Beginning, Section II, Section III
Chapter 8
Lisa entered the grand offices of Pemberley Fashions the next morning with a distinct heady feeling. She felt empowered and charged as if ready to face the challenges of a new day. She had been awake for chief of the previous night pondering her "date" that took her to Mexico and the circumstances that brought her to that point. She decided that she had been acting rather dismally considering the situation. She reviewed all that had happened since she had joined Pemberley and was highly dissatisfied with the results. She had met her target William Darcy and had caught his attention, to be sure. But for a strange, inexplicable reason, she behaved as if she were a shy, society lady and not the street girl that she was. Lisa realized in her musings that there was no room for any feeling in her dealings. She had told herself that same thing countless times before and resolved to do so again. She would fake whatever emotion she had to in order to get to William and in that process, would safeguard herself from any heartbreak. The plan was foolproof and Lisa could not foresee any glitches whatsoever.
Lisa entered the huge auditorium and quickly went backstage to change into her costumes. The charity event was tomorrow and hasty last minute adjustments were being made. Caroline Bingley was having a fir, as was usual with all designers when the time for a big event neared. She screamed and shouted at all the models, especially Lisa, whom she despised with a violent energy. Lisa ignored all of Caroline's snide remarks judging rightly that they stemmed from her jealousy regarding William's attentions towards herself. Thus, when Caroline screamed at Lisa about the inadequacy of her poise while on the runway, Lisa simple smiled, infuriating Caroline further.
"God, Lisa, why can't you walk with a little more class?!" exclaimed Caroline as Lisa walked the runway. "That dress is not supposed to look like it's worn on the streets."
Lisa glared at Caroline, then smiled sweetly, "My, my Caroline, aren't we in a rage this morning? What happened? Had a fight with your boyfriend? Oh, I forgot! You don't have one!"
With a sweet, innocent smile, Lisa walked away, leaving Caroline seething. Caroline muttered something under her breath and looked red. The other models were staring at her and she snapped her fingers. "What's the matter? Why'd you stop working? Come on, we have a good show to put on!"
Caroline watched the models for another minute before going backstage. As the show got closer, the crises became more frequent. Stacey couldn't fit into her gown, Tiffany lost all her shoes, Julie's dress ripped at the seams and all the beads came undone, someone spilled coffee on the white chiffon, etc, etc. After running in all four directions, Caroline finally sat down with a sigh and helped herself to some coffee. She was staring into blank space when her eyes caught Lisa depositing her bag on a table before disappearing behind the screen. Caroline glared at the retreating figure. She hated Lisa with a wild passion. Lisa embodied everything Caroline hated. She was beautiful in a cheap, vulgar way; she had no class and was very crass and unpolished; she was rude and disrespectful. All in all, Lisa violated every sense of right in Caroline's mind.
But what did William see in her? Caroline had heard rumors that William was involved with Lisa and she refused to believe it. She had heard tales of private jets and late nights, but it was impossible. William was engaged to Anne and would never cheat on her. Whatever his frailties, he was not a dishonorable man. Caroline smiled a small smile. But she was going to make him dishonorable, if that's what it took. She would lure him into her arms and make him forget all about little Ms. De Bourgh. And then, she would become part of the huge Pemberley Enterprises. Caroline smiled inwardly at that thought. It was a beautiful dream and one that encompassed more riches than she could ever imagine. And she was not about to let Lisa, that mere chit of a girl come between her and her dream.
Caroline was roused from her pleasant reverie by the sudden arrival of Anne De Bourgh herself. Caroline rose to greet her, but stopped in shock. Something was terribly wrong. Anne looked awful, her face puffy and tear-stained, her mascara running and her nose red. She looked at Caroline with pleading eyes and Caroline offered her a seat, in compassion and curiosity.
"What happened?!" exclaimed Caroline as she pulled up a chair beside her.
"He...he broke the engagement," sobbed Anne.
"What?" Caroline was genuinely surprised. "How? When?"
"Right now," said Anne, miserably.
"Why?"
"I don't know...he just said that he didn't love me and that he didn't want to hurt me by trapping me into some loveless marriage. Just like that. No other reason. It's all so sudden. We just had dinner four days ago and he was fine then. I don't know what happened. Oh, Caroline, you're my only friend here! What should I do?"
Caroline looked at the pitiful crying figure of Anne and mentally resolved never to reduce herself to that over a man. "Well, dear, I think you should take the rest of the day off."
"But the show is tomorrow?" Anne was concerned.
"Don't worry about it," said Caroline genially. "I'll take care of it. You go home and rest. Tomorrow's a new day. He's under a lot of stress, he'll come around."
"You think?" Anne's eyes were hopeful.
Fat chance! "Of course. William loves you, he'd never hurt you like this."
This soothing statement seemed to calm Anne quite a bit and at length, she decided to take heed of Caroline's advice and head home. Caroline watched her leave and smiled to herself. This was perfect, but it made no sense. Why would William break off the engagement all of a sudden? It couldn't be because of the hints she had been dropping around forever? No, probably not. Then, what prompted him to such an act? Caroline sighed and was about to leave the room when she spied Lisa staring and her with an enigmatic smile. She locked eyes with Caroline and said,
"Poor Anne, it's so sad."
"Yes," said Caroline tightly.
Lisa smiled again, shook her head and seconds later was out of sight. Caroline stood there, bewildered. What was that all about? What was that girl saying? Then it suddenly hit her. William must have broken up with Anne because of Lisa. Caroline was tempted to disregard that possibility, but could not, because of its glaring probability. William had been happy with Anne for all this time and now, all of a sudden, he dumps her. Nothing was new except the arrival of Lisa. Caroline cursed Lisa under her breath, how had she managed to accomplish so easily what Caroline had been so assiduously working for? The mind boggled. Caroline's hatred for Lisa increased tenfold after that realization as she stood, feeling helpless. Suddenly Caroline spied Lisa's bag lying on the table. Without any inconvenient questions of morals, Caroline opened the bag and rummaged through it, looking for nothing in particular. Lipstick, powder, hairbrush, some change and other insignificant items were present, but nothing that would implicate Lisa. But Caroline determinedly continued when all of a sudden, her hands fell upon a small, efficient looking handgun, a pistil that looked as threatening as it did effective. Caroline shuddered as she replaced it and hastily left the room. So, she has a gun, Caroline thought. Looks like there's more to Lisa that what we know. Caroline instinctively felt that Lisa was hiding some dark secrets, maybe from her past and she determined not to rest until she found out what it was exactly.
That afternoon; Company cafeteria
"You look so happy, what's up, Lisa?" Rick smiled as if coaxing her to divulge some good news.
"Oh, you know, this and that," Lisa evaded the issue that she could not possibly share with Rick, but inwardly, she congratulated herself on her success. The first part of her plan had been successful. William was now single. Now the road to his seduction lay wide open. Lisa convinced herself that her glee at that development was purely professional, but a part of her heart spoke otherwise.
"Well, I have some good news myself," he said.
"Oh yeah?" she said rather disinterestedly, her mind wandering.
"Yes," he smiled. "I've been chosen as one of the photographers who will represent the company on the upcoming tour of Europe."
"How exciting!" said Lisa, managing to inject some enthusiasm in her voice.
"I wish you could come with me...we could see Europe together," Rick's eyes sparkled at the thought.
Lisa looked at him, feeling a small twinge because of the shameless way she was using him. It was obvious that he was falling for her, but she couldn't help it if she was so attractive to men. Besides, she enjoyed all the attention. "Oh, that's sweet." She said no more, suddenly very guilty of how she was leading him on. He was a good person and deserved none of her abuse. But he was the only friend she had at Pemberley and she didn't know how else to treat him.
"But you have a good time, okay?" she said earnestly, honestly hoping that he'd enjoy himself and perhaps, forget about her.
"Thanks, Lisa," replied Rick, smiling.
But Lisa was not listening to him anymore. Her eyes were trained over his shoulders to something far away. Confused, he looked over his shoulders and saw William Darcy buying a salad. He looked back at Lisa and her eyes were still glued on Darcy, he presumed. There was a strange expression in her eyes. Her face glowed and her eyes shone. Rick shook his head, unable and unwilling to understand. Lisa, on the other hand, expended all her energy in trying to catch William's eyes. He did not seem to have seen her. He bought the salad and was just about to depart when he suddenly locked eyes with her. She smiled flirtatiously as if beckoning him to come-hither. He hesitated, but only for a moment and then strode towards her table with purpose.
"Hey Lisa."
"William." She returned his greeting, the smile still plastered firmly on her face and her heart beating wildly, though she couldn't imagine why. She realized that Rick was staring at her strangely and quickly said, "Um...you know Rick, he's a photographer here."
William nodded curtly at Rick before returning his attention to Lisa. "Good luck at the fashion show tomorrow."
"Thanks," she murmured.
"I'll see you later." With that a smile, he left her side and walked out of the cafeteria.
Lisa watched him leave and was keenly aware that the entire cafeteria was staring at her in wonder. That should get all the tongues wagging! she thought. If Lisa had not been the way she was, she might have felt rather embarrassed, but suffice it to say that she wasn't. Rather, she was quite pleased because it seemed that William was taken with her and that was always a good sign. Lisa did not really mind any gossip that she might have unwittingly created as long as it did not interfere with her work. She pondered the fortuitous meeting with William for a few moments before turning her attention back to her companion. Rick was looking at her with a puzzled expression on his face.
"Since when did you become so chummy with the boss?" he asked.
"Since when did my life become any of your business?" she shot back, challenging him with her green eyes.
He hesitated as if beginning to say something, but did not. He got up and said, "Well, I have to run. Catch you later."
"Bye Rick," she muttered as he departed. It annoyed her that he too it so personally. He had probably thought himself to be her lone protector in the big, bad world, and the discovery that she was on first-name basis with William Darcy himself probably irked him. But Lisa had no time to cater to his fragile male ego. She was here to do a job and this "friendship" with Rick was purely incidental. Lisa decided not to let Rick deflate her and began to concentrate on the upcoming event. She was certain that William would be there and it would serve as an excellent opportunity to get closer to him. One of Lisa's biggest assets was her ability to study characters and truly understand them. She could, for instance, discern in William a need to observe societal standards and conform to the norm. She could not, therefore, expect anything overtly rebellious from him. He would be shocked by anything vulgar or cheap. Hence, the best way to proceed would be to make him fall in love with her and all she could do was pray that she would not fall in love with him.
The next day; Charity Fashion Show; Backstage
"Where's Helen? Helen!! Get over here and fix Linsey's seam...you've got 2 minutes!" shouted Caroline frantically. "Mary, how many times have I told you, you can't wear those shoes with that gown...the colors simply don't go. Oh my god, where's Stacey? She's not here! Where is she? She's up in a minute? God, bring Stacey here or I'm going to kill somebody!"
Amidst all the madness, Lisa slipped into her dress and fixed her makeup. She was due to go out in 5 minutes. She had not seen William the entire evening. She supposed he was out socializing, but there had to be some way to reach him. Suddenly, she spied Anne in the corner talking to a model. She approached her.
"Hi Anne."
Anne turned to her and smiled. "Hi."
There were dark circles under her eyes telling tales of a sleepless night. Looking at her misery, Lisa almost felt sorry for her. Almost. She steeled herself mentally and smiled, "I was just wondering about the cover shoot. I was talking to some photographers and they had some new ideas about how to project the company's image...and well, I just wanted to talk about that."
"Um...maybe you should talk to William about it?" suggested Anne.
Lisa smiled. I couldn't have said it better myself. "Okay, is he here tonight?"
Anne hesitated, brushing away a stray tear. "Yes, I think so. He's probably mingling in the crowd, but he always comes backstage after every show. Maybe you can catch him then?"
"Okay, thanks Anne."
"Sure."
The show was successful in spite of the numerous near-tragedies backstage. Lisa marveled at the poise and aplomb of the models on stage when a second ago they had been screaming frantically backstage. They were two worlds apart. While the runway symbolized all the glamour and finesse, the backstage was the embodiment of the chaos and tension. In the end, however, the show ran smoothly without a glitch, but not before Caroline had pulled out half her hair. When she show concluded, she congratulated the models in her own style.
"Not bad, girls," she said. "Not bad." Coming from Caroline, that meant that they had been really good.
Lisa changed into some regular clothes before setting out in search of William. Anne had said he'd come backstage and so, Lisa decided to be the first one he met. Truth be told, she was a little nervous to meet him again, alone, after their Mexico date. Despite all her resolution to be calm and cool, whenever Lisa met him, she was always reduced to pulp and always lost control of the situation. No more, she told herself. She was attracted to him, she conceded, well, okay, very attracted, but that was not the issue. Her heart and feelings did not matter. She was not about to let any real or imaginary feelings she might have, come in way of her mission. This would not be her first failure. She would pretend to feel things that she didn't and trap him like she had so many other men. But, somehow, Lisa knew that she wouldn't have to pretend this time around.
"William." She said as she suddenly spotted the man himself approaching the empty changing room.
"Lisa," he smiled warmly. "You were great out there tonight."
"Thank you," she murmured, lowering her eyes.
"So."
"So." She looked up to meet his eyes. He was impeccably dressed as always; simple, yet elegant. He was regarding her with a small smile as if he was playing some sort of game that she was not aware of. A shiver of went up and down her spine as she looked into his eyes. They were so warm and dark and deep, in contrast to her own green, catlike eyes. She could get lost in those eyes trying to understand their meaning. To distract herself for such dangerous speculations, she smiled and said,
"I heard the news."
"What news?" His voice was so deep, sonorous.
"That you broke your engagement with Anne," she trembled slightly. This is just an act. I am pretending to be affected. This is not real.
"Well, after my conversation with you, I decided that I couldn't do this to Anne and myself," he said, his eyes full of meaning. "It just wouldn't be fair to either of us. I couldn't trap both of us in a loveless marriage."
"She didn't take it too well," said Lisa. Who cares about her?
"Yes, but she'll get over it and see that I was right. Someday, she might even thank me."
"I really had fun in Mexico, thank you," she said, moving forward suggestively. She smiled slightly and brushed her hand through her forehead to give it just the right touch. Right, okay, that should do it. I should be an actress.
"Maybe we can do it again sometime," he suggested, not moving eyes away from hers.
"Yeah, I'd like that," she said. I really would.
There was a brief pause. Then, he said, "Well, you know, there's a group from this company going to Europe in a few weeks. And I was thinking...maybe you should come along? It'd be perfect. We could start working on the magazine cover and all that good stuff. So?"
She smiled flirtatiously. "I'll go if you want me to go. Do you?"
He smiled the smile that could melt hearts. "What do you think?"
He's flirting back. A good sign. "I don't know, you tell me."
"Yes, I want you there. We can see Europe together."
Rick said the same thing not 24 hours ago. Lisa smiled. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."
"Great."
"Good." You're in way over your head, William Darcy. You'll be in too deep before you know what happened. Lisa smiled, satisfied. It was going to be fun playing with fire, but she'd have to be careful not to get burned in the process.
Suddenly, there was a creak of the floorboard behind them and they turned around. Caroline and Anne stood there, shocked. Anne looked straight at William and exclaimed,
"How could you do this to me?!"
Chapter 9 Posted on Monday, 10 January 2000
William froze, flashed a glance at Lisa, and then cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Anne, I...this...um...it's not what you think."
"Isn't it?" Anne screamed. "I can't believe you Will Darcy. I can't believe you're doing this to me. I thought you were different..." Her voice trailed off.
Lisa exchanged glances with William, not knowing what to say. Even her usually unconcerned conscience prodded her to make amends in any way possible for the situation was unbearable. No matter what she thought, Lisa knew that Anne was an innocent, a coincidental third party that would inevitably get hurt during the process of her mission. Lisa had not prepared herself for this eventuality. She knew that she should have, but she hadn't. And consequently, she had no ready answer to give or ploy to offer. Lisa felt vulnerable, open and defenseless.
Anne glared at William for a few seconds before staring at Lisa. "And you...I liked you...why, Lisa, why?"
Lisa had no answer.
A few tears escaped Anne's eyes, which she hastily brushed away. Then, with a final, parting look at William, she stomped off. There was a chilling, tension-stricken silence. Caroline had not stirred from her position, apparently enjoying the scene. She smirked slightly as she remarked,
"Well, looks like you've done it, Lisa. What else can be expected from someone of your class." The sneer in her voice and tone was unmistakable.
Lisa decided not to rise to the bait, but William said, "Look, Caroline, it's not like that."
"Really?" she raised her eyebrows.
"Yes," he said emphatically. "I didn't break our engagement because of Lisa...it had been coming for a long time."
"You don't have to convince me, William," Caroline's smile widened. "Save it for Anne."
William sighed. "She's very upset, isn't she?"
"You saw her. She's been broken ever since you broke off the engagement. And now, well...she's even worse." Caroline's voice expressed obvious pleasure.
William shook his head in concern. "I didn't mean to hurt her. Maybe I should go and talk to her?"
"You honestly think she's going to listen you right now?" Lisa interjected.
William regarded her for a moment. "You're right."
Lisa nodded, then looked squarely at Caroline. "Look, can you leave us alone?"
Caroline hesitated, then seeing William's look of concurrence, nodded. She turned on her heels and left, but not before vowing to get back at Lisa. Caroline had many connections and she was willing to do anything, absolutely anything, to discredit Lisa. All was fair in love and war. And as far as Caroline was concerned, this was both. Well, perhaps not love, but as close to it as a cold fish like Caroline could come to feeling. Maybe, it was more of a love for the huge estates and endless money that came in the package that attracted her. Caroline had, however, long convinced herself that it was love, and so, she felt justified in doing whatever necessary to keep her man. Well, he wasn't really her man, but Caroline dismissed it as a mere technicality. She knew those rich types. They always needed the comfort and support of a woman. Since William had lost his old one, he'd definitely need another. And as soon as Caroline disposed off Lisa, she was ready to be whatever William chose to make her. She smiled inwardly. It was going to be fun being rich.
Meanwhile, after Caroline's departure, Lisa shifted uncomfortably. In all her years as a "professional", she had never been caught in a breakup. It bothered her conscience and that was the most frightening part because Lisa didn't have one. She looked at William. He avoided her eyes for a few moments, then finally looked at her. There was an unmistakable look of misery and disenchantment in those dark eyes. It was a look of intense sorrow or maybe guilt? Lisa didn't know which. There seemed to be, in William's entire aspect, a need to be consoled and told that he was not at fault. Lisa understood that need and was more than happy to oblige.
"It was not your fault, William."
William sighed. "Well, it kinda was. I should have done it with more tact, broken up with Anne, I mean. She doesn't deserve such treatment from me. She's a very nice person. It's just...I don't know." He shook his head. "I don't know."
"Listen to me," Lisa said in a coaxing tone. "You did the right thing. You would have been miserable with her and would have made her miserable too. It's better this way. She might resent you now, but she'll soon figure out that marriage without love is no marriage at all."
"Perhaps you're right," he replied. "but I still can't feel right about this."
"Then, go back to her," said Lisa with much effort. This reverse psychology thing better work or I'll feel like the biggest dork...
"What?" he was taken aback.
She smiled slightly. It was going to work like a charm. "You heard me. If you're going to keep feeling sorry for yourself, then it's better that you just crawl back to her. If that's what it takes to make you happy, then do it." Lisa knew that she was gambling with his emotions and self-esteem, but she prepared to take the chances
After a short, tense silence, he took a deep breath. "You're right. I'm being stupid. I did what I had to do." He looked at her and she nodded, reassuringly.
Lisa had not anticipated that manipulating William would be this easy, but it was. He just needed to be told what he wanted to hear and that was enough to keep him happy. She waited to see his reactions with baited breath. His face was almost expressionless, almost for she fancied that she could discern a slight hesitation in his eyes. And then, he smiled. Without knowing what she did, Lisa reached out her hand and gently stroked the side of his face. This small gesture was meant to reassure him and maybe, calm her. But the effect was quite the opposite. The brief contact sent chills up and down her spine. She could feel the tiny, miniscule hairs growing on his face and she shivered. She drew back instantly, berating herself for exposing her folly. She looked at him. He was regarding her with wonder.
"Well, I should be going," he said softly.
No, please stay "Yes."
"Good night, Lisa." William seemed hesitant as if he was unwilling to leave her side.
"Good night," she returned softly, wishing he'd just leave without causing further havoc. As he departed after one parting look, Lisa released the breath she did not know she had been holding. How did he always manage to get to her like that? Lisa realized that making that brief physical contact had just caused havoc to her still reeling senses. How could one simple touch reduce her to pulp, making her dizzy and faint. The electricity had been unmistakable. He must have felt it too. Then, why had he left? Maybe because he felt the danger of their being along together?
I don't feel anything...I don't feel anything. Again and again Lisa repeated that to herself as she headed home. But she knew that she was lying to herself. It was no use. It just wouldn't work anymore. For many years, Lisa had learnt to build a wall around herself so that she did not get emotionally involved with anything or anyone. Somehow, without her knowing, William had managed to penetrate her defenses. It wasn't because he was rich for she had conquered many a richer man. It wasn't because he was handsome because she had triumphed over much handsomer men. She couldn't quite define what it was about William that made her so vulnerable and weak. It was a frightening thought that someone could reach inside her and make her feel like a woman. It had been so long since she'd allowed herself to feel anything that now, when her senses attacked her, she didn't know how to respond.
It was a dangerous game that she was playing and she was aware of that. Instinctively she felt that she would not come out of this unscathed. William would leave a permanent mark on her. But how could she stop the inevitable. She was not prepared to fail for the first time either. No, William would have to be defeated, just like all the other men she'd won over. But this time, she would burn with him. Lisa smiled cynically. It was so ironic that the she should finally meet the man she might be able to love and was bound to destroy him. Love. Did it even exist? She was convinced not. Love was only for the fairy tales and her life was surely no fairy tale. Her prince charming would never come to her rescue. She would never find true love. And her story would never have a happy ending.
The next morning
Lisa arrived at work a little more depressed than usual. Her ruminations from the previous night still reverberated in her head. She shook off the feeling of imminent doom and stepped off the elevator. As she passed people in the hall, she could not help but notice them staring at her and whispering to each other. Normally, it would not bother her, but in her fragile state of mind, she was mildly annoyed. She tried her best to ignore all the attention she was receiving and walked to the changing room. She spied Rick crossing the room and smiled at him. He looked at her coldly and without acknowledging her, walked on. Amazed, Lisa called out,
"Rick! Wait up." She followed him out into the hall.
He stopped, turned around and looked at her warily. "What is it?"
"You tell me," she said. "What's wrong?"
"You have to ask me?!" he said incredulously.
Lisa had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. "I...I don't know what you're talking about," she said although she had a fair idea about what he was referring to.
His eyes blazed with outrage and anger. "My god, you have the nerve. Anne de Bourgh resigned from the company today. She quit first thing in the morning. And do you know why? Because of what happened yesterday. She couldn't bear to work here anymore. Don't try and deny what you've done, what you've been doing. And I honestly thought you got the job on merit. I actually believed you had some talent. The only talent you have is for fooling people into believing that you're something you're not. You used me to get in here. You used me without a thought and led me on...I'll never forgive you for that."
Lisa was shocked, shocked at having Rick talk to her like he was. It was unnatural, it wasn't like Rick. She managed to utter. I...Rick, please, it's not like that. You have to believe me...you're my friend..."
"Never call me your friend," thundered Rick. "You don't deserve a friend. Why'd you do it, Lisa? For the money? Is that it? I could have made you happy...but you had to go after the big boss and break up his engagement. Don't you have a conscience?"
Lisa could not help but laugh inwardly at his innocent conception of the picture. He was blaming her for being a home-breaker when that was one of the nicer things anyone had said about her. "I have nothing to say, Rick, I thought you'd understand..."
"Well, I don't," he replied, obviously pained. "And I don't want to either. What you do with your life is your business, but I'll only ask you to stay the hell out of mine."
With those angry words, he stormed away. Lisa stood there for a second. She noticed people looking at her with an inscrutable expression in their eyes and she ran inside the changing room. Once inside, Lisa sat down on a chair and began to gather her thoughts. Who had told the whole world about last night? Caroline, probably. That vicious cat would have no scruples in doing that. Lisa felt her heart sink, but why? She had never valued Rick's friendship, well, at least, until now. She knew that she had hurt him deeply, but it was bound to happen, sooner or later. It had just happened earlier than she had expected. But Rick was the only friend she'd had and now she was all-alone again. Perhaps she should have been used to it by now, but loneliness takes a lot of getting used to.
Stop feeling sorry for yourself, Lisa, a little voice in her head said. So he doesn't think you're little Cinderella, so what? What's the big deal? Why do you care, all of a sudden. It's not like you have any feelings. But the scary part was that she had feelings. She felt sorry for Rick and guilty for what she had done to him. She felt sad at having lost his friendship and lonely for having no one to comfort her. And it's all William's fault. Before I knew him, I never felt anything...and now.... It was too difficult to imagine. How on earth was she to go on like this? I can't keep doing this to myself. I don't have the strength to do battle my feelings all the time. But do I have any other option?
Later that day
Lisa had decided that she needed to talk to William to exercise any damage control that might be necessary. It would be good to dispel any rumors that he might have heard. As Lisa walked towards his office, she spotted Caroline approaching her with a more than usual catty smile. When Caroline was near enough, Lisa said,
"Morning Caroline, sleep well?"
Caroline was caught off-guard and replied, "Um...yeah...thanks."
"I hear you've been spreading stories about me?"
Caroline returned, "Only the truth, Lisa, only the truth."
"I'd appreciate it if you stop it," smiled Lisa sweetly, but there was undercurrent of menace in her tone.
"Or else?" sneered Caroline.
"I have few stories of my own to tell," said Lisa.
"You're bluffing," said Caroline, half-convinced. "There's nothing for you to tell."
"Are you ready to take that chance?" smiled Lisa.
Caroline hesitated briefly, began to say something, then thought the better of it.
"So, we have a deal?" asked Lisa.
Caroline nodded, in spite of herself. Lisa smiled, muttered a cheerful 'goodbye' and walked away, leaving Caroline fuming inwardly. In her part, Lisa felt extremely pleased with herself at the way she had handled Caroline. Now if only everyone else was that easy to scare. Lisa shook her head and made her way to William's office. Once at the door, she was about to enter when the secretary said,
"I'm sorry, I think there's someone in there with Mr. Darcy."
"I don't care," she muttered and opened the door. "Hi William, I..." she stopped at seeing a tall, middle aged woman in the room. "Hello..."
William looked uncomfortable. "Um...hi Lisa."
The woman looked at William for a second before turning towards Lisa. "So, this is the tramp?!"
Lisa stared at her, surprised. "I beg your pardon?"
"You heard me, you little upstart," spat out the older woman. "Don't you think I know your kind? Always looking to manipulate and rope in a rich man when you can. Only this time, you were messing with the wrong people."
"Who are you?" Lisa managed to keep her anger under control.
"Who am I?!!!" roared the woman. "I'm Anne's mother, Mrs. De Bourgh. I own 35% of Pemberley's shares. I am a very powerful woman and I'll personally see to it that your are taken care of. Once William comes back to his senses you won't have anywhere to go. I'll make sure of that."
"Oh no, I'm shaking," Lisa mocked as she approached the table and sat down.
"You dare to make light of this matter?" The woman became angrier. "Why, you little...! How dare you be so presumptuous."
"Listen, Catherine..." William began, but Mrs. De Bourgh would not hear him out.
"You keep out of it, William," she said. "This woman is obviously beneath you. I can't imagine what you see in her after my Anne. She's after your money, like the rest of them. She's a conniving little, vulgar tart. How could you let her fool you?"
Lisa seemed amused. "Catherine...can I call you Catherine? Did it ever occur to you that William does not care about your daughter? Maybe he cares about me? It takes two to tango, you know."
The implication seemed to infuriate her further. "How dare you even suggest such a thing?!! William, are you going to stand for this wretched display?"
"Catherine, please, don't make such a big deal out of this - " William began to say when Catherine cut him short.
"Fine. Take the little tramp's side, if you must," Mrs. De Bourgh's eyes blazed with hatred and outrage. "How long have you known her? Few weeks? And already she means more to you than such old friends like me? Doesn't that tell you something? Doesn't it show that she's nothing more than a manipulating b****?!"
Even though Lisa realized that at least part of Catherine's accusations were, indeed, correct, she could not, in good faith, let such malicious slander go by without comment. "Okay, that's enough," Lisa rose from her seat and approached the standing Catherine. "I've let you talk for quite a while, now you listen to me. I can't change the way you think or feel about me, but I really don't care. But I really don't appreciate you coming in here as if you own the place and then abusing me like you did. You are free to hate me, if you like, but I won't stand here listening to you bad-mouth me so openly. Is that understood?"
For a stunned second, Catherine was silent, probably in shock since not many people had the nerve to speak to her like that. When she regained her composure, she said, "If that's how you want it, fine, but don't think I'll let you get away with it. Never think that. I'll not forget this. I'll destroy you for what I'm worth."
"Okay, Catherine, that's enough," William finally interjected. "I can't have this anymore. I'll have to ask you to leave. You know your way out."
"You too William?" Catherine's eyes blazed. "Fine, but you'll regret it both of you." With those final, menacing words, Catherine looked contemptuously at Lisa and then stormed out of William's office. As soon as she left, William sank into his chair, held his head between his hands and sighed.
"I knew it would be a little tough, but I hadn't anticipated this. I'm sorry about Catherine, Lisa. She's a little...um...upset."
"So I noticed," Lisa laughed. "Don't worry, I don't take offense that easily."
"Good," replied William. "I was really concerned, especially with all the rumors at work today."
"Don't worry about that, I'm a big girl. I can handle it."
William looked at her and smiled. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but then appeared to change his mind. Lisa looked at him expressively as if attempting to divine his thoughts. Her efforts were largely unsuccessful for she had no idea what he was thinking. He had supported her for which she was highly appreciative, but as yet, he had made no definite advances towards her and that alarmed her. What if he really didn't care about her? Not in that sense, anyway. How was she to go about her mission then? Was it even possible for him to resist her? Lisa found that suggestion possible, but not possible. Call her arrogant, but she had yet to meet a member of the male species who could resist her.
"Well, Lisa..." William broke into her thoughts. "We leave for Europe in a few days. Pack something warm. We might be going to the Swiss Alps."
"Really?" Lisa's voice expressed genuine pleasure.
"Yeah."
"Would it be for business or pleasure?" she smiled innocently, but her innuendo was unmistakable. Let's see how he handles that!
William smiled faintly in return. "Both."
Satisfied, Lisa smiled back in triumph. "I'll look forward to it, then."
"As will I," William grinned.
Lisa stood up to take her leave. William watched her depart with mixed emotions. Although he hated to see her leave, he paradoxically rejoiced in it. Lisa Benz was a remarkable woman who, in the short time that he'd known her, had caused him immeasurable trouble. Well, trouble in a good sense. He had been restless and uneasy when he was not around her. She plagued his thoughts, every aspect of her troubling him: her wild red hair, her pixyish green eyes, her naughty smile, and her full lips... The list went on, and yet William knew that it wasn't the mere physical aspect of it that attracted him. No, he'd dated many a models, but Lisa was...well, she was certainly different. She was independent and had no qualms in speaking her mind. She was honest about her feelings and did not seek to flatter or deceive him. Yes, there was something special about her and William couldn't place his finger on it. It was the sense of mystery, of hidden secrets and deep passion. He was looking forward to the upcoming Europe tour. It would be an excellent opportunity for them to become friends, and who knew, maybe even more?
Meanwhile
Caroline walked up and down her office, staring fixedly at the telephone. A lot depended on this call she was expecting. If the answer was favorable, Caroline's path to the Pemberley estates were clear. It was such a heady feeling, even to think of it. But she was determined not to get ahead of herself. She would have to wait for the phone call before opening the champagne. Suddenly, the sweet melody of the phone ring reached Caroline's ears. In an instant, a mental image of her wedding to William flashed before her eyes. Caroline literally leaped to the phone.
"Hello?"
"Hello, Caroline Bingley?" said the male voice over the phone.
"Yes?"
"I have some news for you about your friend Lisa Benz..."
Chapter 10
Silence.
"Yes?" prompted Caroline impatiently. "What is it? What's the news?"
"That's the point exactly, there is no news," replied the voice. "It seems like your elusive friend does not exist."
"What do you mean?!" exclaimed Caroline.
"I mean," said the voice deliberately, as if relishing every moment. "that there are no records anywhere that Lisa Benz ever existed. No birth records, no social security, no credit card bills, no insurance, not even a driver's license. This can mean one of two things: either someone is trying very hard to hide her past, or her real name is not Lisa Benz."
Caroline did not reply immediately, trying hard to absorb the information. "What do you think?"
"Personally, I think that Lisa Benz is an assumed name. It's just my opinion, though, so I have no proof."
"But do you think you could find out?" asked Caroline slowly.
"Sure, if I have enough resources..." the voice hinted slyly.
"I told you, money is no object. Just find out who Lisa is and I'll pay you well," replied Caroline.
"How much?" inquired the voice.
"$100 a day."
"I've done much better than that...," the voice had a plaintive note to it.
"Okay, fine, $500."
"No, $1000 a day," said the voice with finality. "Take it or leave it."
Caroline sighed heavily. "Okay, you have a deal."
"Good choice," the voice boomed over the phone. "You won't regret it. I'll call you every day to report what happened."
"Not here," replied Caroline. "I'll give you my home telephone. Call me there."
"Okay, whatever you say."
Caroline gave him her number and hung up. $1000 a day! That was going to cost her some and more. Caroline was fairly rich, but not that well off. Who knew how many days this investigation would stretch over? But Caroline consoled herself with the happy notion that at the end of the investigation, Lisa's name would be permanently tarnished and William would be hers. So, a couple of thousand dollars didn't really matter, when put into perspective with William's millions. Caroline felt giddy even contemplating that possibility and convinced herself that hiring a private investigator was, indeed, the right course of action.
The next day; St. James Hospital; Psychiatric Ward # 2
"Janie, it's alright, it's just me, it's okay," Lisa hugged her sister to calm down her sobs and violent convulsions.
Jane seemed to recognize her sister's voice as she calmed visibly, though she didn't open her eyes. Jane had some good days and some bad and on her best day, she recognized Lisa's voice. That was the only encouraging sign that allowed Lisa to hope that there was some possibility of Jane's recovery. Ever since the traumatic incident, Jane had been in severe shock and suffered from acute amnesia. Combine that with the damage to her brain due to the fire, Jane's condition was, at best, critical. And so it had been for some time, Lisa pondered. But she lived in everlasting hope that one day Jane would be cured, miraculously, and would be able to leave the wretched hospital. Lisa had no other reason to continue as she did other than the strength that she derived from her beloved sister. But it had been so long since she had felt loved or needed by her sister that it nearly broke Lisa's heart to hold her like she did, so close and yet so far.
Jane opened her eyes and looked straight into Lisa's. Her eyes were bright, clear blue and danced with some hidden amusement.
"What is it?" asked Lisa.
"Nothing, nothing...," the look vanished and quiet bewilderment replaced them. "I want to sleep...please go away."
"Okay, Janie, whatever you want."
Lisa kissed her sister softly on the forehead and departed. At least, she was able to afford this expensive hospital, Lisa pondered as she walked down the elegant halls. If it hadn't been for Wickie, Lisa would have never had the financial bearing to support Jane through the years. This was how she rationalized everything she did. This put everything in perspective. But the blessing came with a price and Lisa was willing to pay it with her conscience. She would do what it took to give Jane her best, and perhaps her only chance. Here, she had the best of doctors who loved her, especially that sweet Dr. Gina. But if Lisa quit working for Wickie, all that would be gone. Lisa had often contemplated earning her living in some other way, but instantly dismissed the idea. With her high school education, she would have no chances of earning a decent living and affording the exorbitant health bill every month. And besides, once she had become involved with the Mafia, Lisa knew that she had no chance of getting out; alive, that is. So, she forced herself to be content with what she was destined to do, forever more.
As Lisa pondered this, she suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure.
"Charlie!!" Lisa waved at the man who had given her, her first break at Pemberley.
"Hey Lisa!" Charlie Bingley smiled good-naturedly as he approached her. "Haven't seen you for sometime. How're you doing? How's work?"
"Great, lovely, thanks to you," smiled Lisa, honestly happy to see Charlie. He was just one of those genuinely happy people who spread their infectious laughter and beautiful smile wherever they went. Sometimes, it amazed her to think that he and Caroline could be even remotely related.
"So, what are you doing here?" asked Charlie.
"Just visiting a friend," Lisa brushed off the question. "But the real question is, what are you doing here?"
Charlie grinned, "Well...I got busted for doing 90 in a 25 mph zone and had a court order to do some community service. So, I chose to do some here. I come and I help around when I can. And I'm actually beginning to like it here. Some of the people are so fabulous."
"Who are those for?" asked Lisa, indicating a beautiful bouquet of red roses.
"I've met this really lovely woman," smiled Charlie, blushing ever so slightly.
"A patient?"
"Yeah," Charlie's smile widened. "She's just fascinating."
"That's great, good luck. I gotta run, but catch you later, ok?"
"Yeah, and have fun in Europe!" Charlie called out as Lisa walked away. Once she disappeared from sight, he resumed his stroll through the halls. Lisa was such a nice person that Charlie wondered what could have caused people to belittle her as they did. He'd heard the rumors; stories of Lisa's underhand dealings with William, leading to her rapid rise in the company and the break-up and subsequent resignation of Anne. But, on his part, Charlie believed none of it. Why, he'd hired Lisa himself and she'd seemed like a perfectly honest, capable and charming woman. He didn't doubt that perhaps William found her attractive, but he could not imagine Lisa plotting ruthlessly to engage William's attention, as was commonly suggested. Charlie trusted his friend's discernment of character and if William believed that Lisa was respectable, then Charlie was willing to accept that notion as the paramount truth.
As Charlie approached the ward's door, he paused, then entered. She was sleeping. He sighed and placed the roses on the table next to the bed. He sank into the large, comfortable chair next to the bed and just quietly observed her. She was so very beautiful, even as she slept. Her honey blond hair seemed touchable and inviting. Her creamy skin was soft and delicate. She was, however, rather too thin, in Charlie's opinion, but that, he supposed could be easily remedied once she recovered her health. This "mystery woman" as Charlie liked to call her, first came to his notice when he was rambling about the hospital one day. She had somehow left her room and stumbled upon him. She had seemed so lost, so helpless, so utterly vulnerable that Charlie could do nothing but aid her to the best of his abilities.
He had safely returned her to her ward, but that was not the end of the story, as might be imagined. No, indeed, for she had somehow captured his attention, his imagination, his concern. He made a habit of visiting her nearly everyday after his work at the hospital was done. He later found, through her supervising physician Gina, that her name was Janet Bennett and she had been in the hospital for a long time. He did not really understand the intricacies of her illness, but that didn't matter. He wanted to help her, but couldn't; he didn't know how. She seldom recognized him, but each time he saw her, she smiled in her own angelic, special way and his heart just melted. When she talked, which was not often either, her voice seemed low, musical, almost lyrical. Charlie was fascinated. He had never experienced anything like this before. It was highly uncommon for him to become attached to someone he hardly knew, who seldom spoke and who didn't even remember him. But Janet was different; he knew she was, he could feel it. Somehow, he sensed that she was the one. He had faith that one day she would recover and actually talk to him. He didn't ask for much; just a simple conversation, under the sky. Was that too much to expect? He thought not.
As Charlie watched her sleep so peacefully, he felt a stirring within him. Who was she? Really. What happened to her? Why was she here, thus abandoned? Gina had said that there was a sister who visited her frequently and apparently paid the bills, but that was all. Where was the rest of her family? Whoever she was, Charlie could tell that she was hurting inside. He could see the pain in her big, blue eyes whenever she looked at him. The pain he beheld in them reached deep inside, touching her soul. He could see the hurt in the expression of her face and the sad lines about her mouth. Whoever she was, she had been through a lot. And it was this mystery that perhaps was the greatest attraction for Charlie. He could not help but visit her for there was always the possibility that maybe today she would remember him, maybe today she'd speak, maybe today she'd tell her story. Maybe... That day had yet to come, but Charlie didn't lose hope.
If only his friends could see him now, Charlie thought. He had been called fickle and restless by many of his acquaintance because of his propensity to change girlfriends as often as he changed clothes. But Charlie felt that all that was about to change. It sounded crazy, but he was actually falling for the mysterious Janet. He didn't know when or how or why; it just happened, just like that. Perhaps it was meant to be. That was the only explanation he could offer. Why else would he come and sit by her bedside day after day? It was because of the indescribable pleasure he derived by simply watching her sleep. Charlie had never truly been in love before, so he couldn't tell if what he felt for Janet was love, but, to the best of his knowledge, it was the closest to love that he'd ever come. He enjoyed being with her when he could, and always thought of her when he couldn't. He hadn't dated for some weeks because of this intense sense of guilt. He brought her flowers, chocolates and candy. Charlie couldn't really tell, but it did seem to him like he was falling in love.
Suddenly, her eyes opened wide and she yawned. She glanced at him, a look of puzzlement registering in her eyes. Charlie smiled, "Hey."
"Hi..." she murmured, then diverted her attention to the flowers on the table. "Are they for me?"
"Yes," replied Charlie.
"They're beautiful."
Janet seemed to be in a good mood. That was good, she was talking. Charlie felt a sudden sense of thrill. "Not as beautiful as you."
Charlie detected a hint of a blush. "Thank you," she muttered, then looked around the room. "Who are you?"
Charlie sighed. The same old question. "Charlie Bingley."
The name didn't seem to ring a bell. "Oh, well thank you for the roses." She looked at him and her eyes pleaded for him to do something, anything, to help her. They seemed desperate and pitiable, begging for some relief. Charlie couldn't stand to watch her like that.
"Would you like to walk around with me?" he offered.
She thought about it for a moment, then smiled, "Yes, please."
"Great!" he smiled back. "Get your coat, we're going out."
The next day
Lisa rapidly approached William's office. He had called for her and she had no idea why. Probably some business matter, she conjectured. At any rate, it did not matter. She hadn't seen much of him since the confrontation with Catherine de Bourgh, but she supposed it was of no consequence since she'd be spending 2 weeks with him in Europe. Lisa was really looking forward to the trip, and strangely enough, not only for "business" purposes. She had a feeling that the trip would be memorable and she would cherish it in her heart forever. It would be the last pleasant memory before she would have to finish off the mission with William. Somehow, Lisa knew that things wouldn't ever be the same after she left Pemberley. Never again.
Lisa sighed, knocked and entered the office and stopped short at beholding Rick also present. William looked up and greeted her with a smile.
"Come in, Lisa. I wanted to talk to you about the Europe trip. Of course, you know Rick..."
"Yes, of course," said Lisa shortly, attempting to smile, but failing. She exchanged a quick glance with Rick, who looked away into the distance. William noted the unpleasant exchange, but did not comment.
"Well," began William as Lisa took a seat. "I've been thinking about the shows we're supposed to put on. I'm open to ideas about the photo shoots for the launching of the magazine and the introduction of the new lines. We also need to discuss our approach at the conferences when we present the new fabric designs. This trip is very essential for broadening and strengthening our European markets; that's why I'm overseeing it personally. We'll have our best designers and executives with us, but I wanted to talk to you two, especially because Rick, you're our best photographer and we need the best possible image for Pemberley and Lisa, you're the cover girl, what can I say."
They discussed the business aspects of the upcoming trip for a few minutes, but William noticed the stiffness between Rick and Lisa. There was no open unpleasantness, but the tension and friction in the air was almost tangible. They barely addressed or looked at each other. There seemed to be an insurmountable wall between them that genuinely concerned William. Once, Rick left, William detained Lisa.
"Okay, is it just me or is there something wrong between you and Rick?"
Lisa wished that she could tell him the truth, but couldn't. "Oh, nothing important...a little personal dispute, that's all."
"You sure?" asked William, regarding her earnestly.
"Yeah," she nodded. Many years of lying had given her such invaluable practice that she could lie through her teeth without a thought.
"Lisa, are you okay?" William sounded concerned. "I mean, I've not seen you in a while, and you just seem tense. What is it?"
My sister, my work, my life. "Nothing," she sighed. "Really."
William looked at her with disbelief. "Come on, you can't lie to me like that. What is it? Are all the rumors bothering you? Is Caroline bothering you?"
"No," Lisa shook her head. "I just...it's nothing...I'm just stressed about Europe." Which was the truth, technically, because Lisa was worried about the inevitable conclusion of the trip.
"If there's anything I can do to help, just tell me, okay?"
His voice was filled with such sweet concern that Lisa smiled to herself. "Okay."
"Well, I must get back to work, but I'll talk to you later?"
"Yeah," said Lisa and with one more look, she was gone.
Later that day; Lower Manhattan
The search for the secret identity of Lisa Benz proved to be more challenging than he had anticipated. It seemed as though someone very powerful was trying to protect the woman for his every single lead resulted in a dead end. He had made several inquiries in several places, but of no avail. On the bright side, he was being paid handsomely for each day that he spent on the case, so it might be profitable to delay the uncovering of the truth for present. However, he needed to be able to present some sort of evidence of progress, otherwise he would not be retained in employment for long.
He worked under the assumption that Lisa Benz was a false name, but he had so far uncovered no real clues as to her real identity. He had followed her to her apartment in the most undesirable parts of town, but had not had the opportunity to search it until now. But, now, as he faced the decrepit building again, he shuddered. These were the places where murders took place in a heartbeat and where people once lost were lost forever. Erasing such gloomy thoughts from his mind, he boldly sneaked into the building and into her apartment, if it could be called as such. It was a small one-bedroom apartment; crowded and disorganized. Finding anything in here would be a miracle in itself. He went through all the drawers and cabinets without any luck and was just about to give up when his eyes caught sight of a small slip of paper that simply said: Ward #2, St. James Hospital.
Ah-ha! he thought with glee. This might not prove to be a valuable clue, but it was worth giving a shot. He would check it out later. After another 10 minutes of ransacking the apartment, he left. The ride back home was uneventful. The bus was crowded, but he did not notice. He was too busy planning what he would do with all the money he'd make with this assignment. Perhaps a trip south to Acapulco? That might be good. He grinned to himself and dreamed. When he arrived at his own apartment building, he sighed happily and proceeded up the stairs. He was just about to enter his apartment when his landlady exclaimed,
"Mr. Collins! Is that you?"
"Yes," he answered.
"There were two young men looking for you. I told them that you were out. I just wanted you to know that."
"Okay, thanks, Mrs. Carlyle," he said as he entered the apartment. Something was terribly wrong, he mused. It seemed like someone had been inside. And then he saw it and held his breath. It was Roger, his dog...or what used to be his dog. The animal had apparently been stabbed to his death. Mr. Collins slowly approached the lying corpse and bent down to pick up a piece of paper that read:
Stay away from Lisa or next time, it might be you.
Chapter 11
Billy Collins felt the tiny hairs at the base of his neck stand up in shock. He had no illusions as to what he was dealing with...the Mafia. And due to his vast experience, he knew that they meant business. He had never been officially threatened by the Mafia before, but had dealt with them on numerous occasions. They showed no mercy and were known for their mindless violence. His sweet Roger was a testament to their ruthlessness. Billy Collins was chilled to the core. How had the Mafia become involved in this? There could be only one answer...Lisa Benz herself was part of the Mafia.
That stunning realization oddly enough brought a smile of satisfaction to Collins' lips. Instead of being scared, he felt a sense of exhilaration. This would be his big break. Ms. Bingley would pay him handsomely for telling her that Lisa was in the Mafia. He would become rich and would open a bigger office, maybe on Park Avenue? Who knew, the possibilities were endless. He would have to be more careful, though, for he wanted to be able to live to enjoy the fruits of his success. But he knew that he could outwit the Mafia...after all they were no match to him. Yes, he would outwit them and claim his fortune. His eyes shined with the unmistakable light of greed and suddenly, the world seemed rosy again.
The next morning; Darcy Penthouse
William Darcy arrived downstairs for breakfast. He wore a small, secretive smile on his face. His eyes danced around the room before settling on the beautiful face of his sister.
"Good morning, Gina."
"Morning, Will, my, you look happy!" Gina exclaimed, momentarily tearing her eyes away from the newspaper.
William did not reply as he sat down opposite her. As he buttered his toast, Gina cast aside her paper entirely and stared expectantly at her brother. He glanced at her uncomfortably, but summarily ignored the looks she was giving him. Finally, Gina sighed and said,
"So, who is she?"
"What are you talking about?" William looked at her.
"You know," Gina said. "Don't think that I haven't heard the rumors and the whispers. And Catherine called yesterday when I got home. She was furious."
"Yes, she might be," William conceded.
"Oh believe me, she was," replied Gina. "But before I judge you or her, I want to know what's happening."
"Nothing, really...," William began to protest when Gina interrupted.
"Will, half the city is talking about it, the least you can do is tell me."
William sighed. "They're making a big deal out of something that might not happen. I don't really know her too well..."
"But?" Gina prompted.
"But I want to," William finally looked at her. "Lisa is...I don't know, she's just special. There's something so unique about her...she's not like anyone I've known, but that's the refreshing change. She speaks her mind and stands up for herself. She has a lot of spunk and frankly, I....really don't know where this might lead to, but I wish people would just stay away from my personal life. It's none of their business."
"You know that's never going to happen," interjected Gina. "You're the heart and soul of the society gossip column. Why you're the biggest catch in town. Of course people are going to be interested in who you're involved with."
"I'm not involved with Lisa," William said.
"Not yet," Gina smiled slightly. "William, if she's really that wonderful, I wouldn't be surprised if you did get involved with her, but there's one thing I have to ask you, even though you might be offended...are you are she's not after your money. That's what Catherine seems to think..."
"Catherine is just bitter that I broke up with Anne!" exclaimed William. "But if she'd only understand that my breaking up with Anne has nothing to do with Lisa. I had been struggling with that decision for sometime, but Lisa just made it easier for me. But she's not to blame for anything. And no, Lisa is not a fortune hunter. Why, she wasn't the one pursuing me, I made the first move and asked her to dinner. That's what I like about her. She doesn't seem to be throwing herself at me, like so many other women. You really ought to meet her."
"I will, and I'm sure I'll like her," smiled Gina. "Is she going to Europe with you?"
"Yes," William grinned.
"Well, good luck, then...it's your big chance to get to know her."
"Yeah, I know," William's smile widened. "I know."
"I'll be off, now," said Gina, glancing at the watch.
"How's that patient of yours?" asked William.
"Who, Janet?" Gina said. "She's doing okay, I guess, but it's really sad. She doesn't seem to be improving a whole lot. Did I tell you, Charlie visits her every day. I think he might be falling for her?"
"Is she a blue-eyed blonde?" laughed William.
"Yeah, but I think it's beyond that, it's something more," Gina said.
"Knowing Charlie, I think not. He always had a weakness for blondes."
Gina shook her head. "No, you're wrong, Will. This time it's different."
William only replied, "We'll see."
Meanwhile, in another part of town
Lisa's skin glowed and eyes sparkled due to the exercise. She had just finished jogging her customary 3 miles and returned to her apartment. Tomorrow, she'd be flying to Europe. The idea both excited her and scared her. It would be an end of a chapter. There was no going back. She would almost be sorry to leave Pemberley. She had grown find to it, and everything attached to it. It would be really hard leaving it all behind her. It would be hard leaving William behind her...William. Lisa shook her head unwilling even to think about him.
As Lisa reached to unlock her door, she found it open. Sighing, Lisa walked in and said,
"Don't you guys ever ring the bell for a change?"
The man turned around and grinned, "I did, but you weren't home."
"Bernardo," Lisa smiled, her face relaxing. "I wasn't expecting you."
"Been jogging, have you?"
"Yeah, I have to keep in shape, you know," replied Lisa as she went to her small kitchen. "Want something to drink?"
"No," he replied. Lisa came back into the room with some orange juice and sank into a chair near him.
"What's bothering you, bellezza?" Bernardo looked at her, concerned.
Lisa smiled. Bellezza. Beauty. He had always called her that and it always brought a smile to her lips. She looked at the middle-aged man facing her and remembered all that had happened, all that he'd done for her. He was perhaps her only friend, who'd stood by her for so long. She trusted him completely. He had the instincts of a killer and absolutely no mercy, but with all his faults, Bernardo was faithful. He would never break her faith in him, of that she was sure. And so, she confided in him and he helped when he could. In return, she would pick out gifts for his wife and little boys. It was a mutual friendship.
"Nothing, Nardo, nothing," said Lisa, unwilling to burden him.
"But you lie," he said. "Something is very wrong. You are very sad. What is it? Can't you tell your friend?"
"It's not that important...I'm just a little concerned about Europe."
"Well, don't be," said Bernardo reassuringly. "I spoke to Wickie yesterday and he told me all about it. That's why I'm here. He wanted me to give you the latest news. We found out that on this trip, Darcy will make many deals for his winter and spring lines. He'll get fabrics and take orders and generally, set everything up for next year. Now all you have to do is get all the information possible. Every little thing counts. You'll have to be in his confidence to find out, but you'll manage."
"Industrial espionage?"
"Yes," nodded Bernardo. "It will give us the edge and destroy Pemberley Fashions. That's what Wickie has in mind...for now."
For now. It was an ominous threat. "I see..."
"Bellezza, something is bothering you, I can see it. Did something happen with Darcy? What?"
"No, nothing," said Lisa hurriedly. She trusted him, but what would she tell him? "I just don't understand why we're doing this...?"
"I don't know," Bernardo shook his head. "I do what Wickie tells me. I don't ask questions and neither should you."
"Yeah, I know, but...Wi-Darcy isn't that bad, I just...never mind."
"Are you falling for him, bellezza?" said Bernardo softly.
"No!" she exclaimed vehemently.
"You're lying," he said with confidence. "You are an awful liar. You shouldn't try, really. I can see right through you. But it's not good, you can't get emotionally involved with him. It just won't work."
"I know," sighed Lisa as she got up and faced the window. "I know and I'm trying...really hard."
"Try harder," said Bernardo. "You can't afford to fall for him. Remember, you have no feelings."
"Yes," she murmured.
"This is not good," said Bernardo with dismay. "You're getting involved...it's not a good sign." Lisa did not reply, so he continued. "Oh, I almost forgot. You know the man who went through your apartment."
"Yes? Did you find him?"
"Yeah, we took care of him. He won't be bothering you again."
"Is he...dead?" asked Lisa softly.
"No, no, not yet," Bernardo assured her. "We just left him a little warning."
Not yet. Lisa shuddered even to think of what might happen to him. She might be a part of the Mafia, but she would never be comfortable with taking a human life, something that hardly bothered Bernardo. She had not killed anyone, and never intended to, either. It was just something, she couldn't bring herself to do. Bernardo understood that and honored her wishes. She had, therefore, never been assigned with a "hit."
"Well, I have to go," Bernardo got up. "Take care, bellezza. Be careful with your heart."
"I will," Lisa assured him as he went towards the door. "Don't worry, Nardo, I won't let you down."
He bent down and kissed her on her forehead. "You never did. Ciao, bellezza."
"Ciao, Nardo."
Lisa watched him leave and sighed. She had not lied to him. She wouldn't let him down. No matter how deeply she felt for William, she wouldn't let him or Wickie down. She wouldn't let herself become a failure. Her private feelings apart, she would do what she had to do. If it meant hurting William, she would do it. If it meant breaking her own heart, she would do it. It was a matter of duty towards Wickie. She would not become weak again. No, she would be strong and finish off the job in Europe. It had to be done. There was no choice. Falling in love would be a mistake, a very big mistake. But it'll be my favorite mistake.