would set him up for the
future.

Unfortunately, my father died while George and I were still at
Princeton. I was a sophomore, and George, who is a year older, was
a junior. We didn't associate with one another at all. I was
disgusted with his cheap women and wild ways. His behavior was
contrary to everything good and decent that I was brought up to
believe in. It didn't surprise me in the least when he was asked to
leave Princeton because he failed all his courses. He didn't seem
to mind it. He was always lazy. Then he realized he'd be losing a
lot more than just a Princeton education. Although there was no
formal stipulation in my father's will regarding George, it was
understood that his estate would continue to pay for George's
education as long as he remained in and graduated from school. Not
to mention, he had a job to look forward to after that. But he
flunked out, and it was unreasonable for him to expect the Darcy
family to continue to support him. I was too well aware of the kind
of person he was. I encouraged the executor of my father's estate
not to give into George's wishes, against those of my father – which
were well known. I gave him my reasons and proof to back up my
claims, he agreed and cut George off, allowing him a lump sum of
$15,000 to do anything he wanted with. I hoped this was the last we
would ever see of him.

Sadly, that wasn't the case. What happened next is very painful to
dredge up and I hope you won't repeat this to anyone, since it is
serious and private. Two years ago, the summer following George's
pay off, my sister Georgiana, who was only thirteen years old, went
away with the family of a close friend from her school. Since we had
just lost our father the year before, it was not unusual for
Georgiana to travel with this family, the Younges, and stay with
them at their house in Montauk.

While Georgiana was with the Younges on Long Island, George came
back into our lives with a vengeance. In what seemed like an
innocent and coincidental meeting, he managed to lure Georgiana to
join him on the beach. She recognized him as one of my close
childhood friends, and unaware of his less than honest reputation,
she trusted him and agreed to meet him. In one fell swoop he
brought us to our knees by kidnapping her and holding her ransom for
two excruciating days. Fortunately, George's plan was full of holes
and the police were able to find Georgiana. She came home safe and
unharmed and George was arrested for kidnapping. Because he was
still under 21, we were not able to try him as an adult. Instead he
went to a juvenile detention home for three months, until his 21st
birthday when he was allowed to get off scot free. There was
nothing more we could do. Fortunately, our family attorney had the
courts issue a restraining order, forbidding him to come within ten
yards of Georgiana or me, so he can never bother our family again.

Now you know why he did not come to the dance as your date. He must
have heard I would be there. I hope after reading this, you forgive
me for not giving you these details earlier. The kidnapping left my
sister scared. Only now, at age 15, is she growing more confident,
although she will always be wary of other people's good intentions
and ulterior motives.

I don't expect this letter to change your opinion of me entirely but
I just hate to think of you falling for his lines and believing
him. George Wickham is a dangerous man and is not to be trusted. I
don't know what exactly he has already told you, but now at least
you are aware of what he is capable.

I can only add my best wishes for you and your sister. I never
meant to hurt either one of you. I will always remember you with
the fondest regard, Elizabeth.

Love,

Will</i></blockquote>

It was midnight by the time Will finished writing his letter.
Physically and mentally exhausted, he decided to mail it so she
would receive it when she returned to Longbourn. He did not have
the courage to face her after such a humiliating meeting. He fully
expected never to see her again but he was glad that at least she
would now know the whole story of his involvement with Jane, Charles
and Wickham. Placing the letter in an envelope, he addressed it to
Miss Elizabeth Bennet, Longbourn College, Meryton, New Jersey.
Sealing it, he found a five cent postage stamp, affixed it to the
envelope and left it on his desk, ready to be mailed first thing in
the morning.

Lying down upon the four poster bed in his aunt's guest room, he
stared at the ceiling -- lost in thoughts of Elizabeth. He
remembered the anger in her eyes. The feeling of loss was almost too
much for him to bear. He hoped she would read his letter and it
would vindicate him in some way in her eyes; maybe some day she
would change her opinion of him. She didn't want his love now, but
he hoped that if he ever got the opportunity to see her again, she
would see that he was worthy of her regard. If there was one thing
he learned from this, it was he would never take the feelings of
others for granted.

<I>Please remember how I feel about you
I could never really live without you
So come on back and see
Just what you mean to me
I need you
I need you
I need you*</i>

<center>***</center>

On her way to lunch in the dining hall at Longbourn, Lizzy stopped
at the Student Union mailboxes to check her mail. In her mailbox she
found a thick envelope with her name and address in strong, bold
handwriting. There was no return address but the postmark was Glen
Cove, New York. Her thoughts immediately turned to Rosings and the
turn of events that sent her running into Richard Fitzwilliam's
arms, begging him to drive her back to Charlotte's. She couldn't
bear to face Will after her deplorable behavior. She pushed him off
his aunt's dock into the bay! The image of him, soaking wet, as she
saw him last flashed before her eyes as she opened the envelope with
shaking hands. Scanning to the end of the letter, she saw his name:
<I>Will. </i> She sucked in her breath, returned the letter to its
envelope and placed it in her pocketbook for safe keeping until she
could read it in privacy.

Elizabeth hurried to her room, skipping lunch, thankful Charlotte
wasn't there. She plopped herself down on the bed, reached into her
pocketbook and found Will's letter. Surprised by her calmness, she
opened the letter and began to read.

At first, she huffed at his tale, all her rage returning as she read
Will's account of the <i>Holly Hop</i>. She remembered the words
she overheard Will saying to Caroline about Charles and Jane. She
also recalled Caroline's threat in the Ladies Lounge and realized
she made good on it, <I>You'll regret this Eliza Bennet!</i>. She
continued to read. As she finished the passages regarding George
and Will's little sister Georgiana, she gasped, horrified. <I>It
had to be true!</i> He wouldn't make something like this up! Then,
she remembered the odd look on Richard's face when they were playing
croquet when she mentioned Georgiana getting into trouble. <I>No
wonder he acted so strangely!</I>

Lizzy reread the letter three times and, after the third time, felt
like a fool for believing George and not thinking better of Will.
What a huge mistake she made! She was mortified. She would tell no
one about this, not even Jane. She was sorry, but now it was too
late -- she'd probably never have the chance to tell him she was
sorry. Her eyes kept going over his signature: <B>Love, Will.</b>
<I>Does he still love me?</i> She tossed the letter aside, and
closed her eyes. Images of Will flashed before her. Again, she saw
him soaking wet, his shirt plastered to his chest. <I>I can't get
him out of my mind.</i> This wasn't even the first time either. It
turned out that he was her favorite daydream; in spite of everything
that had happened between them, she was undeniably attracted to
him. Now after reading his letter, her feelings were that much more
excruciating, she almost hurt physically. <I>I want him.</i> Now he
was more out of reach than ever before.

How could she ever face him again? She reflected over all of their
intense encounters. Their first dance at Longbourn now seemed even
more bittersweet in her memory. How could she have believed
Caroline? She ruined it for them! Then, the way she lit into him
at the Ivy Club! She felt as if she could die, remembering all that
she'd said to him, calling him a snob, even if he <I>did</i> sound
like one at the time. To make matters worse, when he tried to be
nice to her at Netherfield, she had been so nasty to him! Could she
have been any worse? Yet he kept coming back for more! Too late,
now she recognized the look on his face as one of admiration; he
<i>loved</i> her at the <I>Holly Hop!</i> Over and over she had
done everything in her power to thwart him and now the situation was
hopeless; she'd had her chance and she blew it. She had finally
pushed him (literally) over the edge; he'd never ask her out again.
She'd never get another chance with someone like Will Darcy, not in
a million years. <I>Stupid, stupid, stupid!</i> Lizzy shook her
head as tears spilled from her eyes; tears of regret, tears of
forgiveness, tears of sorrow.

<center>***</center>

"Jane?"

She looked up and he saw the look of surprise on her face. Her eyes
lit up when she recognized him and then she blushed.

"Hello," she said shyly. She peered around him expectantly. He
couldn't help but notice the look of sadness in her eyes as she
realized he was alone. She quickly lowered her eyes, embarrassed
that he may have guessed who she was looking for.

"How have you been?" he asked awkwardly. The last person Will
expected to run into was Jane Bennet. He fought a similar impulse
to look to see if Elizabeth was with her. When he first recognized
Jane, his heart skipped a beat at the thought of seeing Elizabeth
again. Even as he repressed the temptation to look for her, somehow
he couldn't help but blurt out, "Is Elizabeth with you?"

"No, she's back at school, I guess. I was … umm…looking for
a….book," Jane answered hesitantly, wondering how to account for her
presence at Princeton's local coffee shop. Will had a suspicion of
what Jane was doing here --this was where she and Charles had spent
a lot of their time.

"Are you alone?" he asked.

"Yes," she blushed again.

"Will you join me for a cup of coffee?"

"Yes, thank you." She smiled in relief. "I'd like that."

"Good." Will could see she was pleased with the idea, as was he. He
looked forward to having a chance to talk alone with Jane, something
he had never done before.

They found an empty table at a booth and sat across from one
another. As soon as Will signaled to the waitress for two coffees
they both instinctively leaned across the table and began to talk.

"What's new?" They asked at the same time, and then laughed at the
awkwardness. He smiled, his dimples showing, and offered, "You go
first."

She chuckled softly. "Nothing much, I've been busy with school…."
She trailed off, not sure what else to say. There was only one
thing she wanted to talk about, but she didn't think it would be
appropriate to discuss Charles with Will.

"Is your family well? er, your sisters?" <I>Could I be more obvious?
</i> he thought, frustrated with his choice of words.

"Yes, they're all fine, thank you," she answered politely as the
waitress placed their coffee on the table. Jane busied herself
pouring cream and stirring her coffee; the thought briefly crossed
her mind that Will was still enamored of Lizzy, although Lizzy had
never cared for him. <I>The poor guy</I>, she thought. They
continued with small talk about the weather and upcoming exams until
finally, Jane brought up the subject that was heaviest on her mind.

"Have you heard from Charles?" she asked.

Will was surprised at her abruptness and felt a blush come over him,
only too aware of the part he had played in breaking the young
couple up.

"No, I haven't. He hasn't returned from London yet." He gave her an
apologetic glance. "He's not much of a writer, you know." A pained
expression came across her face as he said it. He realized how
callous and thoughtless a remark it was for him to make.

"I'm sorry." He immediately tried to undo his faux pas. "I didn't
mean –"

"No, no, it's all right, I know what you mean," she said, trying to
relieve his obvious discomfort. She didn't know what he was really
thinking. To her he only looked embarrassed, though she could
understand why. She assumed Will felt awkward that his best friend
had dumped her so unceremoniously, without even a "Dear Jane" letter
from London.

Another pause in the conversation ensued until Jane could hold back
her curiosity no longer. "Will, I've got to know. Do you know why
Charles hasn't written me? I haven't heard from him since he left
at Christmas. Has he met someone else?" Her blue eyes were sad as
she looked at him imploringly. He couldn't tell her -- he couldn't
tell her the truth.

"I'm sorry, Jane."

She bowed her head and he saw a teardrop fall on the table. He
could see her fighting to compose herself. He felt like such a
coward in the face of this woman. He didn't know how to help at
this point.

"I don't know, I can't understand it!" she said passionately, "I
thought he loved me!" Her eyes were beseeching, her voice broke as
she continued, "I love him, Will, I've always loved him. I've never
stopped loving him!" She began to cry softly, staring into her
coffee. He felt terrible for her. He reached over to take her hand
to comfort her, anything to make her feel better. <I>What have I
done?</i> he thought. This was so much worse than anything he'd
imagined. He had to make things right between them, if it was the
last thing he did.

He knew how she was feeling; he'd been agonizing over Elizabeth for
the past month. Imagine feeling that way for several months!

Reassuringly, he patted her hand. "Jane, please don't cry. I'm sure
things will work out when he gets back."

Her eyes brightened hopefully. "D-do you think so? Do you really
think so?"

He tried to smile convincingly. "I can't predict the future, but…I
know he was crazy about you when he left." She smiled briefly and
took a sip of her coffee, composing herself. She dug in her purse
and found a handkerchief to dry her eyes. Will noticed the
initials "CB" embroidered on the corner of it. Jane saw where his
eyes were resting.

"Yes, it's his," she said simply, referring to the linen cloth in
her hand. "He gave it to me the last time I saw him, the night of
the <I>Holly Hop."</i> All Will could do was nod his head
sympathetically as Jane continued; she obviously needed to unburden
herself to someone. "He really hurt me, Will." She choked out. "That
night was the saddest and the most wonderful night of my life." She
paused with a dreamy look on her face, as if remembering something,
but then turned serious again. "I almost went out of my mind when I
didn't hear from him." She dabbed at her eyes with the handkerchief
as tears began to form in them again. "But, all along, I've always
believed that he's not that kind of guy, in spite of everything.
He's not the hurting kind." She had that dreamy look on her face
again as she smiled, thinking about Charles.

Will nodded in understanding. He continued to hold Jane's hand as
she told him more about her love for Charles. Eventually they said
goodbye and went their separate ways. Will reached for the ribbon
he held in his pocket that had once belonged to Elizabeth. Feeling
its silkiness with his fingers always soothed him and made him feel
a bit better. He smiled ruefully as he realized he and Jane had
more in common than he originally thought. It had been an
enlightening afternoon for Will, and he knew without a doubt what he
had to do as soon as he saw Charles again.

*I Need You – performed by the Beatles, written by George Harrison
© 1965 Northern Songs. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright
Secured.

Chapter 12

"Charles!" Darcy gave his friend a strong handshake as he greeted
him. It felt good to have Charles back at their campus digs. "It's
been a long time, how was London?"

"It was great, the architecture school was fantastic!" Charles
answered, but Will noticed his eyes didn't reflect the same level
enthusiasm as his words.

"How long before you go home?" Charles asked, noticing what looked
like several packed suitcases beside the door. "Are you going to
Pemberley for the summer?"

"Yes, I'll be returning…um…right away, I imagine." Will hesitated.
He knew what he had to do, and he did not anticipate sticking around
after he gave Charles his news.

"I'm hungry. Let's go get something to eat. Bond's?" Charles raised
his eyebrows to Will. "I've been dying for an <I>Awful Awful</i> for
the past five months!"

Will nodded and they set off.

Bond's, the quintessential hamburger hang-out with the world's best
milkshakes -- <I>Awful Awfuls</i>, named because they were "awful
big, awful good," was hopping with teenagers and the local college
crowd. Darcy began his daunting task as soon as they found a seat in
a booth. He decided to start slowly, asking about Charles's time
away.

"So tell me about London since I've no idea what you thought of it.
Have you never heard of writing a letter?" he asked sarcastically,
but with a touch of warmth in his tone. Charles was not known for
his expertise in correspondence.

Charles shook his head. "You know me, Will." He looked around the
place with a preoccupied air about him, his eyes glancing to the
door whenever it opened. "What's been going on around here?" he
asked absentmindedly as he started tapping his fingers to the song
now playing on the jukebox.

<I>She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah
She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah
She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah</i>

Will found Charles's tapping a bit distracting, he wanted his full
attention before he launched into his confession but his friend
already seemed lost in the rhythm of the song.

<I>You think you've lost your love
Well, I saw her yesterday
It's you she's thinking of
And she told me what to say

She says she loves you
and you know that can't be bad
Yes, she loves you
and you know you should be glad</i>

Will's ears perked up at the words, thinking how apt they were at
that moment. An absurd thought flashed through his mind. <I>Are
the Beatles trying to give me subliminal messages?</i> He shook his
head, dismissing the thought as ridiculous, still intent on bringing
up the subject, hoping Charles would pay attention although now he
was bobbing his head to the beat as well as tapping.

"Umm, Charles, there's something you should know."

<I>She said you hurt her so
She almost lost her mind
And now she says she knows
You're not the hurting kind</i>

Charles turned to look at Will, noticing his serious
expression. "What is it?" he asked, still tapping, but thankfully
his head stopped moving.

"I saw Jane the other day."

Charles eyes lit up, looking delighted for a moment, but then
reality returned and his eyes darkened as if a mask were pulled over
his face.

"Is she seeing someone else now?" he asked bitterly.

"No, the opposite, I'd say." Darcy paused knowing it was <I>now or
never.</i> "Charles, about what I said about Jane's intentions the
day you left…" Again, he stumbled, considering what he should say
next.

"What I told you wasn't right. I believed Jane was going to drop
you and I tried to prevent you from being hurt. I was wrong
Charles, and I'm very sorry."

Charles looked at him blankly, trying to grasp what Will was
saying. He wasn't sure if he heard him correctly.

"It's true, Charles," Will said, as if reading his mind. "She loves
you. She's always loved you."

Charles was dumbfounded. He couldn't say anything in response for a
few moments. He needed to think this through. <I>Jane still loves
me?</i> As much as he wanted to rejoice, he held back, not
completely sure of himself – or Will's involvement.

"Do you mean to tell me, after all this time, Jane never stopped
loving me and you admit you were wrong?"

"Utterly and completely."

Still in shock over this revelation, Charles had to think about this
some more. It was an answer to his prayers.

Will broke the silence. "I think you should call her."

<I>You know it's up to you I think it's only fair
Pride can hurt you too
Apologize to her</i>

"I can't after all this time, Will," he said. "She'll probably slap
me in the face, and I deserve it! I haven't written or called her
in five months. How can I go crawling back?" he asked dejectedly.

"Forget about that!" Will urged him on passionately. "Do you still
love her?"

"Of course I do. I've never stopped! I never could!" Charles
shouted back at him.

They both caught the words of the song at the same time, and a
rueful expression came over Will's face. He gave Charles a
meaningful look.

"Then go to it!"

<I>She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah
She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah
And with a love like that
You know you should be glad
And with a love like that
You know you should be glad*</i>

Charles scowled, he knew Will was right. With a look of
appreciation he said half-seriously, "And don't think you're off the
hook either, Darce."

Charles determined to see Jane in person. It was very likely he'd
see her at Caroline's graduation in three days. He saw Caroline's
schedule and noticed Jane Bennet was one of the volunteers for the
ceremony. With that matter settled, he lay into Will about how wrong
he was to interfere in his love life. Charles wasn't soft but Will
took the tongue lashing gracefully; thankful Charles wasn't the type
to hold a grudge. Business out of the way, drinking their <I>Awful
Awfuls</i> and devouring their burgers, the two friends caught up
with each other. Will thought it best to leave out the part of
falling in love with Elizabeth and making a fool of himself over her
at his aunt's. Now that he had come clean with Charles, Elizabeth
was one part of his life he would try to forget.

<center>***</center>

Longbourn College was especially beautiful in May. Winter was long
over and spring was at its peak. Azaleas and rhododendrons were in
bloom, tulips were sprouting everywhere, the dogwood and pear trees
were blooming; everything was green and lush. Elizabeth looked
around feeling a little sad and lost to be leaving for the summer.

There wasn't a cloud in the sky on Longbourn's Graduation Day; it
looked to be perfect for the outdoor ceremony. Lizzy and Jane had
volunteered to hand out programs to the parents and friends of the
graduates, as well as help with the refreshments afterwards. Since
their home was in Meryton, it wasn't difficult for them to be
involved. There was no rush for them to leave, unlike most of the
other undergraduates who were from out of state and fled campus as
soon as final exams were over.

The lawn was crowded with parents, friends, faculty and new
graduates. The commencement ceremony went off without a hitch,
everyone happy and eager to start their new lives. Both Jane and
Lizzy knew Caroline Bingley's family would be there, since she was
among the graduates, but neither mentioned it, not willing to bring
up the sad subject. Jane resigned herself long ago that Charles was
a part of her past, although she was determined to remember him as
the most wonderful and pleasing man of her acquaintance.

Lizzy could see how her sister still felt about him and the way it
left her. She noticed that Jane watched Caroline, in cap and gown,
receive her diploma then turn and triumphantly smile at someone in
the audience. Jane's eyes immediately followed Caroline's gaze,
hoping to catch a glimpse of her family – of Charles. It saddened
her to see Jane was not happy. She still obviously cherished a very
tender affection for Charles. Lizzy hoped that in time Jane would
be able to overcome her heartbreak, although it didn't seem likely
any time soon. Lizzy knew the feeling; she still had such a pit in
her stomach in regard to Will. <I>At least Jane <u>had</u> a real
relationship to regret. I didn't even get the chance</i>.

After the ceremony, Jane ventured off for a quiet moment alone.
Lizzy watched her standing by the rhododendron bushes nearby until
she dropped some extra programs she'd been holding and bent to pick
them up. A young man quickly approached her, dressed in a tan
suit. He stood in front of her, as if uncertain of what to do. He
looked familiar in his stance and Lizzy realized with a lurch in her
stomach that it was Charles. She couldn't tear her eyes from the
scene even though she knew she should give them some privacy.
Thinking about how tender Jane's feelings were, she wasn't sure what
to do. Should she wait or go over there and help her sister?

<center>***</center>

Jane couldn't get comfortable; she kept having the disconcerting
feeling she was being watched. She ran her hand through her hair,
looking about her, discreetly fixing the line of her skirt, making
sure it was straight and that her slip didn't show. <I>What is my
problem?</i> she kept wondering. <I>I'm so fidgety.</i> She didn't
want to admit it, but her mind was on Charles. She was fully aware
the Bingleys were there for Caroline's graduation, but she wasn't
sure if Charles was back from London and in attendance too.

As she adjusted her skirt, she accidentally dropped her stack of
programs and kneeled down to retrieve them. While busily scooping
them up from the grass, she saw a man's pair of shoes step into
view; brown leather Oxfords. Whoever he was, he was standing right
in front of her. As her eyes drifted upwards, she saw the lines of
a tan poplin suit. She recognized the figure, but quickly looked up
into his face for confirmation. <I>Charles!</i> Smiling hesitantly,
he knelt down in front of her and took both of her hands in his as
he helped her up. She allowed him to help her, speechless.
Thoughts ran rampant through her head; she could barely contain
herself, yet on the outside she remained calm and poised before him.

Charles's heart had been in his throat as he watched her from afar.
This was his moment of truth. One look from her would tell him if
he had any hope. He saw her alone, her slim figure standing in
sunlight that was turning her hair a bright golden shade. She was as
gorgeous as ever. He took the chance to approach her, just as she
dropped the programs while adjusting her clothes. Here was his
opportunity. <I> Don't blow it boy, this is your future!</i> She
looked up to see him and in one split second he could tell that she
still loved him. Will was right; the look in her striking, sky blue
eyes was unmistakable. He knelt down before her, and helped her
up. Unwilling to let go of her hands, he began to talk.

"I know I have a lot explaining to do, Jane," he began, but just
seeing her again was so overwhelming, he couldn't go on. She was
gazing at him so calmly and sweetly, her eyes so trusting.

"There are so many things I want to say to you." He searched for
words, but her eyes were so…so… it was unnerving! She gave him a
little pout with her lips and that was it, to hell with confessions
and fancy words!

"But Jane, when you look at me that way, all I want to do is ki —"
His words were cut off as she impulsively threw her arms around his
neck and firmly planted her lips on his. It was the last thing he
expected – a searing, passionate, lip lock of a kiss! He wasn't
about to stop her! Savoring this moment, not caring who saw them,
their hands swept along each other's backs, reacquainting themselves
as they wrapped their arms around each other, holding on for dear
life. After the initial first explosive response between them,
they broke apart only to look into one another's eyes quickly,
before eagerly kissing each other again. Although in the back of
their minds, they knew anyone could see them, they continued in this
way for several moments. Nothing could tear them apart – this had
been too long coming. Sure, they had a lot of talking to do, but
that could wait. At this point, neither one of them was willing to
give up their physical reunion for all the tea in China!

As they gradually began to come down from the euphoria of seeing one
another again, Jane's eyes filled with tears. She couldn't stop
herself. The realization that she was back in Charles's arms was
too much for her. All her hopes and dreams were suddenly and
shockingly coming to fruition; and the suffering she had gone
through the past five months had taken its toll on her. Now, at
last, she couldn't hold back any longer.

Bowing her head and wiping her eyes so Charles wouldn't see the
mascara stained tears, she choked out, "I love you, Charles" and
looked up at him with adoration. "I've always loved you, I never
stopped loving you." The words were music to his ears, although it
broke his heart to see her teary eyes. This was his dream – to hear
her say these words to him now after he thought all was lost -- was
beyond compare.

"I love you too, Janie, I never stopped loving you either!" He
wrapped her in his arms again, squeezing his eyes shut, trying not
to cry himself. "I'll never let you go again, I swear," he said into
her hair, kissing her as he continued. "It was all a big, stupid
mistake. I never should have left things the way I did. I never
should have gone to London at all. Not when the best thing in my
life was here all along." He shook his head, still in shock,
wondering what he could have been thinking to have left her in the
first place. Jane looked into his eyes, knowing he meant every
word. She had her Charles back and she believed him. She could be
happy again. Tears of joy continued to run down her cheeks, but she
had stopped caring – <I>He loves me! He never stopped loving me!</i>

Charles, seeing her tears, pulled out a handkerchief and gently
wiped her face dry. "Janie, Janie, please don't cry," he said
soothingly. "I'm back, it's all right, and we're together again."

She nodded in pure happiness; her feelings overwhelming her. "I
know, I know, Charles, I'm so happy!" She wanted to feel him against
her again. "Hold me." He gladly complied, taking her in his arms
again, never wanting to let her go.

<center>***</center>

From a distance, Lizzy saw the scene unfold before her eyes. She
turned away, not wanting to be a voyeur to the happy reunion. She
was so pleased for Jane. It seemed someone had told Charles the
truth. That someone must be Will Darcy. She knew it had to be.
She thought of Will with such melancholy now. If only she had
believed him. She looked back on their past with such regret. How
could she have so misjudged a person? She turned to take a peek at
Jane and Charles, saw them embracing and smiled to herself. No
matter what he must think of her now, at least he did the right
thing by Jane and Charles, she was grateful to him for that. He
kept his word. She realized unhappily that she truly had let what
could have been the best thing in her life slip through her fingers.

<center>***</center>

After a few more enjoyable moments of canoodling, Charles realized
with a start, "Jane, my parents are here. I want them to meet you."
He grabbed her hand, starting to lead her in the direction of where
he last saw his parents with Caroline.

"Oh Charles!" Jane was distressed at the prospect. "I don't want
your parents to meet me like this, after I've just been crying – I
must look like a fright!" She started wiping her eyes again with
Charles's handkerchief, worried about her appearance.

He shushed her good naturedly. "Jane, you look beautiful. You have
nothing to worry about." She gave him a smile, rolling her eyes at
him thinking, <I>What do men know? You have no idea!</i>

"C'mon, my parents will love you! They're not going to care about
that." He couldn't understand why she was worried. She gave in and
let him lead her to his family who were standing with their backs to
them as they approached.

"Mom! Dad!" Charles called out to them. They turned and immediately
noticed the pretty young girl standing beside him. This was nothing
new; Charles was always meeting pretty young things everywhere he
went. But what he said next <I>did</i> surprise them. "Mom, Dad,
I'd like to introduce you to someone who is <I>very</i> special to
me. Meet Jane Bennet, the girl I told you about." He looked at Jane
lovingly, and they now knew <I>this</I> was the girl Charles had
been so heartsick over last Christmas. Whatever misunderstanding
these two had, seemed to have been cleared up. His parents' faces
lit up with smiles. They were happy to see their son with the young
lady. <I>This</i> time it was serious. This was something special.

No one noticed Caroline's sour expression in the excitement of
meeting Jane. Caroline's parents welcomed her with open arms as
Caroline stood back watching from afar. She was none too pleased
with the circumstances, but now that her parents were in on it, she
knew there was nothing she could do. Charles had his little pet
back and they would now be blissfully happy. She felt like she was
going to be sick. <I>Those conniving Bennets.</i> Out of the
corner of her eye she noticed Lizzy Bennet standing off to the side
watching the scene as well. Lizzy had a wide, beaming smile on her
face as she watched from afar. She was obviously thrilled.
<i>Thrilled! Pah!</i> Being truly happy for anyone but herself was
beyond Caroline's scope of understanding. Their eyes met and
Lizzy's expression turned triumphant. Caroline was left with no
doubt what she was thinking. She quickly turned away, intent on not
seeing a gloating Elizabeth Bennet.

"Well, that's one thing I won't miss," Lizzy murmured to herself as
she saw Caroline turn away. She was glad to see Caroline leaving
Longbourn for good. She'd be happy not to see that sourpuss's scowl
for the rest of her life!



<small>*The Beatles, "She Loves You" - performed by The Beatles,
written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. © 1963 Northern Songs.
All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured.</small>


Chapter 13

"Lizzy!" came the chorus of young voices, as the three Gardiner
children came spilling out of the front door of the Gardiner's
summer house on Fishers Island. Lizzy greeted them with big hugs
and complimented them on how much they had each grown since the last
Christmas.

"Lizzy, go on into the house with the kids," called Mr. Gardiner, as
he proceeded to take her suitcases out of the back of their station
wagon. "I'll put your bags in your room for you."

Lizzy thanked him and let the eager children drag her into the
house, each one fighting for her attention, speaking all at once,
until Mrs. Gardiner came and rescued her. "Lizzy!" She gave her a
warm hug. "It's so good to see you. How was the ferry ride, no
problems?"

"It was just fine, Aunt Maddie." Even though they weren't related,
Lizzy had called the Gardiner's aunt and uncle as long as she could
remember. "My parents drove me to New London, and I caught the
ferry. Uncle Ed was there waiting for me when the ferry docked."

"That's good. Come along, and I'll show you around and get you
settled." She took Lizzy to her room, her suitcase already there.
It was nicely decorated in a summery island motif with a single twin
bed and its own bathroom.

"This is beautiful." Lizzy walked over to the window and was struck
by the gorgeous view of the water below. The Gardiners called their
house a cottage but really it was a large Tudor-style home,
overlooking a small cove, with its own private beach and jetty.

Lizzy opened the window to get a closer look. "Aunt Maddie, what is
<i>Cois Na Mara</i>? I saw the sign as we drove in." She had
noticed a small sign with that name as she and Uncle Ed turned in to
the long and winding driveway that led up to the house.

"It's the name of the house. We all name our homes here on the
island. It's Gaelic. It means `cottage by the sea.'"

"I like the way that sounds." Lizzy hugged herself and inhaled the
salty sea air, sensing that she was meant to be here for the summer.

"I'm glad you like it." She came up next to Lizzy and put her arm
around her. "We're thrilled to have you with us this summer; it's
all the children have been talking about ever since we arrived here
last week. They couldn't wait for you. I think you'll like it
here. There are a lot of young people on the island that I'm sure
you'll get to know. Even though you're working for us, we think of
you as one of the family, Lizzy, and you're free to do whatever you
want on your day off and evenings. We want you to have fun while
you're here."

Lizzy was an appreciative audience. She'd been eagerly looking
forward to the first of August and getting out of Meryton. The hot
summer months of June and July had dragged on interminably. She was
glad to see Jane and Charles together again, but at the same time it
was a constant reminder that she'd lost her chance with Will. She
was anxious to meet new people and get on with her life. Fishers
Island, someplace new and different, was just what she needed. Being
here felt like a breath of fresh air.

Over the next few days, Lizzy fell into an easy routine. The girls,
Kate and Emily, were twelve and ten, and Christopher, the youngest,
was eight. Each day Lizzy made sure they were up and fed in time
for lessons at the island's yacht club. She drove them there and
waited for their tennis or sailing lessons to be over, or explored
on her own and came back for them. Sailing and tennis were <I>de
rigueur</i> on the island, and it was important for the children to
learn the necessary skills to participate. During the season, there
were several sailing regattas that the children eagerly looked
forward to. Kate, the most accomplished sailor of the three, would
be actively involved in the races, and hoped to bring home a trophy.

One morning during that first week, Lizzy was sunning herself
waiting for the children's lessons to end when she noticed a young
teenaged girl, all alone, looking for something on the ground. She
was tall and pretty with long blonde hair worn back in a high pony
tail. Her face wore a look of consternation as she continued to
search for something on the sandy path beside the tennis courts.

Noticing the look of worry on the girl's face, Lizzy called
out, "Did you lose something? Do you need some help?" She got up
from her seat and walked toward the girl, who looked up nervously as
she approached.

"I've lost a charm on my bracelet."

"Let me help you look for it." Lizzy volunteered.

The girl looked around her suspiciously, as if afraid of something.
She seemed hesitant to accept Lizzy's offer, but finally
relented. "Thanks," the girl said gratefully, "it must have fallen
off somewhere right around here." She indicated the area in the sand
directly below her feet.

Lizzy crouched down beside the girl and the two concentrated on
finding the lost charm.

"How big is it?" Lizzy asked. "What does it look like?"

The girl held up her wrist and pointed to the delicate bracelet she
was wearing, with a few gold charms dangling from it. "It's the
same size as these, and it's a heart," she answered. Lizzy
understood and before long, she saw a piece of gold flickering in
the sun.

"Aha!" Lizzy cried out exultantly. "I found it!" She picked up the
small golden heart and held it out to the girl, who eagerly took the
charm in her hand.

"Thank you!" she said gratefully, holding the charm tightly in her
fist. "I don't know what I would have done, if I'd lost it for
good. It was my mother's."

"I'm glad I could help," Lizzy said, delighted. The girl looked at
the charm and seemed to hesitate again. Lizzy could tell she wanted
to say something else, but realized the girl must be terribly shy.
At once she wanted to make the girl at ease.

She put out her hand to introduce herself. "I just realized we don't
even know each other's names. I'm Lizzy." The girl smiled,
revealing a cute pair of dimples and a mouthful of braces.

"I'm Georgie. It's nice to meet you," she said, meeting Lizzy's
hand with her own. They giggled together at the absurdity of their
sudden formality.

"It's nice to meet you too, Georgie," and with that, the two fell
into easy conversation. Lizzy explained to Georgie why she was on
the island and Georgie responded that her family had a house on the
island and she'd been there the whole summer. They had been
together until it was time for Lizzy to go when Georgie suddenly
asked Lizzy if she played tennis.

"If you're not busy tomorrow at this same time, would you like to
play tennis with me?"

Lizzy nodded. "I'd love to. We could play while the kids are in
lessons."

"Great!" Georgie beamed. "Then I'll see you here tomorrow – same
time?"

"You bet." Lizzy assured her and went down to the dock to wait for
the kids, whose sailing lesson was ending almost any minute.

Georgie and Lizzy met the next day and the one after that. Lizzy
looked forward to seeing her and they became fast friends. They
laughed and talked and enjoyed each other's company, although Lizzy
noticed Georgie was reticent to talk about herself or her family, so
Lizzy didn't press her. She knew instinctively that when Georgie
was ready to talk about herself, she would. All Lizzy really knew
about Georgie was that she had an older brother.

Lizzy had been at the Gardiner's for almost a week when she and
Georgie noticed a sign posted on the bulletin board at the yacht
club about a dance for the "young set" scheduled for Friday night.

"Are you going to the dance?" Georgie asked.

"I hadn't planned on it, are you?"

"I will if you will!" Georgie said, giving Lizzy a big grin, daring
her to go.

Lizzy gave Georgie a sideways glance. "Is that a dare?"

Georgie had a secret plan in mind and she was convinced it was a
good one.

She answered slowly, with an impish look. "May-be, maybe not."

Never one to turn down a dare, Lizzy responded with a laugh, "I
don't know what you're up to Georgie, but I'll take that dare. I'll
go, it'll be fun!"

"Great! Maybe I can get my brother to go too!" Georgie wiggled her
eyebrows. Lizzy finally figured out what Georgie was up to.

"No way!" Lizzy flatly stated, shaking her head. "Absolutely not. No
fix-ups!"

Georgie wouldn't take no for an answer. "Come on, Lizzy, my
brother's nice, what have you got to lose?" She gave Lizzy her most
pitiful puppy dog eyes. "Please?"

<I>What <U>do</u> I have to lose? </i> For a moment, Georgie's eyes
triggered a memory of another's, but why, she couldn't put a finger
on it. However, it made her realize there was nothing really
stopping her. <I>Not even a pair of soulful brown eyes and a wet
shirt,</i> she thought dolefully. She blinked her eyes for a
moment, trying to shake the image of him away. <I>It's time to move
on, Lizzy.</i> She gave in to Georgie, who was still trying to
impress her with her most sorrowful look. "How can I resist when
you look like that?" Georgie jumped with glee and twirled around.

"I promise you won't be sorry!" Georgie told her earnestly. Lizzy
fixed her with a warning look. Sometimes, Lizzy was beginning to
realize, Georgie was irresistible. It was impossible not to give in
to this sweet young girl.

"I'd better not be!" Lizzy kidded her.

<center>***</center>


The night of the dance, Elizabeth entered the main room of the yacht
club in her bright yellow sundress. Hoping to recognize someone,
she looked around quickly to see who was there. She'd made a few
friends, aside from Georgie, and expected to see at least a few of
them. She saw lots of teenagers laughing and dancing. While some
appeared to be closer to her own age, the majority seemed slightly
younger. <I>Maybe Georgie is here already,</i> Lizzy thought, a
little nervous to be all alone. <I> She said she was coming with her
brother.</i> Lizzy searched for her in the crowded party room while
slowly making her way over to the refreshment table. Lizzy
sighed. She didn't see her anywhere.

<center>***</center>

"Georgie, you go off with your friends, I'll be all right over here,
don't worry about me."

"Charles is always telling me how he hates to see you stand alone by
yourself at parties, why don't you ask someone to dance?" Georgie
suggested to her brother petulantly. She wanted him to have fun and
enjoy himself instead of being a stick in the mud. <I>Where is
Lizzy?</i> She scanned the room, but saw no sign of her yet. <I>I
hope she's coming.</i>

He patted her head condescendingly. "Run along, brat."

She rolled her eyes at him. "I'm not a brat, Will."

He gave her a brotherly smirk. "That's what you think. Go on, I'll
be fine." He smiled at her genuinely. Half convinced, she finally
gave up and went off looking for her friends.

Lizzy continued to look for Georgie as she stood near the
refreshment table, but instead a raggedy looking long white ribbon
lying on the floor a few feet away from her caught her eye. Without
thinking, she bent to reach for it and her head collided with
something hard. Lizzy closed her eyes briefly as she saw stars for
a moment, stunned from the knock on her head. When her eyes opened,
she thought she must have passed out; her breath caught when she saw
who was before her and she blinked her eyes again. <I>I must be
seeing things!</I>

Seeing was one thing, but smelling was another thing altogether, and
almost impossible to deny. She breathed in a pleasantly familiar
scent that made her heart beat faster. <I> I know that smell. It<u>
is</u> him!</i> She gasped when recognition registered.

<center>***</center>

Uncomfortable and feeling much too old for the mostly teenaged
crowd, Will felt more like a chaperone. He fingered Elizabeth's
ribbon in his pocket and pulled it out to look at. It was getting
old and slightly frayed, but he cherished it and couldn't bring
himself to part with it. He didn't care if it was dirty, it
belonged to <I>her</i>, and it was the only thing he had left to
remember her by. While he was holding it before his eyes, someone
accidentally nudged him and it fell to the floor below. Intent on
retrieval before someone stepped on it; he immediately reached to
pick it up and was surprised to find someone else was reaching for
it at the same time.

Anxious to retrieve the ribbon, he deftly scooped it up, only to
find himself immediately bumping heads with another. Surprised, he
looked to see whom he collided with and didn't believe the evidence
before his own eyes. He gasped aloud while looking into the lovely
upturned face of the girl who had haunted his dreams for the past
five months. Stunned, he wondered if he'd been hit in the head
harder than he thought. What kind of cruel trick were his eyes
playing on him?

Both cried out simultaneously, "YOU!"

Lizzy was still kneeling as she looked up into Will's face. She was
astounded, completely taken aback. Quickly pocketing the ribbon,
Will reached out to her, taking her hands in his and helped her to
her feet, even though his own legs were wobbly from the sight of
her. Both of them were in a state of shock.

<I>I can't believe it, someone please pinch me,</i> Lizzy thought to
herself. It couldn't be, could it? It had to be her imagination,
how could he be there? Lizzy wished she <i>was</i> dreaming. She
was mortified by her clumsiness; unanswered questions had made her
dizzy and lightheaded: <I>Could this be a more embarrassing moment?
What do I do? What must he think of me? What is he <u>doing</u> here?
</i> Her thoughts were all over the place and she was struck dumb
looking up to his face, blushing profusely and finding it impossible
to think clearly. All she could do was look into those deep,
searching, dark eyes that appeared to penetrate into her very soul.
Her knees trembled as she swayed toward him.

Sensing her unsteadiness, Will reached out instinctively and pulled
her close, holding her upright against his chest. She could feel
his heart beating rapidly as he held her close in his strong
embrace. His familiar scent was overwhelming and she continued to
feel lightheaded, but this time it wasn't the bump on her head
making her feel that way. <I>Please don't let me faint in his arms!
</i>

He locked eyes with her as his arms steadied her. He didn't know
how it happened that he could suddenly be so lucky, but he'd be
<I>damned</i> if he was going to let her fall. He would savor this
moment for the rest of his life if need be. All he knew was this
girl -- the girl he still loved -- his <I>Elizabeth</i>, was in his
arms, and it felt so right – wild horses couldn't make him let go!

They stood momentarily oblivious to everything around them. Lizzy
felt the tightening of his arms, she stopped fighting and gave in to
them, relishing the feel of his strength. But all good things must
come to an end. She realized she couldn't remain this way forever;
she had to pull herself together. After another few moments, she
managed a weak smile and spoke up, haltingly.

"Thank you… you can let me go… I'm really fine now." She tried to
disentangle herself from his grasp, and regretfully he let her go.
He felt like kicking himself, <I>She probably still hates me. How
could I keep holding her against her will? It's just like the last
time we were together. I'll never learn.</i>

He looked into her face, which seemed so pale and fragile. "Are you
sure you're all right? Do you need something to drink? Can I get
something for you? You don't look well."

<I>Oh great! I must look like a wreck!</i> Uncomfortable with his
concern, she became more distressed. Unconsciously, she licked her
lips, unaware of the effect it had upon him.

"Really, I'm fine, I was just surprised, that's all." She tried to
make light of the situation even though her insides were quivering.

Will didn't really believe her, but went along with it. "If you say
so." They continued to eye each other, self-conscious, searching
for something to say.

Eventually, they got past the awkward moment, and Lizzy realized she
still didn't know what Will was doing there. Bluntly, she asked
him, "Why are you here?"

"At the dance?"

"No, on Fishers Island."

"I live here," he answered plainly. "What about you? What are
<I>you</i> doing here?" He waited for her response.

"You live here?" Lizzy was nonplussed. What were the odds? Of all
places -- she winds up on this little island – and it's Will Darcy's
home?

"I had no idea." she finally said faintly, lost in thought.

Will was just as astonished as she, but he was determined to remain
calm and be polite. "I know, what are the chances? What brings you
here?"

"I'm working as a mother's helper for friends of our family -- the
Gardiners. They have a house here." She was happy to be distracted
with such a simple question.

Will furrowed his eyebrows while trying to place the name, "Gardiner…
Gardiner…the name kind of rings a bell." He noticed she was looking
around the room as if for someone in particular. It suddenly
occurred to him that she may not have come to the dance alone.
<I>Is she looking for her date?</i> He dreaded to ask her, but he
had to know.

"Umm, are you here with anyone?" he asked apprehensively.

"No one, I came alone. I'm supposed to meet my friend and her br --
" she looked at Will in a new light, realization dawning, "--<I>
brother.</i>" At that moment she knew exactly who Georgie's brother
was.

"Does your sister go by the name Georgie?" Lizzy asked, amazed by
the fates that seemed to have thrown her and Will back into each
other's path.

Will looked at her, puzzled. "Yes."

Suddenly all of the unbelievable coincidences struck Lizzy as
incredibly funny. She had a wide grin; Georgie was Will's sister!
She'd played tennis with her everyday for the past week and had no
idea! It was an amazing fluke!

"You're her brother!" she blurted out. "You're Georgie's brother!"
Lizzy started laughing, it wasn't just funny, it was all so absurd!

Will didn't get the joke, and didn't like the idea that Elizabeth
was laughing at him. "What are you talking about, Elizabeth? What's
so funny?"

"Your sister and I have become good friends! We've been meeting
here everyday. <I>She's</I> the one I was supposed to meet tonight!"

His sister had mentioned meeting a new friend. He briefly tried to
remember -- what was her name? <I>Lizzy! Of course! </i> Now Will
fully understood.

"Won't she be surprised when she finds out we already know each
other?" he laughed aloud at the thought. As Lizzy heard the rich
timbre of his laughter, she realized it was the first time she had
ever actually heard or seen Will laugh. She marveled at him.
<I>How handsome he looks.</i> Their eyes met and the air crackled
with tension. He quickly sobered as he was reminded of how they
<I>didn't </i> know each other. The thought instantly brought him
back to reality. He wished he knew what she was thinking. What did
Elizabeth think of him now? Did she get his letter? Had she read
it? Had she forgiven him?

An idea came to him as a new song started to play. Taking the
initiative, he decided to find out his answer one way or another.
Dancing was always enlightening when it came to Elizabeth. He took
her hand in his, and indicated the crowded dance floor.

"Come," he said, his eyes determined but gentle. "Dance with me."

She bit her bottom lip, hesitating slightly. His hair looked
attractively unmanageable as a curl lingered down upon his
forehead. His eyes were willing her to join him. Warm at the
thought of being close to him, she nodded, allowing herself to be
led onto the dance floor. The song had a relaxed medley, nothing
too energetic, yet not too slow either – perfect for the tentative
feelings each felt for the other. He held her at arms length, as
she cautiously placed her hands upon his shoulders.

<a
href="http://home.comcast.net/~ktleyed/ISHST/Im_Happy_Just_to_Dance_W
ith_You.wma" target="_new"> Click here to hear song</a>

<I>Before this dance is through
I think I'll love you too
I'm so happy when you dance with me </i>

Will was determined to be on his best behavior with Elizabeth; he
would not botch it up this time. Grateful for this second chance,
he meant to show her she could trust him and prove his merit to
her. They faced each other shyly as they danced to the beat.

<I>I don't want to kiss or hold your hand
If it's funny try and understand
There is really nothing else I'd rather do
'Cause I'm happy just to dance with you </i>

He reminded himself, concentrating on breathing evenly. <I>I won't
push her. I can do this. I'll let her set the pace.

I don't need to hug or hold you tight
I just want to dance with you all night
In this world there's nothing I would rather do
'Cause I'm happy just to dance with you </i>

Elizabeth was still reeling from the shock of running into Will. So
many thoughts were rushing through her head that she was unsure of
herself, and of him. <I>Does he still love me? I can't believe he
asked me to dance after all I've said and done. How do I apologize
for my behavior? It's so nice right now, I don't want to bring it
up.</i> In the past, she'd always misread him, a mistake she didn't
want to repeat. She looked up into his dark eyes, searching for an
answer.

<I>Just to dance with you
Is everything I need
Before this dance is through
I think I'll love you too
I'm so happy when you dance with me</i>

Will returned her gaze, savoring the feel of her in his arms
again. He had to keep reminding himself not to let his hands
wander as he held her waist. <I>Easier said than done,</i> he
thought. Gradually, he began to relax. It felt right, easy, a
perfect fit. Nothing made him feel this good; he could dance with
her forever.

<I>If somebody tries to take my place
Let's pretend we just can't see his face
In this world there's nothing I would rather do
'Cause I'm happy just to dance with you</i>

As Will looked around the dance floor, he recognized the
appreciative glances from the various guys watching from the
sidelines as he and Elizabeth danced together. Jealousy swept over
him as he perceived them to be ogling Elizabeth's figure. She was
gorgeous in a yellow cotton sundress that showed off her lithe body
and tanned legs. <I>She's sweeter than all the girls here, </I>he
thought. None of them came close to his Elizabeth. He was
mesmerized by the sparkle in her eyes as she danced and every time
she bit her bottom lip he imagined what it would be like to kiss her
right in that spot. No way would he let someone else cut in on
their dance tonight.

<I>Just to dance with you
Is everything I need
Before this dance is through
I think I'll love you too
I'm so happy when you dance with me </i>

Elizabeth became more and more at ease with Will as their dance
continued. For once there was no animosity between them. There
seemed to be a tacit agreement, an understanding, between them. Had
they been asked, neither could have explained it, but they both felt
the same. <I>Let's start over -- fresh.</i>

Will couldn't let her go after this one dance.

"Elizabeth?" he began, his dimples showing as he smiled down at her.

"Yes?" she answered, lost in his eyes as he pronounced her name.

<I>If somebody tries to take my place</i>

Her breath caught as he pulled her closer.

<i>Let's pretend we just can't see his face</i>

He was taking a chance. <I>What the heck. </i> With a winning smile,
he continued "Promise you'll only dance with me for the rest of the
night?" She felt she would promise him anything as long as he held
her like this.

She didn't hesitate in her answer. There was nothing else in the
world she wanted than to dance with him. "I promise," she said
dreamily, swaying in his arms.

<I>In this world there's nothing I would rather do
'Cause I'm happy just to dance with you
'Cause I'm happy just to dance with you</i>

She felt as if God had looked down on her and given her a second
chance. She wasn't about to mess it up this time. Her eyes were
finally wide open, she knew what she wanted. She held on, giving
him a tiny squeeze. Inwardly sighing, she sent up a silent,
grateful prayer, <I>Thank you.</i>

<center>***</center>

"Mrs. Reynolds, it's too bad you couldn't be there." Georgie told
her story mischievously. "I have never in my whole entire life seen
anything like it." Georgie buttered her toast and reached for the
homemade raspberry jam from one of Mrs. Reynold's prize-winning
recipes.

Mrs. Reynolds was listening attentively while expertly sautéing a
cheese omelet before the enormous six chambered stove in the Darcy's
immaculate kitchen. "Miss Georgie, do you mean to say," asked the
kindly older woman who had been taking care of the Darcys at
Pemberley ever since William was four years old, "he danced with the
<I>same</i> young lady for the entire evening?" <I>This <u>was</u>
news. The young master <u>never</u> danced with anyone, much less
the same girl all night! I have to meet this young lady.</i>

"You should have seen them!" Georgie continued
enthusiastically. "They looked like they were in another world or
something, completely oblivious to anyone else. If I didn't know
better," she stopped to take a bite of her toast, "I'd say that they
were in lo — "

"Not another word, Georgie." Will cut her off and gave her a steely
look that spoke volumes as he entered the kitchen. He acted as if
nothing were different that morning, although there was a
decided "chirpiness" and spring in his step that did not go
unnoticed by his sister and Mrs. Reynolds.

Georgiana continued to munch her toast, casting `I told you so'
glances at Mrs. Reynolds while sticking her tongue out at her
brother when she knew he couldn't see her.

<center>***</center>

The next morning, Elizabeth felt she couldn't do anything right.
She was so distracted with thoughts of Will and of the night before
that she was all thumbs and kept dropping everything. While
buttering toast for the kids, she accidentally knocked the stick of
butter off the counter into the open and waiting mouth of Achilles,
the Gardiner's golden retriever, who was always under foot when
there was food to be had. In one gulp he swallowed the butter
whole. Then she knocked over the Rice Krispies, spilling them
across the kitchen floor. Achilles immediately gobbled up all the
little crunchy pieces that lay scattered. When finished, he looked
up at her with his smiling face, licking his chops, ready for more.
She rolled her eyes at him. <I>At least someone's enjoying their
morning.</i>

Madeline Gardiner, aware of the difference in Lizzy that morning,
was eager to sound her out about the dance. She loved Lizzy like a
daughter and knew something had happened to her at the yacht club.
When asked if she enjoyed herself, Lizzy blushed and answered yes,
but gave no further detail. Madeline was sure there was more to it,
but she didn't press her. Lizzy was a sensible girl and would tell
her when she was ready, but the older woman already recognized the
telltale signs. It had to be a boy.

At the yacht club later in the day, Lizzy was with Mr. and Mrs.
Gardiner as they watched the children's progress in their sailing
lessons. Lizzy was able to relax and mull over the previous night's
events, savoring every moment she'd spent with Will. It was a
blustery warm day and the salty air felt good upon her face. She
looked out across the bay before her, thinking of another time in
another place when she had been near the sea and thinking of Will.
It seemed like a million years ago. So much had happened since
then. Her feelings were now so different towards him! She knew
there was still a lot about him that could be considered arrogant,
but at least now she was willing to give him the benefit of the
doubt and not misjudge him as she had in the past. They had danced
the whole night together and talked and talked about everything.


<center>***</center>

Georgie had deliberately mentioned to Will that Elizabeth went to
the yacht club nearly every day with the Gardiner children.
Appreciative, he wasted no time in jumping in his Jaguar and heading
down there from Pemberley. While driving, he remembered one of the
conversations they had the night before that finally revealed the
answer to the burning question he'd had ever since they met.

They'd gone outside toward the water and the yacht club's dock,
getting a breath of cool air after dancing. It was calm and quiet
in the moonlight, although the sounds of laughter and music could be
heard over the lapping of the small waves on the little beach used
for launching boats. Will looked askance at the dock, remembering
the last time they'd been alone on a dock. He deftly steered her
toward the beach. Eventually, after standing together, soaking up
the atmosphere, Will had gathered the courage to mention the night
they first met.

Quietly, he asked her, "Elizabeth, what happened at Longbourn, why
did you run away from me the night we met?"

"Boy, you get right to the point, don't you," she said looking away,
with a nervous laugh. He kept watching her, waiting for an answer.
She finally turned to him and said,

"Will, that was so long ago, can't we just forget it and start
fresh?" He could tell from the look of uncertainty on her face that
there was something she didn't want to tell him, almost as if she
were embarrassed.

"Come on, tell me, it can't be that bad," he coaxed. She paused and
a look of resignation came over her face.

"It was Caroline."

"What about Caroline?"

"When I went to the ladies' lounge after our dance that first night
at Longbourn, she cornered me and told me she was engaged to you.
She basically told me to stay away from you."

At last, the truth, and it made his blood boil! <I>Caroline!</i>
If he could have, he would have strangled Caroline right then and
there. <I>The girl was an interfering witch, nothing but trouble!
How dare she?</i> He remembered the look of anguish on Elizabeth's
young face that night when he had found her, and how she had told
him to leave her alone. <I>No wonder she was so upset!</i>

He wanted to comfort Elizabeth then and there, to assure her that
none of it was true. But, he had promised himself that if he were
given another chance he would take things slowly with her, not rush
her. He wanted her to be comfortable with him before he brought up
anything further. He knew better than to take anything for granted
when it came to Elizabeth.

He looked at her sincerely, taking her hands in his. "Elizabeth,
that was never true – you know that don't you?"

She nodded in understanding. As Will looked back on that moment, he
cherished the look on her face. Her eyes seemed to be willing him
to believe her; there was such earnestness in them as she had
stepped closer. He had wanted to kiss her badly, but was too afraid
that he would blow it with her.

Almost missing the turn due to a lack of concentration, he drove up
to the small yacht club and parked his car in the graveled lot.
Looking around, he found her easily, standing next to a middle aged
couple near the water. There were other people standing around,
mostly parents watching their children in the cat boat races.
Elizabeth turned and saw Will's approach. An immediate smile lit up
her face. He hesitated slightly, not sure if he should come nearer,
aware she was most likely with her employers, the Gardiners. She
waved shyly for him to come over, and he took her action to be a yes.

Madeline Gardiner saw the `look' and sudden flush on Lizzy's face.
She turned to see a very handsome young man approaching them. She
recognized him right away. <I>Isn't that young Will Darcy of
Pemberley? No wonder,</i> she thought in understanding. <I>I'd be in
a tizzy too if I were Lizzy and Will Darcy was looking at me like
that.</i>

Will reached the threesome and Lizzy introduced him to the
Gardiners. They talked together pleasantly, the Gardiners informing
Will of the friendship they previously had with Will's father and
how sorry they had been when he passed away three years ago. Will
thanked them for their kind words. He was impressed with them and
their relaxed attitude particularly since Elizabeth was their
employee. Elizabeth had spoken of them the night before, telling
him they were old friends of the family. She had told him she
enjoyed working for them very much and thought of them as an aunt
and uncle. Eventually, the Gardiners sent Lizzy off with Will,
allowing the young couple some time alone. After they left to get a
soda at the clubhouse, Madeline turned to her husband.

"Do you see what I see?"

"You mean, did I notice how those two couldn't take their eyes off
one another?"

"Exactly," Madeline said as she wrapped her arm around her husband's
waist. They began to walk down the long dock away from the beach and
she gave him a knowing look. "I recognize that look on his face."

"Oh? And how is it you recognize `looks' on good looking young men?
Is there something you're trying to tell me?" he asked teasingly,
giving her a squeeze.

"It hasn't been <I>that</i> long, you know, since <i>you</i> used to
give me those looks," she said laughingly.

"<I>Used</i> to? Well, I'll have to remedy that, won't I?" He raised
an eyebrow.

She laughed at him. "Don't worry, dear, I'll remind you later
tonight once Lizzy and the kids are in bed." She gave him an impish
look before turning back to look at the children's progress out on
the water.

<center>***</center>

While Lizzy and Will drank their Cokes at the clubhouse, Lizzy
brought up a subject that had been hanging over her head ever since
she first saw him again.

"Will, I had a good time last night, but there's something I need to
get off my chest."

She saw him look at her askance, as if he was worried about what she
was about to tell him. She rushed to reassure him, placing her hand
on his arm. "No, no, it's all right. But I need to apologize for my
behavior that day at Rosings." She saw a look of protestation on his
face as he attempted to stop her.

"No Will -- let me say this," she continued. "I was rude and what I
did that day to you was unconscionable." Again, he tried to protest,
but she continued. "I was so ashamed of the way I treated you that
day, especially after I read your letter. Now that I know Georgie,
I feel even worse that I actually believed George Wickham's lies."
She looked up into his eyes earnestly, "Please forgive me?"

He smiled down at her reassuringly. "Elizabeth, as far as I'm
concerned, you never had to worry about forgiveness from me. You
couldn't have known about George and he's a great liar. I'm willing
to forget about it if you are."

She smiled in relief and nodded her agreement. She felt like they
had a clean slate before them now. It felt good.

After that, the days flew by as Will and Lizzy saw more and more of
each other. Although Lizzy had her duties with the Gardiner family,
which occupied most of her time, she still managed to play tennis
with Georgie at the yacht club nearly every day. Will managed to
find an excuse to be there just as often, usually at the same time
as their tennis date. On Lizzy's day off, he took her and Georgie
sailing. As much as Will relished every minute he spent with
Elizabeth, he was eager to spend some time alone with her.
Unbeknownst to him, Lizzy was having the same exact thoughts about
Will. She was beginning to wonder if he was purposefully
avoiding `alone time.' Why hadn't he asked her out for a date?

Finally, as luck would have it, he came up with a plan that would
place them alone together for more than just a few hours. It was a
secret he hoped she'd be happy about. From what he heard, this was
the biggest thing to happen this whole summer. A few nights later,
Will drove over to the Gardiners <I>alone</i> and asked Elizabeth to
come out for a drive. Inwardly, she was ecstatic to see he was
alone, but remained cool and calm as she asked the Gardiners for
permission. They were waved off, the Gardiners telling them to have
fun. She slid into the front seat beside Will, a little nervous at
the thought of finally being alone with him again.

They drove to the beach and Will parked. She was surprised that he
stopped, but at the same time nervously excited at the thought.
Lizzy had heard that this particular beach was a well known Lover's
Lane on the island for many teenagers. Her heart began to pound and
she licked her lips nervously, suddenly shy with him in his car. He
turned to her, jumpy with anticipation; he couldn't wait to spring
his surprise on her. He leaned towards her taking her hands in
his.

Her breath caught at his touch. All her old doubts and fears about
him melted away, they were unimportant now. She willed herself to
stop shaking like a leaf as she sensed he was about to say something
momentous to her.

"I have a big surprise for you," he said, continuing to hold her
hands. "Close your eyes." She closed them obediently. At that
moment she was ready willing and able to fall into his arms.
<I>This is it, he's going to finally kiss me!</i> The fact that Will
had not kissed her yet had begun to weigh heavily upon her mind. In
fact, it had become a full time preoccupation, wondering what a kiss
from Will Darcy would be like. Now that they were finally alone
together, she prepared herself for the ultimate moment. She tilted
her head up to him, her lips suggestively puckered, ready for that
first kiss.

Will looked down at her, biting his lip at the tempting invitation.
Wasn't this what he was waiting for? <I>Go for it, man! What's
stopping you?</i> But he had to stop himself. This wasn't where or
how he wanted their first kiss to be -- at the most obvious make out
spot on the island. He had another surprise in store for her that
moment. Stifling a laugh, he pulled out a pair of tickets and held
them up in front of her face.

"Open your eyes."

Disappointed at not receiving the expected kiss, she pouted and
opened her eyes, throwing him an unmistakable glance which nearly
made him forget his noble intentions and kiss those pouty lips
senseless. Before he could act, she saw the pair of tickets held up
before her. She looked at them at first in confusion. Then she
looked more closely at them and realized they had photos of the
Beatles on them. <I>What are these?</i>

Will was grinning, waiting for her reaction. Seeing the look of
bewilderment in her face, he felt he had to explain.

"They're tickets." He grabbed onto her shoulders enthusiastically
and looked her in the eye. "Don't you want to see the <I>Beatles</i>
at Shea Stadium?"


<small>*The Beatles, "I'm Happy Just To Dance With You" - performed
by The Beatles, written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. © 1964
Northern Songs. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright
Secured.</small>

Chapter 14

"The <I>Beatles</i>?" Lizzy repeated blankly. She was still in a
state of semi-shock that she didn't get the kiss she was expecting.

"Yes!" Will couldn't stop himself from grinning ear to ear. "You
know, the Beatles, the group from England that all the girls scream
over – you know who they are don't you?" Will had started that
sentence teasingly but by the end he was suddenly afraid Elizabeth
wasn't a Beatles fan.

"Yes, I know who they are." Lizzy said, slightly affronted.
Everyone knew who the Beatles were! Getting back into the swing of
things, she shifted her position in her seat and took a better look
at the yellow tickets. They featured a photo of the four Beatles
faces. It read:

SHEA STADIUM
FLUSHING, N.Y.

SID BERNSTEIN, Presents
THE BEATLES"
SUNDAY
AUG.
15
1965
8 P.M.

As she looked the tickets over it started to sink in, and she looked
up at him incredulously. "We're <I>really</i> going to see the
Beatles?"

"Yes." He nodded. Still grinning, he added mischievously, "Unless
if you'd rather not --"

"No, of course I'll go with you!"

"It's this coming Sunday. Do you think the Gardiners will give you
the night off?"

"I'm sure it won't be a problem, but it's so far away -- Shea
Stadium. How will we get there and back?" It was a long drive all
the way from New London where the ferry from Fishers Island docked.

"Don't worry about that," Will assured her. "I've got it covered."

She looked at him dubiously. "Okay, but it's not me you've got to
convince. It's the Gardiners."

"I'm sure they'll be fine with the idea once I explain it to them."

By this time Lizzy was so excited about seeing the Beatles she could
barely think of anything else! John, Paul, George, Ringo…
<I>George</i>. She absolutely loved George! He was so brooding. All
thoughts of Will and her hopes of a kiss had flown out the window.

"I can't wait, let's go ask them now!" she said impulsively, still
studying the tickets in her hand, her head full of nothing but the
four young mop tops.

She urged Will to start the car and take her back to the Gardiners,
all the while talking non-stop about the concert. Will complied
with her wishes, although in the back of his mind he had hoped they
would have more time alone. He had expected her to be excited, but
he hadn't counted on her wanting to return home right away to get
permission.

As expected, the Gardiners were no problem whatsoever; they were
more than happy to allow Lizzy to accompany Will to Shea Stadium.
Who could object when faced with the high spirits and anticipation
on the faces of the young couple? They did stipulate that Lizzy
would have to call her parents and get their permission as well.
Lizzy was nearly jumping out of her skin at the prospect of seeing
the concert with Will.

The four of them sat in the Gardiner's living room a little while
longer discussing it until the Gardiners began hinting that it was
getting late. Excited at the prospect of going to the biggest event
of the summer, Lizzy lost all track of time. The Gardiners joined
her to walk Will to his car, assuring him the Bennets would go along
with the plan. Will gave up on having any more private time with
Lizzy that night and started the car. Sighing to himself, he waved
goodbye and drove into the night.

<center>***</center>

That Sunday, Lizzy found herself at Elizabeth Field, the little
airport on Fishers Island. She and Will were ready to fly to
LaGuardia Airport on Long Island, only minutes away from Shea
Stadium. She was nervous about flying in such a small airplane, but
Will assured her they'd be fine in the private aircraft that
belonged to his family's company. <I>Family company? Airplane?!
</i> Lizzy was floored, but he talked about it nonchalantly, as if
everyone had their own airplane. On board Darcy Pharmaceuticals'
turboprop <i>Beechcraft King Air 90</i> Lizzy was in awe. The plane
had two seats in the cockpit and four reclining passenger seats
facing each other in the cabin. The cabin was air conditioned and
soundproofed, muffling the roar of the engines as they readied for
take off.

Will greeted the two pilots and introduced Elizabeth. He led her to
a seat and then went back to the cockpit, speaking with the pilots
as if they were old friends. Lizzy overheard one named Frank ask
Will, "You going to fly this baby yourself today?"

Will smiled ruefully and glanced over at Lizzy. At the suggestion
of him flying the plane, her eyes widened with fear. Seeing her
expression, he turned back to the pilot. "Not today, Frank, maybe
some other time, although she is sweet." Will ran his hand
appreciatively over one of the seats in the cockpit.

"Yeah, she handles great." The pilot was just as admiring of the
plane.

"When did we get delivery?" Will asked.

"A couple months ago, brand new."

Will gave the cockpit a last lingering glance and went back into the
main cabin and sat next to Elizabeth. As an excuse to be near her,
he checked her seatbelt. Lizzy rolled her eyes and playfully smacked
his hands away. "I know how to buckle a seatbelt." He smiled
sheepishly and settled into his seat beside her.

"Are you okay?" Even though she had teased him, he could tell she
was nervous about the flight.

"You <I>fly</i> airplanes too?" she asked, astounded. It seemed
Will Darcy was more complex than she'd ever dreamed.

"A little," he said, shrugging, not wanting to brag. She shook her
head. There was still a lot to learn about this guy, she thought.
Settling back into her seat, she braced herself for the inevitable
ride before her. Will put his hand over hers on the armrest between
them, and gave it a reassuring squeeze. As nervous as she felt at
that moment, she liked the weight of his hand on hers and hoped he'd
keep it there for the whole flight.

"You've got nothing to worry about, Elizabeth. We're going to have
a great time tonight. Relax."

She took a deep breath, intertwining her fingers with his. She was
in his hands now -- and she kind of liked it.

<center>***</center>

"Wow!" Lizzy exclaimed as she entered Shea Stadium. Emerging into
the balmy air of the enormous baseball field, she squinted up into
the glare of the overhead lights. Blinded by them, she used her
hands as a visor to look out onto the bright green baseball diamond
before her. More than 2000 policemen lined the perimeter, dressed
in their summer blue shirts with gleaming badges that twinkled in
the lights above. The stadium was packed with more than 55,000
hysterical, crying teenage girls. The noise was deafening,
terrifying yet exciting at the same time. Will looked at Lizzy,
just as amazed at their surroundings, and declared, "They're louder
than God." <SUP>1</SUP>

She nodded in agreement. Will grabbed Lizzy's hand as they weaved
their way through the undulating tide of female bodies to find their
seats in the field box close to the 3rd baseline. Lizzy was finally
able to get a good look at the stage erected in the center of the
baseball field. Will told her that he'd heard this was the first
time in history that a stadium was used for a rock `n roll
concert. The concert was officially set to start at 8:00 pm, but
there would be a number of warm up bands performing before the
Beatles. Before long, the full bill started with the King Curtis
Band and then Cannibal and the Headhunters, Brenda Holloway, The
Young Rascals and Sounds Incorporated.

The crowd, Lizzy included, grew restless waiting for the main act
despite the other groups playing before them. Will didn't mind the
wait, he was enjoying watching Elizabeth. He was fascinated by
her. As the wind kicked up, her long dark hair began to lightly
blow around her face. No matter how much she absentmindedly tried
to control it, one particularly stubborn strand refused to behave,
causing Lizzy to continually fiddle with it. <I>She could use a
ribbon for her hair at this moment.</i> He smirked, remembering he
didn't have her ribbon with him. Mrs. Reynolds had seen it and
talked him in to letting her launder it. He had to admit, it was
getting kind of ratty. Besides, he didn't need it as a reminder
when he was with Elizabeth herself. He couldn't help smiling at the
thought while she was unaware.

Glancing over at him, Lizzy caught such an endearing smile upon his
face, with such warmth in his eyes, it stopped her cold. Her
insides fluttered; without thinking, she reached out to stroke his
cheek and then took his hand in hers, holding it tight. It felt
good. He held his breath at Elizabeth's touch and then looked down
at their interlocked hands with a sigh of contentment.

Just then, <i>the</i> Ed Sullivan walked on the bandstand. Will
strained to hear Mr. Sullivan over the noise of the crowd as he
spoke into the microphone:

"Now, ladies and gentlemen, honored by their country, decorated by
their Queen, loved here in America, here are -- The Beatles!"

Amidst the overwhelming roar of the crowd, Lizzy and Will watched as
the Fab Four, wearing British tan military style jackets with high
necked collars, rushed from the first base dugout to the stage
located over the top of second base. Lizzy couldn't help herself;
as soon as she saw them she had an uncontrollable urge to scream at
the top of her lungs along with the rest of the Beatlemaniacs in the
stadium. The howl of the crowd was infectious. <I>The Beatles!
Why wouldn't you shout? </i>

At first, Will was taken aback to hear Elizabeth join the deafening
masses, but he had to admit the whole event was thrilling. He'd
never experienced anything so amazing in his life. Somehow he knew
they were part of history in the making. He wasn't about to start
screaming himself, but what a show! It was definitely a first for
him. The intense excitement of the concert, mixed with the hysteria
of the fans, resulted in a fantastic and unbelievable atmosphere. A
lovesick fan next to Will began to call feverishly to no one in
particular, pointing toward the stage, "That's The Beatles out
there!" She kept repeating it over and over and seemed on the verge
of fainting. Lizzy was also awed by the sight, and with all the
screaming, she felt like <i>she</i> was going to pass out. Will
noticed she looked a little wobbly and put his arm around her, ready
to catch her in case she actually did faint. Since the Beatles
appeared on stage he'd seen dozens of girls collapse at the sight.
With an electric excitement that carried throughout the stadium, the
opening chords rang out from the stage, barely heard over the din of
the fans. They opened with a familiar song to both Will and Lizzy:
<I>Twist And Shout.</i> Even though they could barely hear the
music over the din, they looked at each other, remembering twisting
together at the <I>Holly Hop.</i> Their eyes met and Lizzy couldn't
help twisting to the music. She grinned at Will, daring him to join
her. He nodded in acknowledgement, but he wasn't quite ready yet to
start dancing amidst a stadium full of half-crazed girls. Besides,
he much preferred to watch Elizabeth, particularly the hypnotic way
her hips swayed and the daring look in her eyes as she watched him
back.

The spell was broken when the Beatles launched into two new numbers
Will and Lizzy hadn't heard before, <I>She's A Woman</i> and <I>I
Feel Fine</i>. Will laughed when they sang <i>Dizzy Miss
Lizzie,</i> as Lizzy smirked at him, dancing her heart out and
singing along with it. <I>Ticket To Ride</i> from the Beatles' new
movie, <I>Help!</i> was next and then <I>Everybody's Trying To Be My
Baby</i>. After that, one of Lizzy's favorites, <I>Can't Buy Me
Love,</i> started, and for some unexplainable reason, she really let
loose at this one. Will was almost as enthralled by Elizabeth's
reaction to the songs as he was by the Beatles themselves.
As the Beatles launched into what would be their final number,
<I>I'm Down,</i> Will noticed that John Lennon suddenly started to
go into a mad and crazy performance, playing the harmonium using his
elbows – à la Jerry Lee Lewis. His antics were catching and George,
the lead guitarist, began to laugh so much he was unable to play.
Lizzy looked at Will and told him George was her favorite
Beatle. "I like those dark, broody good looks of his," she
explained with an impish smile. Will smirked as he pulled her to
him possessively. Loving the feel of his arm around her she bit her
lower lip and she leaned into him.

As quickly as it had begun, it was over. When the Beatles finished
their set, they immediately left the bandstand and were whisked into
a white station wagon ambulance that took them across the field into
a waiting Wells Fargo armored truck that sped off into the night.
It was sheer pandemonium; the crowd was cheering, girls were either
passing out or leaping over the barriers while policemen were trying
their best to subdue the crowd and handle the wild Beatlemaniacs.

Slowly and determinedly, Will guided Elizabeth out of the mobbed
stadium. Their ears ringing, they found the car and driver waiting
to take them back to LaGuardia Airport where their private plane was
ready to bring them back to Fishers Island. Lizzy was thankful for
Will's strong presence. She was in a daze. What an unforgettable
night; she would never forget it as long as she lived. Little did
she know that the best was yet to come. It wasn't really the
concert that she'd remember the most, it was what happened
afterwards.


<center>***</center>

When Lizzy and Will arrived at Elizabeth Field, they were too
excited to go right home, even though it was terribly late. They
got into his Jaguar and Will, who wasn't ready to take her to the
Gardiners' yet, asked if she'd like to come to his house.

Lizzy was caught off guard by the suggestion of going to his home.
She hadn't seen it yet, but her Aunt Maddie had mentioned Pemberley
more than once. She considered it <I>the</i> most beautiful home on
the whole entire island. Lizzy remembered her description:

<I>"It's built high upon the bluffs overlooking the Sound. It has a
quiet grace about it. The brown shingles and pointed roofs have a
majesty that hearkens back to the Victorian era when the house was
originally built." </i>

"Elizabeth, do you want to go to my house?"

Lizzy had to shake herself, realizing she'd been lost in thought.

"Uh…yes," she said, absentmindedly.

"Are you sure?" he asked concerned. "If you're tired I'll take you
back to the Gard—"

"No!" she cried, suddenly alert. "No, I'm not tired. I want to go
to your house."

He smiled, happy that their evening wasn't over. He was still
pumped from the concert and didn't want to say good night just yet.

They drove for a few miles, and Lizzy realized they were heading
toward the eastern point of the island where she'd never been. This
was the private area of the island near the country club, filled
with stately homes and mansions, none of which could be seen from
the road. Eventually, Will turned into a dirt road with a small
wooden sign beside it that read <i>Pemberley</i>. They drove
through dark woods on either side. It was nearly pitch black
outside, except for the glow of the headlights on Will's car
illuminating the twists and turns of the private drive. Elizabeth
felt they had been going down his driveway <i>forever</i>, when
after one final bend the silhouette of the sleeping giant rose
before her. Will turned to her as she gasped aloud at the sight.
In the dim moonlight, a Victorian shingled structure bearing four
enormous stone chimneys that towered over its steepled roofline came
into view. She continued to gape until Will stopped in front. <I>So
this is Pemberley.</i>

Will parked the car in the circular drive and helped Lizzy. He led
her up to the front porch, that wrapped around the house as far as
Elizabeth could see, and led her inside the beautifully appointed
home. She looked around her in awe. While definitely a summer
home, it was meticulously maintained and well kept. There were only
a few lights on since it was well past midnight, but even in the dim
light she could tell there was an ease and sense of casualness, not
the austerity and pretentiousness of Rosings Park.

Will lead her through the house, his finger to his lips, ensuring
she did not make any noise. They tiptoed through the dining room
and past the swinging door into an open and airy kitchen. Lizzy
briefly glanced at the massive chambered stove but had little time
to look at anything else before Will guided her through the back
door to a patio perched on the bluff and overlooking the water
below. She could barely make out the water in the dark, but she but
she could hear the distant sounds of the ebb and flow of the gentle
waves along the shore. As her eyes adjusted and she looked out at
the dark expanse of water, Will motioned to her to follow him; he
seemed to have a particular destination and purpose in mind.

"Let's go down here," he called out in a whisper, pointing out a
partially hidden steep stairway down to the beach. Will clicked on
an outside light and Lizzy then saw the comfortable looking patio
furniture, large jardinières filled with fragrant smelling flowers,
a big wicker basket holding towels and blankets and beside it –
surprisingly -- a guitar case. He pointed to the basket.

"Can you grab a blanket?" he asked as he removed the guitar from its
case. He picked it up and held her hand, leading her to the steep
stairway that criss-crossed the bluff leading to the beach.

She was bemused at this whole turn of events. <i>This night is full
of surprises. First I find out he has a company airplane, that he
knows how to fly, and now he plays the guitar?</i>

She gladly let Will take the lead as they descended the old
weathered stairway. Never letting go of Lizzy, Will took extra care
to insure she didn't trip or hurt herself on the way down. The
sweet smell of honeysuckle permeated her senses as they reached the
bottom and Will indicated for her to remove her sandals while he did
the same. Just beyond them was a wide open beach. Will grabbed
Lizzy's hand again and together they ran toward the water. The moon
was high, casting a silvery reflection upon it; the sound of the
waves lapping at the shore was the only sound in the darkness. They
ran across the cool night sand in their bare feet, stopping before
they got too close to the water, where the sand became wet.
Breathless from the run, Lizzy unfolded the blanket in one big swoop
and spread it out for them to sit upon. She could just see the
expression on Will's face, illuminated by the moonlight; he had a
shy grin on it.

"I've kind of been practicing something for you on the guitar…"

She blushed becomingly at the idea of Will practicing something for
her. She let him know at once that she wanted to hear it by reaching
over and squeezing his hand. He motioned for her to sit on the
blanket while he settled himself across from her, sitting cross-
legged as she remained up on her knees eagerly waiting for him to
begin.

He gave her a mischievous grin just before he started. "I'm no
George Harrison, but -- here goes." Strumming the guitar in one
long motion, he began to sing,

<I>You'll never know how much I really love you</i>

Another impressive strum of the guitar --

<I>You'll never know how much I really care…</i>

He looked lovingly into her eyes as he sang, and suddenly Lizzy felt
shy and embarrassed. He was so serious all of a sudden and the
lyrics so dramatic. Then, she saw the earnest look on his face
change as he tried unsuccessfully to keep a straight face; his
dimples were determined to peep out. A slow smile spread across
Lizzy's face and widened as she recognized the next riff of notes as
he continued to serenade her.

<i>Listen, do you want to know a secret
Do you promise not to tell, whoa, whoa, whoa
Closer, let me whisper in your ear

Say the words you long to hear
I'm in love with you, oo </i>

A thrill went through Lizzy's spine as he sang the words to her.
She knew he was camping it up – an eyebrow lift here, a brooding
stare there – but she couldn't help but understand the meaning of
the words. Deciding to get into the act, she pretended to swoon as
he sang, joining in to sing the doo dah doos back to him teasingly.

<I>Listen, (doo dah do)
Do you want to know a secret (doo dah do)
Do you promise not to tell, (doo dah do) whoa, whoa, whoa</i>

He was getting into his performance, and liked the way she joined
him. He leaned toward her.

<I>Closer, (doo dah do)
Let me whisper in your ear (doo dah do)
Say the words you long to hear
I'm in love with you, oo </i>

Lizzy couldn't help but giggle, she and Will were good together.
The chord progression changed and Will looked at his fingers on the
frets of the guitar, careful to get the notes right.

<I>I've known a secret for a week or two
Nobody knows just we two…</i>

His eyes met hers again as he continued, grinning and hamming it
up. Laughing, she dramatically put her hands to her face as if
overcome by the moment, like a true Beatlemaniac.

<I>Listen, (doo dah do)
Do you want to know a secret (doo dah do)
Do you promise not to tell, (doo dah do) whoa, whoa, whoa
Closer, (doo dah do)
Let me whisper in your ear (doo dah do)
Say the words you long to hear
I'm in love with you, oo, oo</i>

As she and Will sang the end of the song together, their voices
gradually faded out as did his guitar. They remained smiling at
each other with nothing but the gentle sound of the water breaking
upon the shore as their background music. As if by magic, their
eyes suddenly focused solely on the other's, the lighthearted
feeling between them moments before now became serious.

Without taking his eyes from hers, Will gently set down his guitar
and moved closer. He ran his hands along her shoulders, sending a
shiver through her. Drawing her to him gently, he cupped his hand
behind her head, slowly bringing her lips to his. Delicious.

Lizzy closed her eyes and gave in to the feeling of his kiss, she
knew instantly – it was perfect; meant to be. The kiss deepened and
she responded, a gentle moan coming from deep inside her as he
pulled her closer. She willingly gave in to the sensation and
desire she had kept bottled up, wrapping her arms around his neck,
clinging to him, lost in the feel of his lips on hers. Unaware of
how she got there, she realized she was now sitting in his lap.
Their kisses intensified, a give and take, deep and satisfying as
they tasted and savored each other.

Will nibbled his way to the lobe of her ear, sending ripples of
excitement through her. She gasped with delight as he placed tiny
kisses down her neck. His touch was overwhelming; she could feel
the passion and the tenderness from his lips. Her thin cotton
blouse was no impediment as his fingers caressed her, burning a
trail down her back, holding her waist, molding her body to his.

In one fluid motion he lifted her up and gently placed her on her
back on the blanket. Leaning over her as she put her arms around
his neck, he continued his explorations. He was drowning in the
taste of her, while still trying his best to reign himself in,
knowing it would be fatal to rush her. She was an innocent and he
wouldn't ruin this moment by taking advantage, no matter how
responsive she was.

Intuitively, he let her set the pace. They continued their
delightful pursuit, making up for lost time, until both needed to
come up for air. Lizzy cuddled up to him and rested her head on his
shoulder, running her hand over his chest. She could feel his
breathing, heavy at first and then settling into a steady rhythm.
It felt wonderfully good to be this close to him; she felt she could
lie beside him forever. Feeling her sigh, he tightened his arms
around her as they lay there quietly looking up at the stars in the
inky sky above.

He bent his head to her and whispered in her ear, "I'm in love with
you."

She nearly melted when she heard the words tickle her ear; she felt
her heart was going to burst. Tears pricked her eyes; she thought
she was going to cry. After all this time, and the ups and downs
they'd experienced, she now knew for sure how she felt about him.
Hearing his momentous and heartfelt words was what she had wanted
ever since she saw first him again at the yacht club. What a
difference a few months made. She leaned up on her elbows and
peered down at him in the dim light, searching for his eyes.

"I love you too, Will." He closed his eyes when he heard the words,
speechless. This was his dream and he needed to savor the moment.
She bent down and kissed him softly on his lips and then wrapped her
arms around him, snuggling into the crook of his shoulder. He
reciprocated, enveloping her in his arms, ensuring she would not be
going anywhere soon.

Laying there with him, the moon shining on her, Lizzy's features
were illuminated just enough for Will to see she was smiling. He
was grateful for this time, for this second chance with her; it was
the happiest moment of his life. He couldn't help but give up a
silent prayer. <I>Thank you.</i>



<small>*The Beatles, "Do You Want to Know A Secret" - performed by
The Beatles, written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. © 1963
Northern Songs. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright
Secured.</small>


<SUP>1</SUP>I've taken the liberty to give Will this line, but it is
an actual quote from John Lennon of the crowd at Shea Stadium.

Chapter 15

Lydia Bennet thought she was going to go crazy. <i>Everyone</i> had
something fun to do for the summer, and she was stuck in Meryton
with absolutely nothing. Jane had spent nearly the entire summer
mooning over her rich boyfriend who was madly in love with her and
Lydia had just found out that Jane wasn't the only one.
<I>Lizzy</i> had a rich boyfriend now, one whom she met while
working at her cushy babysitting "job" with the Gardiners on Fishers
Island. Not only that, the crowning blow was that he was taking her
to see the <I>Beatles </I> at Shea Stadium with him! <I>She doesn't
even have any of their records!</i> It wasn't fair. <I>I want a
rich boyfriend too!</i> Well, maybe he doesn't have to be rich, she
thought, but good looking, at least -- and fun! Only one
possibility came to mind.

"Jane!" Lydia called upstairs, "I'm going to Korvettes, I want to
get a new record."

"How are you going to get there?" her sister called back. Their
parents were away for the weekend; Jane was in charge until they
returned Monday night.

"Don't worry, I'll ride my bike."

<center>***</center>

"Hi George, remember me?" Lydia sidled up to George, the debonair
salesman at Korvettes, giving him what she thought was her most
alluring smile.

George had no time for teeny boppers; there was too much on his
mind. His poker debts were out of control and he was wracking his
brain trying to think of a way to get some quick cash. He did not
want to face the loan sharks now hounding him.

George barely kept up the English accent as he spoke to her. "Yeah,
I remember you, but I'm busy, kid. I can't really chat, you see?"

Lydia scowled. She couldn't believe it! She'd ridden her bike all
the way out here to see George, and now he was blowing her off! She
needed to let off some steam and here was her chosen means trying to
ignore her.

"Oh, come on, George, please! I've been so bored lately. I'm so
sad and lonely." She gave him her best puppy dog eyes. "Everyone in
my family is ignoring me. My sister Jane has a rich boyfriend who
spoils her and now my sister Lizzy is dating another rich guy – Will
Darcy – who's taking her to see the <I>Beatles</i> at Shea Stadium
tonight. Can you believe her luck?"

George wasn't paying much attention until he heard <I>Will Darcy.</i>

"Will Darcy, you say?" He looked at her, now all ears.

"Yeah, he's some rich guy she met on Fishers Island. He must really
be hung up on her to take her to see the Beatles." Lydia said
dolefully, wishing she was seeing the Beatles, instead of Lizzy.

In the blink of an eye, George had his idea; one that would solve
all his problems. He looked at Lydia with new found appreciation.

"Do you <I>really</i> want to see the Beatles?" he asked, stepping
closer to her.

"More than anything in the world!"

"What would you say if I told you I know them?" he said wrapping his
arm around her shoulder.

"You know them?" she cried incredulously.

"Of course, love." Laying the accent on thick now that it mattered
to him, he added, "We go way back, old mates, you know."

Lydia took the bait: hook, line and sinker. She was speechless.
She was actually talking to someone who was friends with the
Beatles! With Lydia's mouth still gaping open, George continued, "I
know where they're staying in New York. How would you like me to
take you there to meet them?"

At this offer, Lydia's eyes were as wide as saucers. "Are you
kidding? Of course I want to meet them! When? When can we go?" She
was breathing heavily, dancing around in her place, antsy at the
idea of meeting the Fab Four. "Can we see them tonight at Shea
Stadium?"

"No, not the concert, security is too great there; we'd never be
able to get in to see them. We can meet them at their hotel
tomorrow, after the concert tonight." His mind was working at high
speed. "How about we meet first thing in the morning and drive to
New York to their hotel? We'll surprise them."

"Okay!" said Lydia. George looked at her appraisingly. <I>At least
she's built. How can anyone be so gullible?</i>

"Just to be on the safe side, better not tell anyone," George warned
her. "I don't want word getting out I'm friends with them – we don't
want the whole town coming with us."

Lydia didn't think twice about it. "Sure thing, this will be our big
secret!" <I>At last, something exciting is happening to me!</i>

<I>Little child, little child
little child won't you dance with me
I'm so sad and lonely
Baby take a chance with me

Little child, little child
little child won't you dance with me
I'm so sad and lonely
Baby take a chance with me </i>

Lydia was ready and waiting when George arrived at the crack of dawn
the next morning in his maroon Chevy Corvair. She hadn't told
anyone of their plan to drive up to New York, but she couldn't
resist leaving a note for her sister Kitty. She would be green with
envy when she found out that Lydia was off to see the Beatles!

<blockquote><I>Dear Kitty,

Ha-ha! You'll never guess where I am and what I'm doing! I'm off to
New York with total hunk, George Wickham, who's friends with the
Beatles! (Remember, the salesman I told you about at Korvettes?)
We're going to their hotel to meet them. Wish me luck – I'll be
sure to give Paul a kiss for you!

Lydia</blockquote></i>

Driving up to the city, George pondered his options. He had a few
things in mind. First, he needed a place where he could hide and be
alone with Lydia. Low on cash, he'd have to find a cheap hotel.

"Lydia love," he said, his Liverpool accent in full force, "Do you
have any money with you?"

She looked at him sideways, a quick look of annoyance on her face
that vanished as soon as she saw him flash his teeth with that
handsome smile of his.

"I brought a little just in case I saw something I wanted to buy…
Why?"

"Just asking, always good to think of these things in the big city
and all that." <I>Hmm, I wonder how much she brought with her?</i>
He looked over at her thoughtfully as he drove, then patted the seat
next to him invitingly. "Come over and sit next to me, love. I
won't bite." Lydia hesitated briefly before sliding across the seat
until she was right up against him. He put his arm around her and
pulled her close as she rested her head on his shoulder.

<I>If you want someone to make you feel so fine
Then we'll have some fun when you're mine all mine
So come on, come on, come on

Little child, little child
little child won't you dance with me
I'm so sad and lonely
Baby take a chance with me</i>

By the time they got to New York it was mid-morning. The city was
busy, bustling with Monday activity. Lydia couldn't sit still as
she oohed and ahhed at the skyscrapers, pointing at everything.

"George, are we going straight to their hotel? I can't wait to meet
Paul." She sighed aloud, thrilled at the thought of actually meeting
her favorite Beatle. <I>Won't everyone be jealous when I come back
and tell them all about it. Maybe he'll fall in love with me and
ask me to marry him!</i> If George hadn't been right beside her,
she would have forgotten all about him. George Wickham paled in
comparison to a real Beatle.

George was concentrating so hard on traffic he had little time to
think of a good excuse to keep Lydia away from the Beatles' hotel.
He nearly cursed when she asked her next question. <i>The girl just
wouldn't quit!</i>

"I heard the Beatles are staying at the Warwick Hotel on 54th
Street -- are we near there yet?" She made it a point to know
everything about <i>her boys</i>. She had read in the newspaper
they were at the Warwick this time, because the Plaza Hotel, where
they had stayed the previous year on their first visit to the United
States, didn't want them back. The fans had caused too much trouble
and nearly wrecked the hotel's lobby.

"Yes, love, as soon as I can find a parking space." This sounded
perfectly reasonable to Lydia, so she didn't notice the strained
sound of George's voice as he maneuvered in and out of the sea of
yellow taxis and buses. Oblivious to George's real intentions, she
blithely continued to look out the window at the sights of New York
City.

Once they found a parking space, Lydia leapt out of the car, eager
to meet the Beatles. She looked at the street sign – 9th
Avenue. "9th Avenue? How far are we from the hotel?"

George had no intention of going to the Warwick. He could well
imagine what a mad house it was, but soon realized Lydia would not
go anywhere else with him unless he at least appeared to be taking
her to see the famous foursome.

"Not far," he said as he steered her along toward 54th Street
heading in the direction of 6th Avenue. Although Lydia was
ecstatic; she was also nervous at the thought of meeting her idols.
<I>I know Paul will fall in love with me as soon as he meets
me.</i> As George draped his arm around her shoulders possessively,
she was thinking of him as nothing more than a means to her goal.
She wriggled out of his grasp, bent on only one target at this
point – and it wasn't George Wickham!

<I>When you're by my side you're the only one
Don't you run and hide just come on, come on
So come on, come on, come on

Little child, little child
little child won't you dance with me
I'm so sad and lonely
Baby take a chance with me</i>

It became apparent as they neared the intersection of 54th Street
and 6th Avenue that something big was happening outside the hotel.
The streets were lined with policemen trying to hold back the crowds
of screaming teenaged girls, hoping for a glimpse of the famous boys
from Liverpool. Right away, Lydia picked up her pace and started to
run toward the hotel with George hot on her heels.

"Lydia, wait!" he called after her desperately. She looked behind
her and waited for him to catch up. After all, without him, she
couldn't get in to see the Beatles.

The Warwick Hotel was an old fashioned, stately building,
unobtrusive in appearance, blending in with the surrounding
buildings. Upon closer observation the detail and workmanship on
the outside of the building revealed the quiet elegance that lay
within. It was a haven for celebrities who could sometimes be seen
peering over a balcony high above the cacophony of the streets of
mid-town Manhattan.

As George caught up with Lydia she wasted no time. "George, c'mon!
Let's go, I want to see them!" She started to pull George toward the
entrance of the hotel. George realized he was in a bind and was
going to be hard-pressed to deter Lydia from her mission; he had to
think of something fast.

"Lydia, we'll have to call up first. They won't just let us in with
this gaggle of teenagers around." Lydia saw the wisdom of George's
explanation.

"Well, call them then!"

George sighed in frustration, realizing this was not going to be as
easy as he thought. How was he going to get Lydia upstairs into a
hotel somewhere else, when she was so bent on seeing the Beatles at
the Warwick? He hadn't thought this plan through very well, he'd
been too determined to get out of Meryton and away from "Larry the
Loan Shark" and his crew. He saw that he'd have no choice. If he
was going to get Lydia to go along with him, he'd have to get a room
at the Warwick.

"I have an idea. We can get into the lobby and call up by checking
in and getting a room." George reasoned. Lydia looked at him like
he was crazy.

"Check in! Why would we want to do that?" The radar in her head was
starting to go off -- she didn't like the sound of this plan.
<I>Check in? A room? Together?</i> Lydia may not have been the
smartest girl in school, but she had `street smarts' and she was
having misgivings about George and his intentions. She was torn,
one side of her wanted to see the Beatles badly, but the other side
didn't feel right about checking into a hotel with a man she barely
knew. She thought about it briefly and made her decision. The
Beatles won out.

"Okay, let's do it!" George grinned and held her hand as they made
their way to the main entrance of the hotel. Squeezing through the
mob of teenage girls, they eventually came to the entrance where a
policeman held up his hand and stopped them.

"Excuse me, folks, you can't come in. This is off limits," the
policeman said.

"We're checking in to the hotel," said George. The policeman looked
at Lydia and George doubtfully.

"Do you have some I.D.?" asked the policeman.

"What do I need to show you my I.D. for, officer?" As he spoke,
George could feel the sweat dripping down his back in the hot August
sun.

"I need to see some proof that you're here for some other reason
than these <I>groupies,</i>" he answered, referring to the mêlée of
girls around them.

"Don't be absurd, do I look like a Beatlemaniac?" George asked,
referring to the adoring masses standing behind him who were holding
various signs that read, "Please, please me, George!" and "I want to
marry you, Paul!"

"What about her?" the policeman pointed at Lydia.

"We're friends of the Beatles!" Lydia piped in, "We just want to get
inside so we can call upstairs to them." The policeman scoffed at
the two.

"So you can just call upstairs to them, eh?" Laughing, he shooed
them back into the crowd. "Off you go, you two. Friends of the
Beatles – that's a good one!" and he wouldn't let them pass.

George turned on Lydia, furious she had blown their cover. "Why did
you have to go and say that?" he yelled at her. "Now we'll never get
past that policeman." Now what was he supposed to do with her?

Lydia was really getting fed up with George. "George, it can't be
that hard to find a telephone somewhere else."

George took hold of Lydia's arm roughly and began to drag her down
the street away from the hotel.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" she yelled, trying her best
to wriggle out of his grasp.

"What I should have done long ago. Come on, you're coming with
me!"

"Oh no, I'm not!" Lydia answered, digging her heels in. "I want to
see the Beatles!"

"You stupid girl," he spat at her. "Do you really think we're going
to see the Beatles?" Lydia looked at him incredulously.

"Of course, that's the whole reason why we came!" She was still
trying to get loose from his grasp.

"You're nothing more than a means to an end, as far as I'm
concerned. Now come on!" George meant business and was willing to
take her forcefully if need be.

Lydia was blazing mad! There was no way she was going to go along
with him anywhere now. Not after the way he spoke to her and called
her stupid!

"You're a big liar!" she yelled at him. With one final wrench of
her arm she managed to break free from his grasp and kicked him in
the shins for good measure. George, caught by surprise at her
tenacity, rubbed his sore legs as he watched her take off back in
the direction of the Warwick. He chased her, but soon lost her in
the multitude of girls that were still packed around the hotel's
entrance.

He searched to no avail. She seemed to have disappeared into thin
air, and with her went all his hopes of a quick way to get some
money out of Will Darcy. Dejected, he went into the hotel bar,
alone and unencumbered, determined to get stinking drunk.

<I>When you're by my side you're the only one
Don't you run and hide just come on, come on
So come on, come on, come on

Little child, little child
little child won't you dance with me
I'm so sad and lonely
Baby take a chance with me*</i>

<center>***</center>

Monday on Fishers Island turned out to be a glorious day. The sun
came pouring through the curtains of Lizzy's bedroom window as she
lay in bed thinking about the previous night. She was surprised she
wasn't more tired, considering how little sleep she'd gotten. Will
had dropped her off at the Gardiners in the early hours of the
morning, just before daybreak. They had spent nearly the whole
night on the beach in each other's arms. She hugged herself at the
thought, going over each moment, bit by bit, giddy at the memory of
what it felt like to kiss Will -- not once, but over and over
again. She sighed at the memory. It felt like heaven. <I>He loves
me.</i>

She glanced at her alarm clock and scrambled out of bed
frantically. It was past eight o'clock! She had to get up and give
the kids their breakfast. Just as she finished pulling her hair up
into a pony tail, she heard Aunt Maddie calling her from downstairs.

"Lizzy!" Aunt Maddie sounded urgent. "Your sister Jane is on the
phone, something has happened!"

Lizzy was instantly worried. She rushed downstairs and took the
phone from Mrs. Gardiner.

"Hello?" Lizzy spoke with a concerned voice. "Jane, what's wrong?"

"Oh Lizzy! We don't know what to do! It's Lydia!"

"Lydia? What is it? Is she hurt?"

"No, she's run off to New York City with some salesman she met at
Korvettes, George Wickham!"

Lizzy's mouth went completely dry. She sank into the nearby chair as
Jane read the letter Lydia had left Kitty.

"What's being done?" Lizzy asked. "Has Dad gone after them?"

"Dad's not here. Remember? He and Mom went to the Philips's, they
don't even know about it yet. They're supposed to get back
tonight. I've been in charge this whole weekend." Lizzy could hear
the catch in Jane's voice as she continued, "Oh Lizzy, I feel like
this is my entire fault! If only I'd kept a closer on eye on her
none of this would have happened!"

"Jane, it's not your fault. How could you have known Lydia would
pull a stunt like this?" Lizzy tried to reassure Jane that things
would work out all right for Lydia, but she was worried. <I>George
Wickham!</i> If only she had warned her sisters about him and what
he was capable of! She could kick herself! There was only one
person she could think of who knew enough about George Wickham to
help them. <I>Will.</i> She felt it was best to keep George's
history of kidnapping to herself for now, no point in worrying Jane
even further.

"Jane, I have an idea. Will can probably help us. He knows George
Wickham and what he's like, and maybe he can find them."

"Do you really think so?"

"If anyone can help, it's Will. I'll call him right now. I'll call
you back when I have something to report."

Lizzy got off the phone with Jane and told the Gardiners the whole
story, including her fears for Lydia because of Wickham's unsavory
reputation. There was no doubt in her mind that George was lying to
Lydia. Without giving too much detail, she explained that Will had
a previous history with George and he might know where to find
them. When Lizzy had finished, they encouraged her to call Will
right away.

As she dialed the Darcy's home number that Georgie had given her,
Lizzy reflected that this wasn't exactly how she envisaged speaking
to Will so soon after their magical night together. But she had no
choice, she needed his help, and time was of the essence. Who knew
what George Wickham had in mind when he took Lydia to New York? He
obviously didn't really <I>know</i> the Beatles. Will might even
have an idea where they could be. She worried and waited for
someone to answer, nervous that it was still too early to be
calling; Will was probably still asleep.

"Hello, Darcy residence," a voice answered on the other end of the
line.

Already nervous about calling, Lizzy was taken aback by the
formality of whomever answered. "Hello…i-is Will there?" she asked
hesitantly.

"Who may I say is calling?" asked the voice.

"This is Elizabeth Bennet, I'm a friend of his."

"Miss Bennet, of course!" The voice suddenly sounded warm and
friendly. "If you'll hold on a moment, I'll get him for you." Lizzy
waited what seemed like an eternity until she finally heard Will's
voice on the phone.

"Elizabeth?" He sounded happily surprised to be hearing from her so
soon after dropping her off earlier that morning, although he also
still seemed a bit groggy from being woken up. "What a nice
surprise! I didn't expect to hear from you so soon." His voice
deepened as he whispered. "Have you recovered from last night? I
sure haven't."

Lizzy relished the sound of his voice and wished she didn't have to
bring up the dreadful subject of her sister and George Wickham, but
she had to do it.

"Will, I need your help, something awful happened!"

Will instantly recognized the fear in Elizabeth's voice and woke
sufficiently to realize something must be terribly wrong for her to
be calling him so early.

"What happened, Elizabeth, tell me."

"It's my sister Lydia…" Lizzy paused. She didn't know what to say
exactly. "She's run off…she's run off with…George Wickham." There
was silence on the other end. Lizzy waited for Will to say
something.

"I'll be right there. Don't do anything until I get there." She
heard the click of the phone hanging up and, staring at the receiver
in her hand Lizzy let out a sigh of relief. If anyone knew what to
do, she was confident Will would be the one.

<center>***</center>

After Lizzy explained to Will everything she knew and about the
letter Lydia had left behind, Will took over. Immediately, he
asked, "Elizabeth, does Lydia know about you and me?"

"Probably. I'm sure my mother would have told her after I asked for
permission to go to the concert." Will's suspicions were confirmed;
Wickham was at it again.

He made a solemn promise to Elizabeth that he would find them if it
was the last thing he did. Time was short. Will knew he had to
find them before nightfall; who knew what would happen to Lydia if
he didn't. He wouldn't put it past George Wickham to take advantage
of a fifteen year old girl.

Lizzy walked Will out to his car, tears forming in her eyes at the
thought of saying goodbye to him this way. He was going to New York
to find her little sister, and she was totally helpless. There was
nothing she could do but wait for him to call with news.

Will turned to her before he got into his car. "Goodbye Elizabeth."
He was so earnest, he'd seen tears in her eyes that he wanted to
kiss away. "I promise I'll find them, it'll be all right." He took
her into his arms and held her for a moment before kissing her
gently. <I>This is not how I imagined our next kiss to
be.</i> "I'll call you as soon as I know something, I promise." He
saw her nod, as she valiantly tried not to cry.

<I>I don't want him to go!</I> She was torn between her sister's
safety and wanting to be with Will. Things had been so perfect
before Jane's call! Lizzy watched him get in the car with one last
lingering look. He said goodbye again and drove off. Lizzy stood
in the driveway watching him drive away until she couldn't see his
car any longer. She stamped her foot in frustration and anger.
<I>Stupid Lydia! How could you do this?</I>

<center>***</center>

Will was intent on getting to New York as fast as possible. Once he
found Lydia he would need his car to return her to her parents in
Meryton, so there was no option other than driving. He estimated
the drive would take about three hours, getting him into the city
just after two o'clock in the afternoon. That would give him half
the day to search. His first stop would be the Warwick Hotel, not
that he really believed Wickham knew the Beatles, but it was a start
at least. Judging by what Elizabeth had told him about her sister
Lydia, a true Beatlemaniac if there ever was one, Wickham would have
needed to fool her into believing he was taking her there first – at
least Will hoped that was the case.

Arriving in the city, Will parked in a nearby garage, making his way
toward the hotel which was being mobbed by young, hysterical girls.
Will couldn't help but have flashbacks of the previous night at the
concert at Shea. It was hard to believe that only the night before
he had been with Elizabeth – <I>his Elizabeth!</i> He felt he could
say that and really mean it, after last night. However, dwelling on
<i>that</i> would only cloud his head. He had other matters to take
care of now. He managed to get in with nary a problem, easily
passing the main doors opened for him by the doorman into a small
lobby by luxury hotel standards. He walked to the front desk and
inquired if they had recently checked in anyone that fit the
description of Lydia and Wickham. No luck. He looked for something
that might give him a clue as to whether they'd been there or not.
Nothing.

Will was standing outside the entrance to the quiet and dimly lit
hotel bar, just beginning to give up hope. As he briefly looked
into the dark wood paneled and windowless room, he nearly missed a
figure sitting at the bar, hunched over his drink. Surprised, Will
recognized the familiar profile. <I>Bingo.</i> He wasted no time in
striding over, his identity confirmed positively as he drew nearer.
It was definitely Wickham -- but where was Lydia?

George was oblivious to Will's presence until too late. He was
grabbed from behind and forced to turn around.

"Where is she, Wickham?"

George, dazed from one too many Jack Daniels's, stared blankly up at
Will, waiting for his eyes to focus.

"Darcy?" he let out a short laugh. George wasn't surprised to see
Will Darcy show up – so noble and prince charming-like. He slurred
his words as he expressed his sentiments. "What took you so long?"
He didn't wait for Will's answer, turning to take another sip.

Will wasn't about to let Wickham turn his back on him. He grabbed
him again by the shoulder and spun him around to face him. "I asked
you a question. Where is she? Where is Lydia Bennet?"

Wickham knew he'd lost his chance with Lydia, but he could at least
string Will along for the fun of it. "I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?" Will was incensed. He'd traveled
all the way to New York City only to find his nemesis drunk and
incoherent. George didn't feel like talking any longer, and tried
to ignore Will. But Will wasn't letting him, pressing him
further. "Tell me where she is!"

"I told you, I don't know. She ran off. I couldn't catch her."

"You mean she's somewhere lost in the city, and you have no idea
where she is?"

"Yeah, that's about right, but I'd lay odds she's somewhere around
here." He looked up and waved his arm drunkenly in the air.

"Here. Meaning the hotel?" asked Will, trying very hard to keep the
composure that was being severely tested.

"Where else? She wants to meet <I>The Beatles.</i>" He said this
mockingly, imitating Lydia. At least Will knew she was no longer in
Wickham's clutches and he had some idea where to start looking.
Wickham eyed Will up and down, sick of listening to his noble hero
routine. "She's probably up in their suite by now, giving them each
a turn in one of those big be –"

Will cut him off, thoroughly disgusted with Wickham's drunken
crassness. "I should have done this long ago."

With a quick jab, Will flattened Wickham with one punch in the nose,
knocking him off the barstool and onto the floor. Wickham was too
drunk to even bother to get up, holding his now bleeding nose and
moaning to no one who cared.

Will looked down at him on the floor, thoroughly disgusted with
Wickham's drunken crassness. "I should have done that long ago."
Flexing his now aching fingers, Will turned dispassionately from
Wickham to the bartender, who had been watching the entire
altercation with wonder.

"It would be a good idea to call the police and have this man
arrested. He's wanted for kidnapping a minor, and crossing state
lines." The bartender looked surprised at Will's revelation but
quickly picked up the phone and dialed the police.

"Oh, and one more thing." Will took his wallet out of his pocket and
asked, "Do you know how I can sneak into the Beatles' suite?
There's 200 bucks in it for you if you can help me." The bartender's
eyes widened as he looked at Wickham sprawled out on the floor --
and then at Will who was now leaning over the bar eyeing him
intently.

The bartender nodded his head furtively. Will smiled
assuredly. "Good, then we have a deal."

<center>***</center>

Lydia held her breath, waiting until she heard the waiter's
footsteps fade away and the door close behind him before leaving the
safety of her hiding place. She climbed out from beneath the
rolling cart on which was a tablecloth that had hidden her from
view. It was a miracle that she had managed to stow away in the
hotel this way, but she was on a mission. Nothing was going to
prevent her from achieving her goal. When she overheard the waiter
mention where his order was going, she nearly fainted and dove under
the linens of the room service cart.

Now, here she was in a large suite, seemingly alone. She looked
about, noticing some clothes lying about. She picked up a dark pair
of trousers and held them up before her. They undoubtedly belonged
to a man, but which man was the question. She continued her
examination stopping when she came upon a man's shirt carelessly
draped over an ornate desk chair. She picked it up and held it to
her nose, taking a deep breath, eyes closed, imagining her idol
dressed in it. Next, her eyes espied a pair of black leather boots,
haphazardly sprawled across the floor, looking as if they had been
kicked off in a hurry. Her eyes moved past the boots and rested on
a closed door. The movement she heard from the other side of the
door was followed by sudden shock. She was not alone. The lurch in
her stomach made her grab on to the nearest thing to her – a bass
guitar. Grasping, she inadvertently knocked it from its upright
resting place against the back of the settee. It fell over onto the
carpeted floor with a muffled twang. She jumped, afraid of being
discovered, never taking her eyes off the closed door before her.

If she was in shock before, it was nothing compared to the senseless
euphoria that overcame her when she heard the unmistakable Liverpool
accent of the voice on the other side of the door.

<I>"Ye better not be messin' with me guitar, or I'll have yer head,
I will!"</i>

Lydia stood frozen in place; feet nailed to the floor. Her eyes
widened and she stopped breathing altogether as the door slowly
opened. Never even in <i>her</i> dreams could she have imagined
such a moment.

Through the door emerged <I>the man himself</i> – albeit a little
less formally attired. Toweling his dark floppy hair, presumably
wet from a shower, he didn't appear to notice his uninvited visitor
at first. Lydia's eyes were glued on the precariously wrapped white
towel that hung around his slim waist, edging tantalizingly downward
as he continued to walk into the room barefoot. She gulped at the
sight, and let out a small squeak as he approached her, still
seemingly oblivious to her presence.

"Paul!" she barely whispered, mesmerized by the sight of him.

Stopping just before her, he finished toweling his damp hair.
Hearing Lydia's soft whisper he quickly looked up in surprise,
getting a good look at who was before him. Without thinking, he let
out a cry of horror. Lydia screamed as well, although she wasn't
screaming out of fright, but the hysteria that had begun to build in
her as soon as she had laid eyes on his half naked form.

Paul McCartney, Lydia's idol, Beatle <I>extraordinaire</i>, may have
been used to the screaming teenagers that tried to get near him
every living minute of the day, but he was <I>not</i> used to having
one of his young female fans in the same hotel room with him --
<I>alone.</i> Especially when he was standing in his bare feet,
dripping wet, in nothing but a towel.

Lydia couldn't take her eyes off of him. Speechless; she couldn't
get over how magnificent he looked in person. <I>Stunning.</i> She
couldn't stop herself from following him step by step as he slowly
backed away from her, wary as if she might pounce on him like a
tiger. Eventually, he found himself flush up against the wall. He
stood, afraid to make a move for fear of what she might do next.
One could never be too careful when it came to a half-crazed fan.
Lydia couldn't help reaching out and running her hand caressingly
across his bare chest. She closed her eyes in ecstasy. <I>I'm
actually touching Paul McCartney!</i>

Paul sucked in his stomach upon contact, clutching at his towel so
it wouldn't fall. Just as he was about to make his escape, there
was a knock on the door.

"Room Service!" called the voice from the hallway outside.

"In here! In here!" cried Paul frantically, clutching his towel as
he dodged around Lydia and ran to the door, yanking it open with one
hand while still holding the towel up with the other.

"Paul!" Lydia screamed, not about to let him go so easily.

"You've got to help me!" the Beatle cried out to the tall, handsome
waiter with dark brown eyes who viewed the scene before him. "It's
not what it looks like, I swear! The bird was in here and surprised
me when I got out of the shower!"

The waiter hesitated slightly before further entering. He looked
over at Lydia, studying her, as if trying to determine something.

"Lydia?" the waiter asked.

"How do you know my name?" Her eyes darted back and forth between
Paul and the waiter.

"I'm Will Darcy. I'm a friend of your sister's. I've come to take
you home."

"Oh, no you're not!" She began to back away. "I want to stay here
with Paul!" Her voice began to get shrill and panicky.

"That's not possible," Will said calmly, carefully closing in on
her. "I'm afraid you'll have to come with me. I'm sorry I may not
be as exciting as one of the Beatles, but it's either that or –" he
looked over at Paul who was still standing behind him clutching his
towel around his waist, "— or jail." Paul nodded decisively,
confirming Will's estimation of the situation.

"But I want to stay with Paul!" Lydia's whining was now in full
throttle.

"You have no choice." Will lunged forward and grabbed her before she
could get away. Even fighting as much as she could, she was no
match for Will's strength. Seeing no alternative, he picked her up
and threw her bodily over his shoulder. As he made his way back
toward the door, he turned to Paul. "I'm really sorry for all of
this."

Lydia continued her hysterics as Will and Paul exchanged smirks.
They spoke at the same time, "Girls."

Will shook his head and headed out the door with Lydia pounding him
on the back and kicking her legs in frustration, demanding to be put
down. Will turned around at the last minute, remembering something
and called out to Paul who was still standing in the doorway,

"By the way, great concert last night!"

"You were there?" Paul asked him in surprise.

"Yes, I was there with my --" Will had to think for a second, "— my
girlfriend." He grinned at the thought.

Paul's face lit up in silent understanding as he gave Will the
thumbs up sign. Will nodded in response and turned with Lydia
carelessly balanced over his shoulder. Paul watched, shaking his
head as Will headed down the hallway with the young girl, who had
never once ceased caterwauling during the entire momentous episode.



<small>*The Beatles, "Little Child" - performed by The Beatles,
written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. © 1963 Northern Songs.
All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured.</small>

Chapter 16

Several hours following the episode at the Warwick Hotel, Will and
Lydia arrived at the Bennet house in Meryton to much relieved and
grateful parents who welcomed Will into their home. Mrs. Bennet
took Lydia up to her room, amid scoldings and "How could yous",
while Mr. Bennet invited Will to join him in his study.

The two men sat across from one another in comfortable leather club
chairs on either side of the fireplace. Thomas Bennet got right to
the point, asking Will how it was that he had been the one to
retrieve Lydia. Will was honest with his answer. He explained his
entire history with Wickham and how he felt partially responsible
that Lydia had been lured to New York by him under false pretenses.
He told Mr. Bennet of his belief that had he told Elizabeth about
Wickham in the first place, she would have been able to warn her
sisters of him. Mr. Bennet felt Will was being too hard on himself,
but that didn't end the interrogation, as he had other questions for
the young man sitting before him. He gave Will the once over before
he continued.

"I understand it was you that took our Lizzy to see the Beatles last
night, isn't that right?"

"Yes, sir, that's right." Will still found it difficult to believe
it had been only the night before when he had held Elizabeth in his
arms on the beach until nearly sunrise. Mr. Bennet noticed the
slight flush and dreamy expression that spread over Will's face, and
couldn't resist a little teasing, barely hiding his amusement.

"I take it the <i>concert</i> was all that you hoped it would be?"

Will, shaken out of his reverie by Mr. Bennet's voice, answered with
a large smile. "Yes, it was amazing!"

"Did my Lizzy enjoy herself last night as well?" Mr. Bennet's eyes
twinkled as he watched Will squirm; he'd seen that same look on
Elizabeth's face. Now he knew where she got it from.

Remembering Lizzy's words of love, he answered in all
seriousness, "Yes, very much so, I believe."

Mr. Bennet was taken aback by the earnestness in Will's voice and
expression. To lighten the mood, he continued in what he thought
was an obviously jesting manner. "Is there anything else you would
like to tell me about Lizzy? Any news perhaps?"

"Uh..news?"

Mr. Bennet nodded encouragingly.

Will faltered at first, but making up his mind he squared his
shoulders and met Mr. Bennet's eye, his voice growing progressively
more confident. "Yes, I – I guess you could say I have some news.
I love your daughter very much, sir, and I believe she feels the
same way about me." He couldn't help but smile at hearing the words
spoken aloud.

Mr. Bennet raised his eyebrows. He hadn't expected such a
declaration – especially so soon. He wondered if this boy was the
type to fall in love often, and more importantly, he would rather
hear Lizzy's point of view first on whether or not this was as
serious as this seemingly earnest young man inferred.

"You're convinced of your love for my daughter after one date? You
are quite certain of yourself, aren't you?"

"Yes I am." Immediately Will realized how he must sound and
added, "Sir, I've been in love with your daughter for over a year --
ever since I first met her. I admit, we've had our differences and
misunderstandings, but all of that has been cleared up – it's all in
the past now." Will, convinced of the truth in his words, spoke
firmly.

Mr. Bennet was surprised to hear that Will had a history with his
daughter, but he was, at the same time, relieved to hear it. Based
on this latest piece of information, Will seemed less impetuous
somehow.

"I'm very happy for you." Mr. Bennet replied, eyes twinkling again
after being reassured the young man wasn't rash in his
decisions. "Am I to wish you `joy' before long?"

Will, completely missing Mr. Bennet's dry wit, was surprised with
the directness of the questions and answered him in all
seriousness. "I hope so. With your permission, sir, I'd like to ask
Elizabeth to marry me. If she accepts, I would like to get married
after I graduate next year."

Mr. Bennet was taken aback, again, at Will's frank answer to what
was meant to be a humorous question.

"Are you serious? "Why…the hurry?" Lizzy was far too young to think
about marriage, as far as her father was concerned.

"I am most definitely serious, sir. I love your daughter. There is
no question in my mind that I want to marry her. I think she feels
the same way about me."

Mr. Bennet had to think for a moment. He saw Will's sincerity and
was reassured by it. Indeed, Lizzy could do much worse, and he
seemed a good man with a promising future. Edward Gardiner had
already filled him in on the particulars of the Darcy family and
fortune, although he knew instinctively none of that would matter to
his Lizzy.

"I hope you are right, my boy." Mr. Bennet stood up, signaling the
impromptu interview was over, although he was not willing to give in
completely. He turned to Will and put his hand on his shoulder as
they walked toward the door of the study. "You have my permission."
He turned and looked Will in the eye. "But I'm sure you are aware
that Lizzy is still young, she is after all only nineteen years
old." Will nodded. "All I ask is that you wait before marrying –
until <i>Lizzy</i> graduates from college." Will visibly gulped at
this request – <I>that's three years away.</i> Seeing the firm
resolve in Mr. Bennet's eyes, Will agreed to his demand. Frankly,
he was in no position to argue with Elizabeth's father. He had a
right to impose this condition.

"I understand completely, sir. I would never do anything to rush
her." Mr. Bennet exhaled in relief before shaking hands with Will
and patting him on the back as they walked out of the study. Now
that the matter of Lizzy was settled, another sobering reality hit
him.

"Thank you again for bringing Lydia back to us, my family owes you a
great deal." Mr. Bennet said quietly. Will looked slightly
embarrassed before replying,

"I was only thinking of Elizabeth."

"I know." Mr. Bennet, with a sudden wistful realization, inwardly
acknowledged that life was going to be very different in his
household from therein.


<center>***</center>

After his conversation with Mr. Bennet, Will phoned Lizzy to let her
know Lydia was safe. Then he called Charles to ask him for a place
to stay in Bedminster for the night. He said goodbye to Mr. and
Mrs. Bennet, and Jane, who presented Will with her homemade Toll
House cookies as a thank you for everything he had done to save
Lydia. She invited him to pass on some of the treats -- with her
compliments -- to Charles as well, even though she would be seeing
him herself on a date the following day. Mrs. Bennet eagerly
invited him back for dinner in the near future, asking what his
favorite foods were. He smiled at the thought as he drove to
Charles' house.

Charles, enthusiastic as ever, welcomed Will to Netherfield.

"How long are you staying?" Charles had been apprised of the Lydia
situation by Jane, who had called him as soon as she had realized
her youngest sister was missing.

"Just the one night, if you don't mind. I'd like to get back to
Pemberley as soon as I can." Will felt a blush come over him and
avoided Charles's eyes as he tried not to reveal too much of his
desire to return to Elizabeth.

Charles recognized the telltale signs immediately. Plus, Jane had
filled him in on the latest goings on between the pair. He couldn't
resist teasing Will just a little bit.

"Oh, come on, stay here for a while. What could <i>possibly</i> be
so interesting on Fishers Island?" Charles' blue eyes sparkled
behind a façade of innocence.

Will smirked, immediately catching on to Charles's ploy. "Let's
just say, there's a pressing matter I need to attend to." The look
on his face left no room for argument and Charles nodded, only too
well aware of how it felt to be in the throws of a new romance.

"That serious, huh?"

Will intended to fully confide in Charles eventually, but he was hot
and tired after the long, dusty drive. "Yes, but I'll fill you in
later." He looked around and noticed how quiet it was around the
house. "Where is everyone? Are your parents here?"

"I believe they're around back at the pool." Charles hesitated a
moment before adding, "I think you should know…Caroline's here. She
knows you're coming too." Charles had a sympathetic look on his face
when he saw Will's chagrined expression. "Speak of the devil…"
Charles mumbled just at Caroline appeared in a filmy beach cover up
of black fishnet that cleverly revealed a provocative new orange
bikini. Images of Halloween popped into Will's head as Caroline,
who never took her eyes off him, approached her prey – in for the
kill.

"Will, darling! I was <I>thrilled</i> when Charles announced you
were staying for the…<I>night.</i>" Her voice took on a husky tone
with the last word, letting her fingers crawl up Will's arm
seductively, unmindful of her brother's obvious embarrassment at his
sister's forward behavior.

Will flinched at Caroline's touch, loathe to be in the same room
with her, much less to have her lay a hand on him. His eyes were
icy. "It's just for the one night, Caroline. Charles and I have a
lot of catching up to do – alone."

Caroline ignored the obvious, that he wasn't interested in her, and
continued to pursue him playfully. "Nonsense, <i>I'd</i> like to
catch up with you too."

Charles had seen about all he could stand, and realized he had to
rescue Will, "Give it up Caroline." He ignored the irritated look on
her face and turned to his friend, "Will, come on, I'll show you
what room you're in and then we can see my parents." Will gladly
followed Charles upstairs, eager to get away from the irksome
Caroline, not even giving her the courtesy of a goodbye. He had not
forgotten about her interference in his best friend's love life, nor
his own.

Caroline remained in the downstairs hallway, wheels turning in her
head as she heard the fading voice of Will asking to borrow some of
Charles's clothing and a toothbrush.

"I left in such a hurry."

"No problem, anything you want."

<I>Yes, no problem, William, anything you want.</i> Caroline had a
plan.

<center>***</center>

It was late in the evening by the time they finished supper. The
Bingleys were more than happy to have Will for the night. It had
been many months since they had seen their son's old school chum.
One of their favorites, they had known him since he was a teenager
when he and Charles had first become friends playing soccer together
as teammates at Andover. Motherless at such a young age, they had
taken him under their wing; he always held a special place in their
hearts. Charles's natural buoyancy was a perfect foil to Will's
tendency toward reserve. When he lost his father while at Princeton,
making him an orphan, it only enhanced the tender regard they always
held for the handsome and quiet young man who in turn, came to look
upon them as surrogate parents. They enjoyed hearing what he was up
to, remembering how the two boys had grown up and matured together.

After they finished coffee and dessert on the back patio, poolside,
the Bingleys said their good nights and went in for the night.
Caroline remained behind with Will and Charles, unwilling to leave
them alone.

"Caroline, don't you have something else to do?" Charles cleared his
throat, trying to signal to her that he wanted her to get lost.

"No, Charles, I'm free as a bird tonight. No plans at all." She
lay down on one of the chaises beside the pool and crossed bare
legs, shown off by the new, daring, mini skirt she hoped would catch
Will's eye. She continued to smile at him, oblivious to his inner
thoughts, which were less than charitable. Caroline was under the
delusion that she and Will were meant for each other and he only
appeared standoffish as a front before her brother and parents. It
wouldn't do for him to seduce his best friend's sister right under
their very own roof! She admired him all the more for his reserve
and tact. Little did she know it had taken a Herculean effort to
eat his meal with Caroline simpering over him all evening; he had
lost his appetite as soon as she sat down beside him.

"Caroline, Will and I have some things we'd like to discuss –
alone. Do you mind?" he finally asked her pointedly.

"Oh, all right, I'll go," She got up from her seat and gave Will a
knowing look over her shoulder.

"Good night, Will."

"Good night Caroline." Will's voice was polite, but, knowing it was
now too dark for her to see him roll his eyes at her obvious play
for his affections he did so, although he couldn't care less if she
did see him. He hoped this would be the last of her he'd see before
heading home.

Once Caroline was safely out of earshot, Charles looked at Will
expectantly. "Well?"

"Well what?"

"What's going on between you and Lizzy?"

At first Will smirked at the idea of Charles being so interested in
his love life, but on second thought, he realized his friend was
entitled considering how much Will had interfered in Charles's
life. So he smiled and asked, "How late were you planning on
staying up tonight? Do you think you're up for the whole long
story?"

Charles nodded while cracking open a can of beer and handing it to
Will as they settled into their own respective Adirondack chairs by
the pool.

"I've got <I>all</i> night." Charles grinned. He couldn't wait to
hear <i>Will</i> confess all.

"Well, it's like this, remember last year when we went to that mixer
at Longbourn…" Will's voice continued quietly into the balmy August
evening as his best friend listened. The chirping of the crickets
kept them company under the moon into the late evening and early
morning. The friends quietly laughed and reminisced and explored
the possibilities of the future, side by side, with the two women --
sisters -- that had managed to capture their hearts.

<center>***</center>

While it was still dark, in the early hours of the morning, Will
stumbled upstairs, fatigue hitting him suddenly. He was thoroughly
exhausted. It had been one <I>long</i> day. Not only that, but
he'd had practically no sleep the night before -- not that he minded
staying up nearly all night with Elizabeth in his arms. After
saying good night to Charles in the hallway, he found his way to his
room. All he wanted to do was fall into bed, sleep like the dead
and dream of Elizabeth, savoring every moment of their previous
evening together. As he entered his room, he didn't even have the
energy to firmly shut the door, and he certainly didn't notice the
visitor awaiting him.

"Hello, Will. What took you so long?" Will's head jerked up at the
sound of her voice.

Still a bit foggy from sleep-deprivation and a few beers, he reacted
with a simple question. "Caroline, what are you doing here?"

"Isn't it perfectly obvious?" With a low voice, she rose to approach
him from the chair where she had been waiting. She had fallen
asleep some time ago, but woke, alert, when she heard him open the
door. She was wearing a short, silky, hot pink kimono that tied at
the waist with a long sash. If she was wearing anything underneath,
it was undetectable. She stepped close to Will and slid her hands
up his chest, clasping them behind his neck. "Come on, Will," she
whispered breathily, "There's no one else. I'm the only one for
you. Admit it, we were meant for each other – I'm your girl." She
tried to kiss him, but he pushed her away, effectively forcing her
back into the chair she had just been dozing in.

Will was hot, he was tired, and he was angry. This was the final
straw with Caroline, and he didn't care who heard about it.

<a href="http://home.comcast.net/~ktleyed/ISHST/AnotherGirl.mp3"
target="_new"> Click here to hear song</a>

<I>For I have got…another girl

You're making me say that I've got nobody but you
But as from today well I've got somebody that's new
I ain't no fool and I don't take what I don't want
For I have got another girl, another girl</i>

"That's where you're wrong, Caroline. You're delusional! This may
come as a shock," he began with disgust, "but, I have <I>never</i>
wanted you, and I never will." He didn't care how cruel he sounded,
he was fed up and it was high time she heard it. "I <I>do</i> have
someone else -- so give it up. No matter how much you try with your
pathetic attempts at seduction, you're not what I want."

Caroline sat in shocked silence.

<I>She's sweeter that all the girls and I've met quite a few
Nobody in all the world can do what she can do</i>

"Do you think I don't know what you've been up to all these months?"
Will fixed her with a venomous look. "I've got news for you -- I'm
onto you, and I know all about the horrific, nasty tricks you've
been pulling ever since last year!" Will's voice was raised, but he
hardly noticed in his anger. Caroline sat in mute astonishment, as
he towered over her, continuing his diatribe.

"Yes, I found out about that little talk you had with Elizabeth in
the ladies' lounge. I know what you told her." Will continued,
unwilling to let her get a word in edgewise as she tried to
protest. "All lies! Engaged? Are you crazy -- we were never
<I>engaged!</I>" Will was outraged as the memory assaulted him once
again. "How dare you!" He was shouting now, remembering the
uncomfortable look on Elizabeth's face when she told him what
Caroline had said to her. "And then, more lies about Jane and
Charles." His voice was steely as he continued, bending over her as
she sat in her chair, nose to nose. "I could strangle you for what
you did to your <I>own brother </i>-- and for using me in your plot
to break them up."

Caroline visibly gulped as she saw the glint in Will's eye as he
said this last.

Stepping back, he carried on in the same vein. "I've only put up
with you because you were Charles's sister. I've never cared for
you -- I can barely stand to be around you. You're an interfering,
manipulative witch, who enjoys nothing more than making other people
miserable." With a triumphant lilt in his voice, he dealt her the
final blow. "You'll be glad to know all your efforts were wasted.
I've got the girl I love now, and there's nothing you can do to
change that."

<I>Another girl who will love me till the end
Through thick and thin she will always be my friend</i>

Will reached down to Caroline and firmly pulled her up out of her
chair and maneuvered her over to the door, yanking it open. "On
behalf of Elizabeth and myself, this is <I>sayonara</i> baby!"

He pushed her out of his room into the hallway, and slammed the door
behind her.

<I>For I have got another girl
Another girl
Another girl</i>

Caroline turned and looked dumbly at the door, shocked that she had
been kicked out of Will's room so unceremoniously.

"<I>Another girl?</i>" Caroline said aloud in
disbelief. "Elizabeth?" It hit her full force, <I>"Eliza Bennet!"</i>

"Apparently so, Caroline."

Caroline jumped at the quiet voice of her father. She turned and
saw both of her parents in their robes standing in the hallway,
angry looks on their faces.

"I think you have some explaining to do, young lady,"

"Daddy, it's not what you think…" Caroline began, hoping she could
wriggle out of this one.

"From what I've just heard, I sincerely doubt that," he said
sternly. "It's about time we had a <I>long</i> discussion about
your future." He ushered her from Will's door. "Now that you're a
college graduate, you're going to have to get a job."

"But Daddy, you can't do that!" she whined as they continued down
the hallway.

"Oh yes, I can, and I will, young lady!" he stormed. "You better
start thinking about a career that can finance those expensive
tastes of yours, because I'm not paying your bills any longer!"

Caroline kept her mouth quiet and listened to her father's tirade.
When it came to <i>Daddy</i>, she had enough sense to know when to
keep her mouth shut. As he chastised her, the wheels in her head
began to turn. She may have lost this battle, but if <i>she</i>
couldn't have Will, she would at least make sure that little twit,
Eliza Bennet wouldn't either. Raising a calculating eyebrow,
Caroline was confident a phone call to Will's aunt would be
decidedly useful.

<center>***</center>


Under the bright, early morning sunshine, Will thanked the Bingleys
for their gracious hospitality and said his goodbyes to Charles.
Fortunately, there was no sign of Caroline, relieving Will of the
necessity of having to face her after the night's embarrassing
debacle. He felt free as a bird as he drove out of Netherfield's
driveway in the direction of New York. As eager as he was to see
Elizabeth and tell her of his love all over again, he had one
important errand to run first.

In the city, he navigated toward a certain jewelry store on Fifth
Avenue that had served his family for years. It wouldn't do for
him to be unprepared. An hour later, after selecting a suitable
ring with a perfect solitaire diamond set in platinum, Will pocketed
the small blue box with the white bow and resumed his route back to
New London and the ferry to Fishers Island. As far as he could see,
it was smooth sailing from thereon.

Upon arrival of the island, he headed straight for the Gardiners'
house. Elizabeth was on his mind, and he couldn't wait one minute
more to see her. As he approached, he saw a familiar car in the
Gardiners' driveway -- a chauffeur driven, black Rolls Royce. He
recognized the driver who was waiting for his mistress; Catherine de
Bourgh.

He gasped in alarm. <I>No! It can't be! What is <B>she</B> doing
here?</i> He haphazardly parked his car and ran to the front door
which was open, but for the screen door. He peered through the
screen and couldn't see anything amiss, but he heard voices coming
from around the house, toward the water. There was no doubt in his
mind now; one of them was the stentorian voice of his Aunt Catherine
and, judging by the sound of it, her temper was up. He closed his
eyes briefly imagining the nightmare scenario that was taking
place. <I>How had she found out about Elizabeth?</i> He couldn't
think about that now, his first priority was Elizabeth and rescuing
her from his domineering aunt. As he approached unseen, he could
clearly hear what they were saying. The words stopped him in his
tracks.

<I><blockquote>"Tell me, once and for all, are you engaged to him?"

"No, I am not."

"And will you promise me never to enter into such an
engagement?"</i></blockquote>


<small>*The Beatles, "Another Girl" - performed by The Beatles,
written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. © 1965 Northern Songs.
All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured. Available on
the Beatles CD <i>Help!</i></small>


Chapter 17

The morning after Will's call, Lizzy had trouble concentrating on
her duties. Her mind focused on Will, and his successful efforts
rescuing her sister from that awful liar, George Wickham. Will
assured her that George would no longer cause them any problems. She
wasn't sure what he meant exactly, but she was confident he had
taken care of everything. She giggled to herself, thinking, <I>he's
like Superman!</i> Was there anything Will Darcy couldn't do?

Lizzy continuously looked at her watch, counting the hours, trying
to guess what time she would finally see him again. She drove the
children to the yacht club for their lessons, and stopped at the
farm stand for the fresh corn and tomatoes Aunt Maddie had asked her
to pick up for dinner. Throughout all her errands, her thoughts
continually drifted to Will. She wanted to see him so badly, to
have him hold her again. She thought she'd go crazy; every minute
seemed to take an hour. <I>If only he would get here!</i>
Returning to the house for lunch with the children, she made them
sandwiches before they went down to play by the water. Christopher
Gardiner, who had recently learned how to whistle, was intent on
finding as many snails as he could. He was convinced that if he
whistled to them, he would be able to coax them out of their shells.

"I'll be right down -- don't go in the water until I get there!"
Lizzy called to the children as they made their way to the water. "I
just have to put away the dishes and clean up."

Lizzy turned to the sink and absently washed the same plate over and
over. Mrs. Gardiner, ever observant, could see how preoccupied Lizzy
was with her thoughts and sympathized, giving Lizzy an understanding
smile. "Don't worry, Lizzy, I'll go down and watch them myself.
Why don't you stay up here and relax for a bit, I think you could
use a break."

Lizzy turned and gave her a thankful hug. "Am I really that obvious?"

Mrs. Gardiner nodded and chuckled. "No, it's not <i>that</i>
obvious, but I know you're anxious for your Will to get back so you
can see him again."

"He's not <I>my</i> Will, Aunt Maddie," Lizzy responded, self-
consciously.

"Oh, I beg to differ, Lizzy." She gave her a motherly pat on the
back. "I can recognize love." Lizzy blushed.

Firmly but good-naturedly, Mrs. Gardiner took her by the
shoulders. "This is an order. Take a break. I'll watch the children
down at the cove. Why don't you read that book of yours and lie in
the sun for a bit -- that might take your mind off of things."
Lizzy nodded, giving in. First, she insisted on finishing up the
lunch dishes, but then she changed her clothes and got into her
favorite two piece swimsuit, the one that allowed maximum tanning
benefits.

As she made her way outside, book in hand, to sunbathe on the patio,
she heard the familiar sound of a car on the graveled stones of the
driveway. Her heart leapt hoping it was Will. <I>He's here!</i>
She ran around the house to see and was surprised to see a big,
black chauffeur-driven car stopped in front of the Gardiner's front
door. "Who on earth –," she began, when, with a start, she
recognized the woman peering out the back seat window of the car.
<I>Mrs. DeBourgh!</i>

Suddenly self-conscious of her casual clothing – or lack thereof –
she wished for at least a towel to cover some skin. She thought
momentarily of running to get a pair of shorts to put on – but too
late! Mrs. DeBourgh had seen her.

"Miss Bennet!" she said emphatically. "I wish to have a word with
you." Her chauffeur handed her out of the car with great ceremony.
Mrs. DeBourgh stood, as if waiting for Elizabeth to come to her.

Lizzy hesitated; she had a bad feeling about this.


<center>***</center>


"Charles, are you <I>sure</i> you really know what you're doing?"
Jane asked politely.

"Yes, Jane, of course I know <I>exactly</i> what I'm doing -- just
give me a minute."

Fumbling with the foil wrapper, he tried to get it open with his
fingers, which wasn't easy since he was nervous and his hands were
shaking.

"Would you like me to hold it? Maybe that will help,"

"N-no, no, I'm fine, I've done this lots of times before." He
<i>couldn't</i> seem unmanly before her. This was neither the time
nor place for mistakes. He suddenly felt exposed and uncomfortable
before her scrutiny. "Just lie back and relax, and I'll be ready in
a second."

<I>I hope he isn't pointing that thing toward <U>me</u>,</i> she
thought, peering over at him once again. He <I>did</i> appear to be
having a difficult time. Jane tried to appear calm as she rested
her back against the bow of the boat and held her hand out over the
water, letting her fingers skim along the surface. Patiently, she
waited for her true love to open the champagne. Seated in the fore
end of a small rowboat in the middle of the Bingley's pond, she
didn't want to appear as if she had any doubts. She suspected
something momentous was going to take place this afternoon. <I>Why
else the champagne</i>? She didn't want to spoil it by making him
think she had reservations -- although, it would be silly for him to
be worried about a thing like that. She adored him, as he did her.
She quickly glanced over at him again, forcing herself not to cringe
anxiously as she eyed him with the bottle.

Charles had insisted on taking Jane on what he thought would be an
idyllic day on the water. He'd envisioned the two of them,alone -- a
romantic picnic luncheon, sipping champagne in the sunshine --
sailing upon the water. This was one of his favorite spots, it was
where he and Jane first said "I love you" the previous fall. He'd
planned it all out. At the place he considered "theirs", beside the
banks of the pond; he would stop the boat and pop the big question.
Unfortunately, the only boat at hand was an old rowboat – the
<I>Leaky Bathtub</i>. It would have to do.

After cajoling her into going on the water in the relic, he manned
the oars and rowed into the pond, practicing in his head what he was
about to ask her. Inside a picnic hamper, he had prepared an
assortment of their favorite foods: French bread with her favorite
cheese, grapes, leftover Toll House cookies that Jane had sent with
Will the day before, and the <I>pièce de resistance</i> --
Twinkies. The champagne chilled in a bucket with crystal flutes
safely tucked away so as to not break. Once they had reached the
section of the pond Charles was aiming for, he'd lifted the oars to
allow the boat to serenely drift and now he was attempting to uncork
the champagne bottle.

After a struggle, the cork finally flew with a loud pop, splashing
somewhere nearby with a small plop. Charles gave Jane a reassuring
smile and she grinned admiringly in return. Allowing some champagne
to fizz out of the bottle, Charles gathered the flutes and suavely
proceeded to pour the chilled champagne.

It was very nearly a perfect moment... until with a sudden lurch,
the boat ran aground.

Charles assured Jane he would fix the problem in a jiff. He placed
the champagne bottle in the bucket and handed the glasses to Jane
as he stood up in the boat, and pushed off the mass of wet leaves
and sticks that impeded their idyllic sojourn in the lily pond.
With a grimace and one big push of his oar, he informed her of his
intentions. "I just need to… push off of this clump of leaves and
then we'll be all set – " But as luck would have it, the boat
teetered to one side precariously, throwing Charles off balance.
Without the expertise of an Olympic diver, Charles flopped into the
murky water below. Fortunately the pond was shallow, preventing him
from going under water, but it did cause some discomfort to his
<I>derrière</i> -- not to mention, his now very badly bruised ego!

Jane couldn't help herself. She burst out laughing at Charles
sitting in the shallow water, up to his chest in pond scum, looking
very dejected and sorry for himself. She quickly covered her mouth
and tried to quash her laughter.

"I'm so sorry, Charles! I know I shouldn't laugh, but…but…" She
burst into another peel of giggles when she thought about how funny
he had looked falling in.

Charles did not see the humor in the situation. He continued to
pout, feeling very put out that his perfect scenario was now
ruined. Jane, noticing his discomfort, and the fact he was not
laughing along with her, immediately stopped and tried to make
amends.

"Let me help you, darling." She got up from her seat and reached out
for him. He stood up, thoroughly wet from the neck down, water
dripping down his clothes. He was dangerously close to losing his
temper, but the look on Jane's face made him stop. It held such
tender adoration and good humor that all the anger and humiliation
he felt flew from his body instantly. A little clumsily, he climbed
back into the boat. Now sitting, he hunched forward resting his
chin in his hand, a glum expression on his normally happy features.

"This is <I>not</i> how I imagined this, Jane. Trust me."

She gave him a lopsided smile, and empathized with the frustration
he must be going through.

"I wouldn't say that," she responded cheerily.

He looked up at her, skeptically. "No? Why is that?"

She looked him over thoroughly. "I kind of like it."

"Like what?"

"The look," she said simply.

Charles was confused, and he didn't like the way this cryptic
conversation was going.

He sighed in exasperation. "Jane, I'm sorry, but I don't know what
you're talking about. And, frankly, I'm not in a very good mood
right now."

Sitting across from him, she couldn't resist reaching out and
running her hand through his blond hair, now attractively dampened
from his unexpected dip in the pond.

"I like you wet."

His eyebrows shot up in surprise. He wasn't quite sure what to make
of her remark.

"You like me <I>wet?</i>"

She nodded and a big smile lit up her face. Suddenly, Charles
remembered something Darcy had told him the night before.
Realization dawned on him. One corner of his mouth curved as he
began to smile again.

"Charles, whether you are wet or dry or whatever might befall you –
I love you! No matter what, I will always love you!" Her eyes did
not belie her words. "It doesn't matter to me if things aren't
perfect," she explained, shrugging her shoulders. "You've got me!"

His mood lightened upon hearing this, but he still felt dejected
that his perfect moment was ruined.

"But, Jane, this afternoon, I wanted to ask…I wanted to --" She put
her fingers to his lips shushing him.

Without taking her eyes off his, she calmly requested, "Ask me."

He looked surprised and doubtful at first, but her unwavering look
told him to do what she said. He smiled at her, feeling in his
pocket for the now soaking velvet box, which he prayed had kept its
contents safe during its unexpected dunk.

Solemnly and with deliberation, Charles leaned in as he asked her
the most important question of his life.

"Will you marry me, Jane?"

A tingle went though her as soon as she heard his question. With a
crooked smile and glistening eyes, she nodded and threw her arms
around him. She was so overcome by the moment that all she could do
was whisper a "yes" in his ear as she held onto him for dear life.

Charles felt the most profound sense of relief as he hugged her
back. They stayed in each other's arms, hugging for a moment more
until he leaned back and looked her in the face.

"Does this mean we're engaged?" He didn't want there to be any
misunderstandings.

"Yes, you wonderful man!" she cried, laughing and wiping the tears
of joy from her eyes.

"Good, then that means I can give you this." He held out the dark
blue velvet box to her, opening it so the contents would be in full
view. Inside, upon a bed of white satin that was miraculously
unstained from its unexpected bath in the pond, sat a beautiful
sapphire engagement ring. A large sapphire sat, surrounded by
smaller diamonds set in platinum. Jane gasped as he took the ring
out of the box and gently slipped it on the appropriate finger.

Jane gulped. "Charles, it's beautiful!" Tears began to flow.

He reached out, holding her again, kissing her tears away. "Don't
cry, Janie. You should be happy!" He chuckled over how she cried
whenever she was really emotional, whether happy or sad.

"I am!" Jane choked out, wiping mascara stains from her tear
drenched eyes. "Just let me have my cry, okay?" she laughed,
realizing how absurd it must sound.

"All right. As long as I know you're the future Mrs. Charles
Bingley, I'll let you do whatever you want." With that, she started
crying all over again, and gave him a watery kiss.

"Mrs. Charles Bingley," she repeated dreamily and snuggled into his
arms, in spite of the dampness of his clothes.

"I hope you like the sound of it, because you're going to be stuck
with it for a long, long time,"

Jane sighed as the two of them continued to hold each other.
Neither had ever felt as content as they did at that moment. It was
indeed -- <I>perfect.</i>


<center>***</center>


<I><blockquote>"Tell me, once for all, are you engaged to him?"

"No, I am not."

"And will you promise me never to enter into such an engagement?"

"I will not! I will never make a promise of that kind!"

"I expected to find a more reasonable young woman, but I see now I
was deluding myself. Look at the way you're dressed -- or I should
say <u>un</u>dressed. You are in no way suited to be my nephew's
wife. I am not leaving until you give me the assurance that you
will not marry him."

"I will never give it. I won't be intimidated into anything of the
kind. Will loves me and I love him. If he asks me to marry him,
that's his decision, and if I accept, it's mine. You have
completely mistaken me, if you think you can insult and coerce me
into saying otherwise. Why would I make such a ridiculous promise
to you -- someone so wholly unconnected with me -- when I know the
man I love would be hurt by it?" </i></blockquote>

Will's heart swelled as Elizabeth stood her ground with his aunt,
but he could not let things go any further. In his most compelling
voice, he entered the fray.

"And I, Aunt Catherine, will not <I>let</i> her make that promise!"
Will turned to Elizabeth as he said this. Gasping inwardly, he
couldn't stop his eyes from traveling over Elizabeth's bikini-clad
body. He swallowed hard, forcing himself to concentrate on the
business at hand. Turning from Elizabeth, he questioned his
aunt. "What is going on here? Just what are you doing here, aunt?"

"I was informing this impertinent miss," Mrs. DeBourgh looked Lizzy
up and down with hawk-like disapproval as she said the words, "that
you are already engaged to <I>my</i> daughter, Anne -- and that she
must end this indecent affair at once!" Will looked at his aunt
incredulously. He tried to rein in the anger he was feeling toward
her at that moment.

"Aunt Catherine," he said icily. "I must respectfully ask you to
leave these premises this very minute. Your presence here is
unwanted. I am <I>not</i> engaged to Anne, nor have I ever been,
nor will I ever <I>be</i> in the future. Elizabeth loves me." He
turned back to Elizabeth, his words caressing her. "— and I love
her." Their eyes met, and the connection was palpable between
them. Sheer willpower prevented him from taking her into his arms
and holding her -- kissing her.

Once again, he struggled to avert his gaze from Elizabeth's figure,
now was not the time to dwell on luscious curves and tantalizing
cleavage. Seeing her in nothing but a revealing two piece bathing
suit was causing his mouth to go dry. He had to turn away in order
to maintain his concentration on the problem at hand. Briskly, he
fought to clear his mind of the inviting image. <I>Later man,
later.</i>

The now shrill voice of his Aunt Catherine conveniently interrupted
his thoughts. "William, this is abominable! How dare you to speak
to me in this fashion!"

"I can speak to you as I please, Aunt Catherine." Will was mindful
of no rudeness, only aware that he needed to remove his aunt as soon
as possible. "How dare you barge in here, uninvited, and accost
Elizabeth! Enough!" He ushered his aunt to her car unceremoniously.

"I am seriously displeased! This will not be the end of this, young
man!" she stated in her most queenly voice as he guided her into the
backseat, while her chauffeur held the door open for her.

"I am not afraid of you, Aunt Catherine. There is nothing you can
do to prevent me from acting upon my own wishes and intentions. Good
day, ma'am!" He slammed the door, effectively silencing her; then
waved the chauffeur off.

Lizzy stood, rooted to the spot and speechless, watching Mrs.
DeBourgh's car drive away, a dark thundercloud that spoiled an
otherwise perfectly blue sky.

Will brushed his hands together; his work was done and he went to
Elizabeth. He wasted no time in taking her into his arms.. She
looked into his brown eyes, a feeling of warmth and deep love
overflowing. She thought, <I>My hero!</i> and laughed aloud.

Will pulled her closer to him, relishing the softness of her bare
skin beneath his fingers. With a rakish smile, he asked, "And just
what is so funny, Miss Bennet?"

Lizzy looked at him archly, never mind she was captivated being in
his strong arms again.

"I was just thinking…" she said mischievously.

He pulled her even closer.

"Thinking about what?" He brought his lips closer to hers.

Her breath caught. She was sure she would die if he didn't kiss her
right away. Without taking her eyes off his lips, she kept up the
tease. "I may have forgotten how to… kiss you…" She cast her eyes
down demurely, enjoying their little game. "It's been so long…"

His eyebrow went up charmingly. "We can't have that now, can we?
Allow me to refresh your memory." With that, his mouth came crushing
down upon hers, kissing her hard, and refreshing her memory in a
most effective way. Lizzy's arms snaked around his neck as she
gladly reciprocated, surrendering to the thrill of his fervent kiss
and embrace. Lost in the moment, they came up for air gasping.

Lizzy giggled and licked her lips fetchingly, never removing her
eyes from his. "<I>Now</i> I remember."

"Let's make sure, shall we?" Going in for another kiss, his lips met
hers again. The two continued in this delightful way, together
again, at last. After a few moments, Will released her,
remembering something she'd said to his aunt. His face was suddenly
serious.

"Did you <I>really</i> mean what you said to my Aunt Catherine?"

"What did you say?" apprehension coming over her.

Will repeated the question again.

Lizzy tried to stall. "W-what part of what I said?"

"About…you know." Will was suddenly the apprehensive one.

Lizzy turned so he couldn't see her face, and took a few steps away,
afraid of where this was leading. She had an idea, but she didn't
want to go <i>there</i> just yet.

"I don't know what you mean," she said casually – a little too
casually.

Will came up behind her, placing his hands on her bare shoulders; he
turned her around to face him.

"When Aunt Catherine asked if you would agree never to become
engaged to me..." He stopped, looking for a sign of encouragement.

She took a deep breath and nodded, her eyes fastened on his.

"Did you mean it?" he was suddenly afraid of her answer.

She knew quite well what he was talking about. She could see it in
his eyes, the need to hear her answer. He wouldn't let this go.

"Yes," she answered softly.

He let out a huge exhalation, he had been holding his breath.
<I>Should I?</i>

She saw a dawning in his eyes -- a huge burden seemed to have been
lifted from his shoulders. She could tell he was excited, but was
trying to restrain his emotions.

"In that case," he started searching for something in his
pocket. "I – I didn't mean to…that is…" He pulled out a blue box
with a white ribbon around it. He turned his back to her briefly,
fumbling with the ribbon, embarrassed that he couldn't get it off
quickly enough.

Lizzy stood frozen, unable to believe what was happening, <I>Oh my
gosh, what's he doing…is he…?</i> Tears were starting in her eyes
at the thought. She had imagined this, of course, but never did she
think it would really happen! With all their difficulties and
misunderstandings she never believed it was possible. <I>Could it
be? Was this really happening?</i>

Finally, Will turned back to her, holding something small, he took
her left hand and held it up, reverently.

"In that case, Elizabeth Bennet." He had to take a deep breath
before he could continue, kneeling before her on bended knee "Will
you make me the happiest man on earth and marry me?"

Lizzy couldn't believe her ears. She looked through blurry, tear-
filled eyes at their hands together. She could see a diamond ring –
a beautiful, gorgeous, perfect diamond ring. In that moment, that
one split second, she knew. She knew her answer without having to
even think twice about it.

"Yes!" she cried, finding her voice. "Yes, yes, yes!" He slipped the
ring onto her finger and swept her into his arms, squeezing with all
his might, right off the ground into a twirl.

<I>Yes! She said yes!</i>

Will had never experienced such euphoria. He hadn't planned on
asking her to marry him at that exact moment, but he couldn't stop
himself, before he knew what he was doing he was fumbling for the
ring and he didn't even think twice about it. All he knew was he
couldn't wait to propose. It was, quite simply, the right time –
and he was so glad he didn't wait.

He set her on the ground and promptly kissed her with all the love,
passion, joy and thankfulness he was feeling. She returned his
kiss, just as passionately. <I>I am the luckiest man in the world!
</i> He let her go and realized he was anxious to hear her approval.

"Do you like it?"

Lizzy was still on cloud nine. "Like what?"

"The <I>ring</i>!" he playfully tapped her left hand.

"Oh -- the ring!" She couldn't believe she had forgotten all about
it! "Of course!" She proudly held her hand out admiring the diamond
solitaire that sparkled in the sunlight. She looked down at it
tenderly, admiring it. "I love it." She looked into his soft brown
eyes, glistening from unshed tears. "I love you so much, Will."

He swept her into his arms again; he simply couldn't get enough of
her as he answered her with a passionate embrace.

He pulled back and gave her an earnest gaze. "Let me worship you
forever, Elizabeth." Heedless of their whereabouts, Will showered
her with kisses and gentle caresses, again sweeping Elizabeth up off
her feet in his strong arms. Neither was willing to end the magical
moment.

<I>I give her all my love
That's all I do
And if you saw my love
You'd love her too
I love her

She gives me everything
And tenderly
The kiss my lover brings
She brings to me
And I love her</i>

<I>A love like ours
Could never die
As long as I
Have you near me

Bright are the stars that shine
Dark is the sky
I know this love of mine
will never die
And I love her*</i>

Holding one another, they knew this was real: a true, everlasting
love. They had come full circle since their first meeting when he
saw her standing there in the ballroom at Longbourn. From their
first dance, through all the misunderstandings and suffering they
had each endured, there had been an undeniable pull. Now, having
overcome their ups and downs, they had made it out of the storm at
last. Their love was stronger than ever -- nothing would ever come
between them again.



<small>*The Beatles, "And I Love Her" - performed by The Beatles,
written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. © 1964 Northern Songs.
All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured.</small>

Chapter 18 – Epilogue


One Year Later


Jane Bennet looked at her reflection in the mirror. She was dressed
in her voluminous white wedding gown. It was almost exactly one
year from the day Charles had asked her to marry him and she had
answered yes. No hesitations, no regrets. In a few moments she
would be walking down the aisle, soon to be Mrs. Jane Bennet
Bingley. She adjusted her pearl necklace and matching earrings with
confidence. Putting the final touches on her coiffure, she had time
to reflect on the past year.

She hadn't expected it to turn out as it had. The year leading up
to today's wedding had been full of anticipation. Successfully
graduating from Longbourn, the parties, plans and good wishes – Jane
had to admit it had been overwhelming at times. Through it all, she
remembered she would be marrying her Charles, who, she was certain,
was the most wonderful man in the world.

Looking beyond her reflection in the mirror, she saw her maid of
honor: her best friend, her confidante – Lizzy. Lizzy paced back
and forth; dressed, ready and waiting --impatient for the wedding.
It had been quite a year for Lizzy as well. Tumultuous didn't even
come close to describing it. More like explosive at some times.
Had it not been for that fateful night last February, Lizzy's father
would never have come around, allowing his second eldest daughter to
marry earlier than he had originally decreed.

That night, coming downstairs in his robe for a midnight snack, he
came upon Lizzy and Will alone together. No one but those three
knew exactly what happened that night, but after that evening, Mr.
Bennet appeared to see the light, and sensibly realized it made much
more sense for Lizzy and Will to have a double wedding with Jane and
Charles. Never mind his wife's constant prattle and Lizzy's forever
begging him to change his mind, it was that night that decided him.
He relented, but he still insisted Lizzy graduate from college.
Will and Lizzy agreed and Lizzy planned to continue her studies as a
married woman.

Jane shook her head remembering Will and Lizzy. <I>What a year!</i>
She and Charles, like most couples, had moments of doubt that never
lasted – but Will and Lizzy! They were so full of passion, love and
anger, she and Charles wondered on more than one occasion whether or
not they were actually going to go through with the wedding at all!
Not always seeing eye to eye in everything, they had broken off the
engagement altogether after one particularly nasty argument. But,
they persevered, and their love held true. Jane sighed, happy for
her sister; even with their clashes, she didn't doubt they were
meant for each other.

Lizzy's thoughts were not unlike Jane's; however, where Jane was
calm, cool and collected, Lizzy was eager -- to get the wedding over
with. It seemed as if from the first moment she and Will had met,
everyone and everything had been conspiring to keep them apart --
she just wanted to be married already! Once the minister pronounced
them man and wife, no one could interfere with their lives anymore.
No more Caroline, no more Wickham -- no more fathers!

The year since their engagement had been announced hadn't been easy
for them. It had been one long, huge roller coaster ride of
emotions. As wonderful as it was to be engaged to Will, the
engagement also brought on a vast amount of frustration and
tension. First, her father declaring they had to wait to be
married, then one disagreement after another, culminating in the big
one that broke them up for an agonizing four days. Unconsciously,
Lizzy wrung her hands in remembrance. <I>How did we get that way?
What happened to us?</i> She sighed recalling how they had made up.
At least they had come to their senses and talked it out. If
nothing else, it strengthened their relationship, cementing their
commitment. They say love is blind, and so it is in many ways, but
Lizzy was going into marriage with eyes open and head clear. She
wanted this man, and nothing was going to stop her.

Mrs. Bennet interrupted Lizzy's thoughts. She was determined to
make sure both Lizzy and Jane were well-prepared for the big moment,
issuing last minute instructions . "Now remember girls, when you're
walking down the aisle with your father – smile, girls, smile!"

"Yes, Mother." The two repeated obediently, trying hard not to
giggle at their mother, whom they knew meant well, but was a bit
over the top when it came to weddings. Giving both her daughters a
last minute hug and an airy kiss to avoid smudging any make-up, Mrs.
Bennet departed in a swoosh of chiffon and lace, anxious to take her
seat up front as <i>the</i> mother of the brides.

Mr. Bennet joined his daughters, decked out in formal style as
father of the brides. He looked at his daughters, giving each a
tender smile, a sign of his fond regard, before holding out an arm
for each of them to take.

On cue, the wedding march began from beyond the doorway.

"Ready, girls?" he asked them, a fleeting look of hope as he looked
at his second eldest. <i>She's so young. I pray she'll be happy in
her new life.</i>

Lizzy and Jane nodded, nervous and excited, as they each took a
proffered arm.

"All right then, let's go."

Wearing his game face, Mr. Bennet proudly guided his two eldest
daughters through the French doors that led to their wedding. High
above the sea, upon the cliffs of Pemberley, his daughters were
about to begin new lives.

***

Following the ceremony, the reception started off with a bang.
Under a huge white tent that included a dance floor and tables set
ornately for the multitude of guests, music boomed from the sixteen
piece orchestra. The party began in earnest. The brides and
grooms were welcomed with much fanfare and applause as they were
introduced for the first time as Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bingley and
Mr. and Mrs. William Darcy.

Among the many guests was, of course, the Bingley family, including
Caroline, sporting a new look. She'd never have been welcome at the
Darcy wedding; there was no choice but to have her because of
Charles. Her `career' in New York City, where she now lived, made
her presence at Netherfield scarce, and it had been many months
since anyone had last seen her. No one was exactly sure what she
was actually doing to support herself since her father had made his
famous ultimatum.

Holding up the Darcy side of the family were Georgie, a bridesmaid
fresh out of braces, a pretty sweet sixteen. Richard was enjoying
himself, having no difficulty whatsoever in flirting with the bevy
of girls who flocked to him. No great wonder, as he looked
devastatingly handsome in his smart Marine dress uniform.

Will's Aunt Catherine never forgave him for his decision to marry
Elizabeth; she made it clear she would have nothing more to do with
him. That was fine with Will, for there was no question he
preferred his lovely bride over his disagreeable aunt. She was not
missed at the wedding, though with some regret, Will wished his
cousin Anne had been able to attend. He never meant any offense or
harm to his cousin, whom he now pitied. It seemed she would be
forever tied to his aunt; with no say whatsoever in how she would
lead her own life.

Mrs. Bennet was in her element. Basking in the glow of marrying off
two daughters at once to highly eligible men, she spared no expense
in sending them off in style. She flittered from one group to
another, ensuring that all enjoyed themselves and were getting
enough to eat and drink at her party. For to Mrs. Bennet, this was
<I>her</i> big party, the moment she'd dreamed of ever since her
eldest daughter was born.

While rushing from one table to another, she came across Caroline
Bingley standing alone, dressed all in black from head to toe. Her
hair was cut short, pixie style, and her eyes looked positively
sunken from the black eye shadow and mascara covering them.

"Oh, Miss Bingley! Is that<I> you</i>? You are Charles's sister,
aren't you? I barely recognized you! Are you enjoying yourself?"
Mrs. Bennet never paused for an answer. She had never actually met
Charles's sister, but Jane had pointed out her picture in one of her
yearbooks from Longbourn.

Caroline made a half-hearted effort at being polite to Mrs. Bennet.

"Yes…what a…a… a lovely party, Mrs. Bennet. You've really outdone
yourself." Caroline tried to think of something nice to say. "But of
course, at such a gorgeous estate as Pemberley, how could it
<I>not</i> be lovely?"

"Yes, I agree. We were so fortunate to have Mr. Bennet agree to
allow Lizzy and Jane to be married at the same time. Because of
this, my <I>son-in-law,</i> William, graciously offered his home."

"Yes," Caroline replied, with a thinly veiled sound of disgust at
Mrs. Bennet's obvious use of the term <i>son-in-law</i>.

"So, Miss Bingley, what are you doing these days? I understand you
live in the city now?" Mrs. Bennet asked politely, keeping her eyes
on the rest of the crowd.

"Yes." Caroline was eager to use this opportunity to talk about
herself. "I live in Chelsea. It's very exciting and I spend most of
my time at <i>The Factory.</i><SUP>1</SUP> You <I>have</i> heard of
the well-known artist, Andy Warhol, haven't you? He is a
<I>great</i> friend of mine. In fact, we're <I>very</i> close."

Mrs. Bennet wasn't familiar with any factories in New York, and
could hardly believe that Caroline was admitting to being a "factory
girl."

She replied vaguely, "Yes, how nice for you. If you'll excuse me, I
see something that needs my attention right away!"

Caroline was only too glad to see her go as she eagerly accepted
another glass of champagne from a passing waiter.

Meanwhile, at another end of the party tent, Lt. Richard Fitzwilliam
was entertaining a group of young ladies, including the three
remaining single Bennet daughters, who vied for his attention. He
was shamelessly flirting and telling them of his exploits in Viet
Nam, amidst "oohs and ahs" and "wasn't that dangerous?"

Lt. Fitzwilliam had been lucky so far, but some were not so
fortunate, as Private George Wickham could attest, had he been there
to ask. Shortly after his disastrous meeting with Darcy after his
attempted kidnapping of Lydia, Richard had been very helpful in
assuring Mr. Wickham would not be a bother anymore. Wickham had a
choice: go to jail or Viet Nam. Wickham chose Viet Nam and found
himself in the infantry, as luck would have it. Even though George
Wickham was a survivor, it was a rude awakening for him -- and a far
cry from selling records at Korvettes.

After meeting the dashing Lt. Fitzwilliam, Lydia -- `miraculously'
recovered from her bout of Beatlemania -- had taken a sudden
interest in men in uniform, particularly men in a <I>Marine</i>
uniform, and informed Richard that it was his <i>duty</i> to dance
with her. She explained that as a bridesmaid, she was an important
part of the wedding. He accepted his duty graciously and didn't
have the heart to tell her that her sisters, Kitty and Mary, had
used the same line on him.

Before long it was time for the happy couples to leave. Jane and
Charles, amidst rose petals and good wishes left for New York, where
they would spend the night in a suite at the Plaza Hotel, before
their Bermuda honeymoon. Will and Lizzy planned to remain at
Pemberley for their first night together before leaving for Paris.
Both brides threw their bouquets into the crowd of squealing single
young ladies. Charlotte Lucas, long since broken up with her old
boyfriend, Bill Collins, caught Lizzy's bouquet of roses and Kitty
caught Jane's. All in all, it was a very productive day for Mrs.
Bennet. Two Bennet girls married and the younger ones all placed in
the path of other rich men. She let out a great sigh of relief
amidst tears and farewells to her two now happily married daughters.

***

<I>Later that evening …</i>

Elizabeth appeared in the doorway, her slim figure silhouetted
against the dim glow of the candlelight in the master suite. She
stood shyly; long hair curling loosely down her back, in a revealing
floor length nightgown of delicate satin and lace. The cream
colored gown hugged her body, clinging to every womanly curve. As
glamorous as the gown looked, she couldn't help but feel anxious as
she saw her new husband waiting. He stood expectantly, casually
dressed in a pair of cotton pajama bottoms that hung loosely on his
tall frame, his chest bare.

Elizabeth had never looked more alluring in Will's eyes. He sighed
at the vision before him, yet was aware there was still an air of
innocence about her; he could tell she was nervous. She hesitated
slightly in her bare feet before entering the candlelit bedroom.

Beside him a bottle of champagne chilled. He wasted no time pouring
her a glass and handing it to her.

"Champagne?" Lizzy raised an eyebrow, an arch expression on her
face. "Are you trying to corrupt me, Mr. Darcy?"

He smiled charmingly, still holding the glass out to
her. "Considering the special occasion…yes, Mrs. Darcy, I am."

Lizzy nervously smiled at his response. Although she liked the
sound of her new name on his lips, she kept her eyes averted from
his bare chest as she took the proffered glass.

They both sipped from their glasses, wordlessly. Lizzy glanced
around her, noticing the ethereal atmosphere of their bedroom.
Completely lit with candles, white roses everywhere; it was very
tender and romantic. The effort Will had put forth to make this
evening as special for them as possible was in the details. As her
eyes wandered, Lizzy cautiously stole a peek at the four poster
bed. She took another quick sip of her champagne. As lovely as
everything was, she was still having trouble looking at her new
husband. <I>What is wrong with me, why am I so bashful?</i>

She neared the windows, hoping the distant view of the pale
moonlight on the water would ease her nervousness. Coming up behind
her, Will tenderly pulled her to him and held her, encouraging her
to relax in his soothing embrace. Lizzy rested her head against his
naked chest, letting out a soft sigh of contentment. The champagne
was starting to have an effect.

"Are you happy?" Will's lips nuzzled her hair, smelling the faint
aroma of rose petals leftover from when they left the wedding.

"Very." Lizzy still couldn't believe she was here. <I>Mrs. William
Darcy.</i> How did she get to this place? Everything seemed like
such a dream to her. How did she become this lucky, to win the love
of this very best of men? She recalled the moment he asked her to
marry him.

"Tell me, what made you ask me to marry you when you did?" She
turned her head to look up into his face, unaware of her puckish
expression.

Looking down at her inviting lips, the fateful day flashed before
his eyes. He smiled. "It had been coming on so gradually, I hardly
know how long I had been thinking of it. But I believe my fate was
sealed when I first saw you in that sexy bikini telling off my Aunt
Catherine." With a rakish smile he began to drop kisses upon her
neck, inching his way towards her shoulder.

She gasped, more from the feel of his kisses than his words.

"Although, I must thank your father," Will said, continuing his
kisses across Elizabeth's shoulder.

"My father?"

"Yes, he gave me permission ahead of time, although, I broke my
promise to him."
"Oh…that." Amusement danced in Lizzy's voice at the memory. "I knew
he'd change his mind. See, my plan worked perfectly. I told you
it would."

Will remained silent. He was still unsettled about the way they
tricked her father. Privately, he agreed she was right and the plan
had worked, but the aftermath had almost cost them too much.
Concentrating on his new bride, he refused to dwell on it,
especially since his mind and body were now more agreeably engaged.

Will leaned over gracefully and turned on music with one flick of a
switch. He had chosen a particular song for this evening, something
special for his bride on their wedding night, as they were about to
embark on the rest of their lives together. He knew their lives
were destined to be entwined and shared; to grow stronger over time
each and every day, and he felt the song reflected his feelings.

<I>To lead a better life
I need my love to be here</i>

"Will you dance with me?" he held his hand out to her.

His question conjured up a memorable moment not unlike this one.
She gladly put her hand in his as he swiftly, yet gently, pulled her
close, their bodies melding together as the words and music softly
flowed over them. He tipped his finger under her chin, gently
prodding her to look into his eyes.

<I>Here, making each day of the year
Changing my life with a wave of her hand
Nobody can deny that there's something there</i>

As they slowly danced, Will thought about the past two years. It
had changed for the better since he met Elizabeth at the dance at
Longbourn. She made him a better person, of that he was certain.
He now had everything he needed and a future to look forward to, his
lovely bride by his side. He ran his hands through the thick
tresses of Lizzy's long dark hair as their arms wrapped around each
other.

<I>There, running my hands through her hair
Both of us thinking how good it can be
Someone is speaking, but she doesn't know he's there</i>

Will savored the feel of her – no longer girlfriend or fiancée – now
<I>his wife.</i> Caressing the silky smooth skin of her back, his
hands slipped across her shoulders. His lips followed on her bare
skin. He tried to move slowly, taking his time but was unable to
wait any longer. He held her face between his hands, capturing her
lips with his own. He kissed her softly at first, but kisses
deepened as his love for her radiated through him. Holding her
closer, kissing with more need, he wanted to make love to her
forever.

<I>I want her everywhere
And if she's beside me I know I need never care
But to love her is to need her</i>

Lizzy clung to him, delighting in the sensations his kisses
elicited. She looked forward to the rest of her life with <I>her
Will</i> -- her own wonderful, <I>husband.</i> As the music
continued, the heady thrill of anticipation only increased the
excitement of what was yet to come.

Her head swimming from the champagne and the effect of his kisses,
Lizzy broke away. Slightly out of breath, she raised an eyebrow,
slowly inching away towards the huge four poster bed that lay in
wait behind her. Beckoning with a crook of her finger, a tacit
understanding was reached. Will followed her lead, breathless and
enchanted as ever by his new bride.

<i>Everywhere, knowing that love is to share
Each one believing that love never dies
Watching her eyes and hoping I'm always there </i>

Silently mesmerized, Will watched as she slowly pulled a long,
white, satin ribbon from her bodice. With a mischievous look in her
eyes, and more bravado than she thought herself capable she
asked, "Recognize this?"

He started when he saw it. "Where did you get that?"

"Never mind who gave it to me. I've had it with me all day --
here." She patted the left side of her chest above her
heart. "Call it my `something old'. It's my ribbon from the first
time we met, isn't it?"

He nodded. "When I saw you standing there… I kept it to remember
you."

With a naughty look and a soft cry of delight, she impulsively threw
the ribbon around his neck and pulled him teasingly to her as she
edged closer to the bed. With an unmistakable glint in his eye,
Will followed, but he took it one step further.

"I think it's time to <I>retire</i> this ribbon now, don't you…
<I>Lizzy</i>?" She was unconsciously biting her lower lip, but her
eyes sparkled with excitement at the sound of her name on his lips,
and at the roguish look in his eyes as he tossed the ribbon
carelessly over his shoulder.

Leaning over, he pinned her to the bed, his mouth hovered
dangerously close to hers. Her breath caught as she could feel the
rapid pulse of his heart beat in sync with her own. With a mirthful
thrill, she nodded while sliding her hands up either side of his
smooth chest. She gave him a breathless smile. "You know..." she
whispered leadingly, pausing a moment to ensure he was
listening. "I'm <I>not</i> just seventeen anymore." She licked her
lips provocatively. "You know what I mean?"

He nodded and smiled at the familiar line before slowly lowering his
mouth to hers with an unmistakable answer.

<I>I will be there, and everywhere
Here, there and everywhere*</i>


FINIS


*The Beatles, "Here, There and Everywhere" - performed by The
Beatles, written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. © 1966 Northern
Songs. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured.



<SUP>1</SUP>Andy Warhol, irreverent artist, noted for his pop art in
the 1960's. His "Factory" was the name of his studio in the 1960's.
The Factory became a social and artistic hub in New York for young
misfits, avant-garde writers, artists, musicians, curators, actors
and hangers-on (Carolines?) to join in on cultural adventures. It
was the place famous for its various artistic projects, and just
having fun.