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You're my blood you're my holy wine
Author's Note: This is my first attempt at fan fic, but I've been lurking for a while. The title comes from a great Joni Mitchell song. In this story, I made the Mrs. Gardiner character Lizzy's stepmother instead of aunt. I also changed Charles' name to Clay because I really don't like the name Charles.
You taste so bitter and so sweet
Oh, I could drink a case of you, darling
And I would still be on my feet
I would still be on my feet.
-"A Case of You" by Joni Mitchell
Part 1 ~ Elizabeth's Story
Chapter 1 ~ An Unexpected Meeting
It all started when I went on vacation with my dad and stepmother. Maddy heard about a charming lakeside resort from a few of her clients and simply had to see the place for herself. Dad is a Professor of English Literature and Maddy is a wedding coordinator.
Maddy has great taste; she was constantly in demand for high society and celebrity weddings. She is considering an offer to edit a Bridal Magazine. Their jobs made such vacations possible, but not frequent. Maddy is always in demand for summer weddings, Dad can never go anywhere during the school year.
I must admit that the Hotel Inn is fantastic. It is a remodeled old mansion on the edge of a large lake and surrounded by mountains. This place has everything from horse back riding to canoeing, plus an excellent restaurant. This place must be packed during ski season. I never thought that Montana was beautiful until I visited. Our plans were to go to stay at the hotel for three weeks, then fly to LA to see Maddy's brother and his family. The first two weeks of the vacation were relaxing and productive. My new novel was starting to work.
On the first day of my third week in Montana, I went to a grocery store in town for bread and a few personal items. As I was turning into another isle, I walked straight into a man, fell down and dropped everything I was carrying. The man I walked into apologized and picked up my things. The wind was knocked out of me so I didn't realize that the man was Will Darcy until he gave me his hand to help me up.
Just as Clay and Jane were getting ready to commit, Clay's boss and best friend, Will, sent Clay to New York. Clay never called Jane again. Janie was heart broken. I blamed Clay; I thought that he was just a using, unworthy little boy who played with my sister's feelings. Six moths after Clay left, through a series of odd events that resulted in Will asking me to drop my life and go to Paris with him for a month, I found out that he really loved Jane. Will had told Clay that Jane didn't love him and that getting into a marriage before he was thirty was a bad idea.
Will and I were both in San Francisco when I found out. He was visiting his family; I was visiting my friend Charlie. Charlie's husband was painting a mural in Will's aunt's hotel so Will and I were around each other often, but I didn't suspect that he had any feelings for me. When he came to my friend's house two days before we were both leaving to ask me to go to Paris with him for three months, I was shocked. I said no and accused him of deliberately sabotaging Jane's happiness and belligerently savaging my friend George Wickham's computer business. Then I yelled at him and called him several names. Will later told me that I threw a clock at him, but I don't remember that.)
I had been four months since I had seen Will, now he was standing in front of me and holding my tampons. It was an embarrassing situation.
"Hi Elizabeth."
"Hello . . . Will."
"Why are you here, in Montana I mean? I don't care why you're at the super market."
"I'm on vacation with my dad and stepmother. I need a few things."
"Ahh. I live here, in the town I mean, not the store. Actually I live about five miles outside of the town. Where are you vacationing?"
"The Lampton Inn
"That is a charming hotel. My sister and I are visiting our vacation home for the rest of the summer. We're having some guests for the weekend. Clay and his sisters are among them.
The conversation was awkward at best; it was made more awkward by the minute long pauses between each statement. A little girl was standing behind Will. She was very patient and well behaved. She tugged on Will's shorts and he introduced her.
"Elizabeth, this is my niece, Allison Darcy. Ally this is Miss Bennet."
Will went on to say that Wickham was employed and fired by Darcy Enterprises while his father was running the company. Will had nothing to do with the firing, but knew it was for petty embezzling. When Will took control of the family business after his father's death, he refused to rehire Wickham. Some years later, Wickham had an affair with Will's sister Georgiana. She was fifteen years old. When Will found out about the relationship he was furious. George left Georgiana when he found out she would not get control of her trust fund until she was thirty. He never knew that she was carrying his child. When the baby was born, Will broke a few laws. Clay knew all about it and volunteered to have his name of the birth certificate as the father of Allison Darcy. If Wickham were to ever find out about Allison, he could sue for custody and then for child support. Will was terrified of this. He adored his niece and would do anything to protect her.)
The child shyly murmured something and hid behind Will. Maddy had been looking for me and found us during a pause in the conversation. I introduced Maddy who hit it off with Will. Maddy had known Will's father. Her father was one of his lawyers. Will was polite and eventually stopped showing me excessive attention. We were invited to a party Will was having for the Fourth of July. Maddy accepted for all of us.
AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!
Why was Will being nice to me?
Why was he being so kind and charming?
Why did I have to run into him when I was buying tampons?
Part 1 ~ Elizabeth's Story
"Oh, look Lizzy, its Will," Maddy said. She had been dropping little hints about Will since we got back from the store. Maddy found him charming and wanted me to tell her more about our "relationship." Will spotted us as he was being seated; his date came with him.
"Hello Elizabeth. Hello Mrs. Bennet" he said as he shook our hands. He was as polite and human as he was that afternoon. He introduced his date, whom turned out to be his sister. Georgiana was a sweet girl, I felt sorry for her. She had so many tragedies and responsibilities in her young life. She was living in New York, with Will, and going to Columbia part time. The purpose of her life was raising Allison. This girl was twenty-one and was raising a five year old daughter. Her presence made me comfortable enough to go to Will's party the next night.
Will house was much simpler and charming than I imagined; yet was a large and beautiful enough to be owned by someone has rich as Will. The house belonged in Montana. It was a very well built log cabin. The cabin was on a secluded cranny at the edge of the same lake as the hotel. The party was surprisingly small; it was more like a barbecue with fine china.
As we walk into Will's lawn, he greeted us and introduced us to his servants and friends. I spent most of the evening talking to Will, Clay, Georgiana, and Dad and Maddy. Whenever Will and I spoke, everyone watched us. Clay's sister Caroline seemed bitter as always. She was busy ignoring my family and me most of the evening. She tried to suck up to Georgiana without acknowledging the presence of Allison. When dinner was over, we were sitting at the patio table, watching Will and Allison play in the grass when Caroline asked me if I was dating anyone.
"No."
"Really, what happened to that man you were dating the last time we saw each other?" She wasn't even trying to act. "I thought you really liked him. What was his name, George Wickham?" Caroline was looking at Will and trying to gage his jealous over me.
"Yes, that was his name, but we only went on one date. I haven't heard form him in months. He could be in Brazil for all I know." I tried to resist the temptation I felt to look and Georgiana, but I did anyway. She was obviously discombobulated. Her glass was dropped at the mention of George Wickham. I helped her clean up the broken glass. When we were done, I told her that it was almost nine o'clock and asked her if it was Allison's bedtime. Georgina left to put her daughter to bed. As she left Will smiled at me. I found myself smiling back.
As I was leaving, Will nervously asked me out on a date for then next night. I said yes. I regretted it the second I got back in my hotel room. It wasn't fair for Will. I knew he had strong feelings for me; he might even love me. I had respect for him. I liked him. I did not love him. I did not like when we first knew each other; before I knew George Wickham existed and he separated Jane and Clay.
Another problem was that I was physically attracted to him. I had always thought he was cute; now that I could look at him without thinking that he was the scum of the earth, I discovered he was gorgeous. Will was relaxed and natural. There was a remarkable difference in Will Darcy. It was like only seeing a dog at the Veterinarian's office for a year and a half, then seeing the same dog at home. At the same time, Will still seemed nervous around me. The chance meeting at the store was the first time I had seen him outside of an expensive suit. It was all so confusing. I wanted to get to know the version of Will I had met in Montana, but not lead on the Will I had known.
I prepared for the date like it was my prom. I started getting ready at noon. I did everything I could think off. I removed all excess body hair and gave myself a facial; I had even jogged that morning. By the time Will picked me up, I looked good and I had two drinks to calm down.
Part 1 ~ Elizabeth's Story
"Where are you taking me?" I asked as soon as we got to his car. I must have sounded skittish.
"I'm not kidnapping you, don't worry. I thought that you'd like to see the country. We had about two hours before it gets dark, lets make to most of it." Will smiled and looked at me from head to toe. Will has a way of checking me out without making me feel cheap. He made me feel beautiful. "You look lovely."
No one had ever told me that before. I just melted. "Thank you." I was starting to like him, not in a friendly way. I felt more for Will in the first five minutes of our date than I ever felt for the last three guys I dated. I was in trouble. Will took me up to the foothills of the mountains. He had brought a picnic basket; we sat on rocks as we ate. Will pointed out interesting features in the scenery.
"How long have you lived here?"
"My parents owned the house, so I came here every summer when I was a kid. After my dad died I stopped coming back. It was too painful for the first years. Anne doesn't like the country, so we never came here. I started coming back when the divorce was finalized."
I hadn't expected him to be so open. I didn't know what to say. "How long were you two together?" That wasn't what I should have said, but Will wasn't bothered by it.
"We were married for three years, we dated for two years before we were married."
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked."
"That's alright. I'm over Anne." Will maintained constant eye contact, no matter how personal the conversation got.
My heart was racing and I felt completely comfortable around Will at the same time. I wanted to kiss him, but I couldn't. I did the only thing I could. I changed the subject.
"This place is so wonderful. The Lampton is a wonderful hotel. I wonder why more tourists don't know about it."
"The owner can afforded to keep it secretive. Only natives know about it; I'm surprised you heard about it."
"Some of Maddy's clients had their honeymoon here. So many of her repeat clients talked about this place, she had to see if for herself. Will, is there anything you don't own?"
"The hotel is a tax write off. My dad's parents used to live there; dad had the idea to convert it into a hotel when a few guests wouldn't leave. It always scared me when I was a kid. You seem close to your step mother."
"Maddy is good for dad. He was never happy with mom. Maddy is much more down to earth. Jane and I lived with them when they were first married. Mom was off on some commune in Arizona. Jane, Lydia and I chose to live in the real world. Now that I'm an adult I think it would be fun living on a cult. Apart from the mind control and bad food.
"When Dad and Maddy got married, Jane and I just graduated High School; we accepted Maddy because she made Dad happy. It was years before we liked her in her own right. Lydia was much younger, she didn't want dad to love anyone else. She and Maddy fought constantly; Lydia finally just moved in with Mom. "
"How many years are between you and Jane."
"Two but we were in the same class. I skipped third and seventh grade."
"You're not a traumatized adult?"
"No, the high school kids were nice to me because I'm Jane's sister."
"It looks like it is going to rain. Elizabeth you're shivering. There is something else I want to show you."
We walked back to Will's car. Will pointed out the sunset as we got to the car. At that moment, I decided to stop fighting my feelings that night. Will and I are adults we should have been able to handle whatever happened.
"Isn't it beautiful?"
"Will." He turned to hear what I had to say and I kissed him. Will was surprised but he didn't seem to mind. It was about twenty minutes before we left. We drove for about half an hour; he ended up taking me to a different lake. During the drive, our conversation continued. He talked about Allison and Georgiana. He talked about Darcy Enterprises without saying the word fiscal. I told him about a short story I had published the month before.
Will had no idea how I supported myself. When we first met, I thought he would look down on a petty Romance Novelist. Now I was a little embarrassed; when guys find out what I write, they assume that I'm some sort of sex fiend
"You're a writer?" It sounded like he thought I was in the mafia before I told him.
"Yes, Will Darcy, I'm a writer. I just rarely publish under my own name."
"Why?
"I'm a Romance Novelist, okay." I got the impression that Will was fascinated.
"What's your pseudonym?"
"Jane is the only person who knows that. You'll have to know me a little longer before I tell you."
"I suppose that's fair. Here we are."
"It's a boat."
"It's a yacht."
"It's a big boat."
"Elizabeth, it has a name, it's a yacht."
"What's the name of your big boat?"
" The Pemberley. Come on."
Part 1 ~ Elizabeth's Story
"Do you ever think about living here?"
"Like I said, Anne hated it here; she needed to live in the city. My work and friends are in New York. Plus Montana winters aren't exactly mild; would you like some wine?" I said yes and Will went to go get it. Will came back with a bottle, two plastic cups, and a sweater. "Elizabeth, you looked cold."
"Thank you." Will was getting to me. I wasn't used to men being this attentive and kind. I was standing by the railing, looking at the stars. Will poured two Dixie cups of wine and brought me the sweater. In the past few days I had gone from thinking that Will was a cruel miserly jackass to thinking that Will was a gorgeous, slightly compassionate version of an Any Rand hero. I think he was nervous again; he didn't say much and moved very slowly. His arm slid around my waist. Will just held me. He didn't say anything; he didn't try to kiss me. I turned around and sat on the railing to hug him.
"Does this scare you?" I asked.
"A little. Are you afraid?"
"I'm terrified." I've spent my entire adult life avoiding this situation. I never wanted to fall in love; everyone knows that I'm far too dysfunctional to be in a healthy relationship. Will and I hated each other at first sight, what if we were right then? We are so wrong for each other. Even with all these thoughts floating through my head, I couldn't make myself pull away. At the same moment I wanted to swear that I would love him for the rest of my life and run away to Europe so I'd never see him again; I couldn't do either.
It was Will's turn to kiss me. He is a wonderful kisser. Some guys shove their tongues down a girl's throat and expect her to swept her off of her feet as she struggles to breathe. Not Will; he took his time.
"Will, it looks like it's going to rain. Lets go in."
"In a minute," he said without taking his lips off of mine.
It took more than a minute. We made it inside thirty seconds before the worst storm I've ever been through started. The thunder was loud and the lightning was close. The Pemberley was violently rocked by the wind.
"Will are we safe?" He looked at me strangely, like he was embarrassed. "I mean from the storm. The boat won't sink or anything, right?" It was clear that we weren't safe from each other.
"Yeah, we'll be fine." He sat down on the couch and continued. "The storm shouldn't last long. We should just wait it out here."
During the first date, the couple should never be confined to small places and the couple should never be alone. The first date should be constant traveling or in a crowd; the awkwardness of not knowing what to say to one another is erased because the lack of privacy. If there is no privacy, there is no chance to make out and spend the rest of the date feeling awkward and trying not to mention it.
"Elizabeth, I really like you. I should have said this when I picked you up. I'd like to consider this a second chance, but I realize that it isn't truly possible. My best option is to apologize for things that I said and did in the past, and hope you forgive me."
The fear of saying anything personal is a crowd also prevents the couple from talking about their embarrassing past.
"Will, anything that happened is as much my fault as it was yours. I believed what anyone said about you, as long as it wasn't flattering. I have practically forgotten everything that happened a few months ago. You should too"
"It's been so long since I've dated, I'm not sure how to treat a woman."
"You've done a pretty good job tonight." Will's entire face turned red; I got the impression that he couldn't say anything. "You're ears are red. That is so cute." I bent down to kiss him again.
"Liz, I can't take much more of this. If we don't stop, I won't be able to."
"That's okay Will." Will was surprised, but pleased. We walked to the master bedroom and changed our relationship forever. It was inevitable. I knew that Will felt more for me than I did for him, but I also knew that I was in the process of falling in love with him. Neither of us could admit it, it was probably for the best. The changes that soon came were easier without an acknowledged attachment to Will Darcy.
Part 1 ~ Elizabeth's Story
At eleven thirty, Will turned on the radio. The storm was worse than we had anticipated. The roads back to Lampton were flooded; there was no way we could get back, even if we wanted to. Will wasn't relaxed around me yet. He constantly asked me if I was too hot or too cold, or if I wanted something.
"Will, relax. I want to be here, with you."
Will laughed and apologized. "I feel like I'm fourteen and the girl I had a crush on came over to do homework."
"What kind of high school did you go to?"
"I actually went to an all boys high school, it was an analogy."
"Well it wasn't a good one. Should you call anyone to tell them that you won't be home?"
"I'll just wake the whole house up. I'll call in the morning if it looks like we'll be stuck here another day. Do you need to call anyone?"
"No. Maddy would have never shut up if I told her that I was going out with you, I didn't tell them I had a date with you."
We did end up spending another day on the Pemberley. That day was wonderful. I did end up calling Maddy and Dad. They hadn't noticed that I was gone. Maddy was thrilled; sometimes she was worse than my mother. At least Maddy met and like Will; she didn't blindly throw me at him because he was rich. That night, the roads were dry enough, but Will and I decided to stay another night, because it was too late to travel, really. We didn't make it back to my hotel until the next afternoon. As Will dropped me off, I asked him if he wanted to come up.
"No, Elizabeth the gossip has got to be out of control already."
"Do you care?"
"Not really, but we should."
"Bye Will," I kissed him. I almost convinced him to come up without saying a word. Will is a gentleman to a fault; he fought his instincts and stayed put.
As I was getting out of the car he asked, "Can I call you tonight?"
"Yes."
Will was right; the gossip about us was everywhere. As soon as I walked through the lobby in the same clothes I was wearing two days before, everyone stopped talking. I felt like everyone was starring at me. As I looked up, I was that they were; at least I'm not paranoid. As I was walking into my room, the phone was ringing. I got it just in time.
"Hello?"
"Lizzy, thank God I finally got a hold of you." It was Jane; she was obviously upset. "Yesterday the phones were out up there. I've been calling you and Dad for an hour. I couldn't reach him either."
"Jane is she okay, is Mom in the hospital again?"
"Yes, but that's the least of our problems. Lydia is in trouble. She was supposed to come back from Canada a week ago, but all of her friends came back without her. She called that night and told Mom that a friend invited her to stay a weeklonger. She explained that her friend was planning to drive down to North Carolina and that she would drop Lydia off on her way. Mom didn't suspect anything. Two days ago, Lydia called form Canadian Jail.
"She was very calm. She told Mom that her friend was arrested; she didn't mention that she was also arrested. Mom assumed that Lydia's friend was smuggling TV's or something innocent. When Lydia told her what her friend was arrested for, Mom started complaining of chest pains and has been hospitalized ever since."
"What was her friend arrested for?"
"Lydia said she didn't know what was going on."
"Jane What is it?"
"He robbed the hotel that they were staying at and sold stolen jewelry. The missing jewelry was in Lydia's suit case." Oh Sweet Christ, Lydia was in serious trouble.
"Was it valuable?"
"I don't know. I get the impression that it was."
"How did Lydia meet this guy anyway?"
"She knew him from home. She was with George Wickham, Lizzy." This man will never be out of my life.
"Have you talked to her?"
"Yes, but only for a few minutes. I can't go to Canada; I need to stay here with mom. We need you and Dad."
"I just got in, when's that last time you called him?"
"Right before I called you."
"Okay, I'll find him. When I do, I call you and we'll be right home. Jane what's wrong with Mom?"
"She was having chest pains, but she didn't have another attack. The doctors are running tests."
"Bye Janie, I call you really soon."
"Bye"
I got up and ran to the door. As I was opening the door, Will was about to knock. He was smiling and holding my sunglasses.
"You forgot something," he said.
"Will, I have to go find my dad. It's an emergency."
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine Will; I've just gotten some bad family news. I really gotta find
"I'll go find Mr. Bennet; what is his room number?"
"341."
In a minute, Will returned and told me that he couldn't find my dad. He picked up my telephone and had him paged. While he was waiting for the hotel to find my dad he asked:
"Can I get you anything; you look horrible . . . I'm sorry."
"It's okay Will, I know what you meant. "My youngest sister was camping with some friends in Canada. They came back a few days ago, without her. Lydia was with George Wickham. He was arrested with some stolen jewelry. They are both in Canadian Jail. We're going to have to go back as soon as possible."
Will was shocked. He was sitting close to me, but leaned, almost imperceptibly, away as soon as I said "George Wickham." I couldn't say anything else or make eye contact. Will stood up and looked like he was trying to find away to leave. Suddenly he started asking me all sorts of questions.
"Where did she try to cross the border?"
"I think by Niagara Falls; that's what her friends were planning to do."
"Has anyone in your family gone to her?"
"No, my Mom is in the hospital so she couldn't go; Jane had to stay with her. That's why it's so important that I find dad right away." I broke down crying.
Will stopped asking me questions and just stared at me. When I composed myself he said. "I'm sorry that this happened to you. I won't tell any of my friends why you left so suddenly. I think that it would be best if I left now." Then he left. He was polite, but not loving. This was the first time I ever doubted that Will liked me. I felt empty without his love. It was also the first time that I knew I love him. I was expecting it to happen, but I wasn't sure that it would.
Soon after Will left, the page found my dad. I explained what happened. Fifty thousand phone calls and several hours later and we were on a plane to New York. Dad would fly to Canada the next morning. I would go home to help Jane with mom. Maddy would stay in their home an hour outside of New York City.
Chapter 6 ~ An Unfortunate Return to the Reality
Jane volunteered to stay with mom while I went to Canada to help dad. I wanted to but mom insisted that I stay at least a week.
"Lizzy, if I die, Lydia would have wanted you to be with me."
"Lydia is more likely to die of a heart attack than you are. She is in a foreign prison."
"Canada isn't foreign, Lizzy."
"I still want to be there for Dad. He can't be expected to sort this out without any help."
"This is the least your father could do after abandoning us."
"You abandoned us! Jane and I didn't have much of a choice when you two broke up. Dad had a house in a location that the federal government recognizes as a state. You went to live in a mud hut and prayed to some guy from Connecticut. Dad took good care of us."
Mom was shocked. I was angry. Jane tried to be the peacemaker. The next few days were awful. Mom wouldn't talk to me. I was stressed out over everything and trying not to think about Will. I was staying in the house that I shared with Jane and Jane was staying with Mom. Our cousins came by everyday to help out and find out the latest gossip. We heard from dad irregularly. Everything seemed to go smoothly. He hired a good lawyer who took care of everything. Within a week, Lydia was released.
Jane thought that it would be best for me to go to New York to be with Maddy when Dad and Lydia came back. I had to get away from Mom. Maddy wasn't Lydia's favorite person. Dad married her the year after Mom had the heart attack. Jane and had just graduated from High School. Lydia was still Daddy's little girl at the time Dad got remarried and couldn't handle compromise. Mom was just getting her life in order and wanted a little girl to raise.
Lydia's only punishment was probation in America. The lawyer was able to convince the judge that George Wickham influenced her. She didn't even have to plea bargain. Not even Jane thought that the problem would be solved so easily. I thought that Dad must have spent his life savings getting Lydia out of this. I couldn't wait until I would be able to ask him about it to his face. It was all too smooth. Dad didn't have the money to get Lydia out that easily. The lawyer must have been a miracle worker.
The day before Dad and Lydia came back, I drove to Dad and Maddy's house. They had a nice house in an utterly suburban area. My happiest years were spent in this house, Jane, Lydia, Dad and I, it seemed like that was a thousand years ago. Maddy was happy to see me. She had been alone in the house for over a week. Dad and Maddy don't even have dogs. Our evening was pleasant, Maddy made us steaks for dinner and we went to a movie. That was the calm before the storm.
Chapter 7 ~ Oh Canada
Lydia freely talked about the jewelry; apparently, George had planted it on her without her knowledge. She had no idea why she was arrested until she was questioned back at the police station. Thanks to the lawyer and her own ignorance, the justice system seemed to believe her. She was let off easily but George wouldn't be out of jail for at least ten years.
Lydia was a little more respectful to Maddy. Maddy had defended her when Dad said something about Lydia's lack of intelligence. Maddy said knew that Dad gets cranky when he has to deal with officials, but that was no reason to take it out on Lydia. Dad actually apologized to Lydia and the comment was forgotten. Dad looked very tired, like he had spent a day with Lydia. He was happy to be home. He didn't say anything about Canada. That night we all went to bed early and didn't acknowledge that anything was wrong.
When I was in bed I decided to call Jane and tell her what happened. I picked up the phone and heard my dad talking to some guy. I had heard the phone ringing half an hour before, but someone else answered it. I assumed they'd be off by now.
"I'll repay you as soon as I can," my dad was saying.
"Don't worry about it, Ed. I explained that to you . . ." I hung up as soon as I recognized the voice. It was Will Darcy. I was sure. Later that night, I checked the Caller ID. DARCY, FITZWILL had called. Why? What on earth could Will have to say to Dad? If he knew where Dad and Maddy lived, he could have figured out where I live. I wanted to ask Maddy, but thought that it wouldn't be a good idea. She already suspected that Will and I were together; I didn't want to give her any more reasons to be suspicious. I wrote down Will's phone number. The next day I drilled Lydia for information.
"Lydia, can I ask you something?" I asked her as soon as we were alone the next day. "You're so lucky. How on earth did you get off that easily?"
"I'm innocent." Bless her ignorant heart; she believed it was that simple.
"I know that Lydia, but you were caught trying to carry a large amount of stolen property and you were traveling with a convicted felon over an international border. Do you know how much trouble you could have been in."?
"Yes. I guess I'm just lucky that Daddy's friend knew that lawyer."
Oh, no. "Which friend was that?"
"Fitzwilliam Darcy. He was Jane's ex-boyfriend's boss. Small world huh?"
"Yeah." What!
"He told dad about the lawyer, her name was Anna de Some French Name I'll Never Be Able to pronounce. She's Darcy's cousin. She's an expert international law, or something. I wasn't really paying attention. I don't want to think about jail anymore, can we talk about something else?"
"Whatever Lyd."
Why did Will help my family out? I wanted to think that he did it for me, but I didn't think that it was likely. Will couldn't wait to get away from me the last time we saw each other. My only option was to ask Maddy. Dad would have been my first choice, but considering that Will and I had a thing (relationship, affair, I have no idea) Dad might be a little uncomfortable.
I drove to Maddy's office that afternoon. Her waiting room is a nightmare. She only has bridal magazines. I was sitting next to a girl who was, maybe, a year older than Lydia. The girl was obviously rich. She was on her cell phone arguing with her father about how many horses she could have pulling her bridal carriage.
Maddy soon came out of her office.
"Cynthia, I'm sorry I need to speak to my step-daughter. We're having a slight family situation. I'll be with you in about ten minutes." We sat down on a couch in her office and she asked me what was wrong.
"I had an interesting conversation with Lydia this morning. I need to know why Will Darcy was in Canada with Dad."
"You really don't know?" Maddy was stunned. "I thought you two were," she paused as if she was searching her vocabulary for the right word, "close. I was sworn to secrecy by Will and your father, I think that you have a right to know.
"The night we got back from Montana, Will called our house. I answered the phone and I assumed that he was looking for you. I was a little surprised when he asked to speak to your father. Will and Ed talked for an hour. When he got off the phone, Ed said that Will had given him the name of a lawyer in Canada who could help. Ed left as was planned the next day.
"When Ed called me the next day, he simply told me that everything was going well. The lawyer knew what he was doing. Everyone thought that Lydia would be out in two weeks. Two days later, Ed told me that Will and his cousin Anna were with him. It seems Anna is also a lawyer. She knew a few tricks to make Wickham confess that he had planted the stolen property on her. Everything worked out so well, your father was shocked. Lydia got out on probation and Wickham got a reduced sentence."
"Why did Will do this?" I didn't think before I spoke and I instantly regretted it.
"Well he said that he knew that Wickham was not to be trusted. It seems the two of them have a bad history. Will said that he didn't want Wickham to try to blackmail the Darcy Family. I think his motives might have been a little more personal.
"Lizzy, Will is great. You know I couldn't love you more if you were my own daughter. If you have someone else do your wedding I will be hurt."
"Maddy you're over estimating Will and I."
"Elizabeth, I've seen the way he looks at you and you did spent one day and two nights all alone on his boat."
I could feel my whole head turn red. "That was a long time ago."
"It was three weeks."
"A lot can happen in three weeks; a lot has happened in the last three weeks."
"Maybe the next three weeks will be just as eventful."
Chapter 8 ~ There is a Good Reason You Can't go Home Again.
I came to the realization that my life must be angst-ridden at all times. This is why I fell in love with Will. Even if we were together, we'd have so many struggles. Our worlds are completely different. He has so much money and a completely different lifestyle. I wanted to be with him anyway. To relieve my angst, I indulged in a lot of banal comfort food.
It was the fourth week that was eventful. I finished the first draft. I sent it off to my agent and gave a copy to Jane. I always let her read whatever I wrote when I sent it off to my agent. Jane always had a few suggestions that no one in the literary world could think of. She was always a little embarrassed when she read Romance Novels that I wrote.
Jane loved the new novel. The first thing she told me was that I should publish it under my real name.
"It hasn't been accepted yet."
"Lizzy, it will be. I think that Oprah will like it; maybe it'll be one of her books of the month."
Jane is so optimistic, sometimes there is no use arguing with her, "Thanks honey, can you think of a title?"
"No, but I will. I'm really proud of you."
We were interrupted by a phone call. Mom called to tell Jane the Clay Bingley had just called her to ask for Jane's new number. Clay was back in town. Jane was obviously hurt by Clay's sudden disappearance, but she still had feelings for him. My sister was disturbed by whatever mother said to her. Jane asked to be alone for a while. I respected her wishes and went to sit outside.
This was a strange development, I wondered if Will had anything to do with it. I was thinking about Will very often. There were so many questions I had. I did not think that he cared for me any more. I had no idea why he went to Canada, or if he had bought Clay back into Jane's life. I wondered about this as I jogged one afternoon.
"Jane, I hate this neighborhood," I yelled as I came up the stairs. "Kids are running wild in the streets and no one knows how to @#$%ing drive!"
I opened the front door and tripped over an unusually large pile of shoes-men's shoes-Clay Bingley and Will Darcy's shoes. It made sense that their shoes were by the door because they were sitting on the couch. I had just come back from a jog and I looked horrible and sweaty. My long hair was wet and plastered to my head and I was wearing an unflattering sweat suit.
There was so much I wanted to say so much to Will but couldn't in front of other people. He avoided looking at me and didn't say anything except "hello" after I came into the room. I remained in the living room until they left, just in case Will wanted to talk.
After they left, I thought about how Will and I always met unexpectedly and in awkward situations. The first time we met, I heard him say something about how I wasn't attractive. The next time we met was in San Francisco, he had just had lunch with his ex-wife and was very upset. When we met in Montana I was buying tampons and he smelled like fish. Now I came in looking wretched and tripping on his shoes as I walked in while he was sitting in my living room. Now that I thought about it, I had never used those tampons I bought in Montana! That was seven weeks before; I had to go to the drug store.
Chapter 9 ~ Motherhood, pray (meditate or do whatever you're religion calls for) for this poor Child
I spent that night completely freaking out while I assured myself that I wouldn't freak out until I knew if I was pregnant or not. I didn't know what to think. I had no other symptoms. I didn't have morning sickness, or weight gain. That morning I didn't get to sleep until three in the morning and woke up and six. At six thirty I had purchased three pregnancy tests. At seven o'clock the three leading brand home pregnancy test were positive.
I called my doctor to schedule an appointment. I knew that I had to tell Will sometime, but I wanted to have scientific proof that I was having his child before I told him. Our relationship, if I could call it that, was complicated. Seven weeks before Will was attentive and in full courtship mode, the afternoon before I suspected I was pregnant he wouldn't make eye contact with me. That wasn't a good sign.
How will Will react? In the least, he will willingly pay child support. I know that Will respects his family name too much to have a child raised in less than comfortable conditions. The most Will can do is marry me, considering his recent reaction to me, this is unlikely. What if Will wants the baby and not me? He could sue for soul custody and win. I would be jealous of my own child, but I might not see it
My doctor's appointment was for a week later. I wish that it were sooner. I was afraid and wanted to know so I could get it over with. I couldn't tell Jane. I knew that Jane would start dating Clay again. If she knew that I was pregnant and Will was the father, Jane would be put in an awkward position.
Jane indeed started dating Clay again. That Friday Jane and Clay had a date. I played the part of the supportive, dateless sister/friend very well. I answered the door and talked to him while Jane was getting ready.
"Where are you staying?"
"The company is paying for a hotel room. I'm not sure how much longer I'll be here. I'm expecting a transfer to the city I'd like to know where I'm living before I buy a home?"
"That's probably a good idea. Is Will still in the area?"
"Will went back to the city. He wasn't sure when he'd come back to New Jersey."
I have no idea what Will told Clay about what happened in Montana. He could very well know more than I did. On the other hand, he could have the mistaken impression that Will and I had a serious relationship. We were alone on a boat for over twenty-four hours. If he loved me, Will probably wouldn't have told Clay. Will doesn't share his feeling when he doesn't have too.
Why was my life so complicated?
Clay and Jane went on their date and I was alone. With Will out of the state, I could relax until I went to the doctor in a few days. The Doctors visit was what I expected. She took a pregnancy test (which was positive), gave me some vitamins, and recommended an Obstetrician. The only thing left to do was to tell Will.
Chapter 10 ~ A Novel Experience
As a woman answered I reminded myself to be calm.
"Hello, Darcy residence this is Mrs. Reynolds speaking.
"Hi, this is Elizabeth Bennet, I would like to speak to Will Darcy."
"Who? Oh, Mr. Darcy. I'm sorry he's not home from the office yet, may I take a message."
"Yes," I was relieved; I'd rater not hear his voice. "Could you please tell him that Elizabeth Bennet is coming to New York tomorrow. I need to speak to him." I gave him the address and phone number of the hotel that I was staying at. I couldn't turn back now.
When I got to the hotel, there was a message from Will waiting for me.
Welcome to New York. I will be at the office until eight tonight. The phone number is 876-5309. Please call me whenever it is convenient for you. If you don't have plans for dinner, please join me. Will
It was eleven thirty when I checked in. I had a meeting with my agent at one. My bags sat on my bed I couldn't think of unpacking. I took a long shower to wash away the stress. I wanted to call Will, but thought that it would be better for my meeting if I devoted my attention to the novel.
The novel would have made me just nervous as Will Darcy, anyway. It was the first thing that I wrote that had a part of my soul in it. The story was about a rich family moving to a small town on the east coast. The narration switched between the son of the rich family to the daughter of a poor family from the town. The rich family brought money to the small town but changed the social structure. The girl's mother works in the boy's house, so the narrators know each other well. Years later the narrators fall in love. Their relationship is changed when the girl's mother is raped by the rich boy's father. During the trial, they try to have a relationship, but it doesn't work out. The bulk of the plot deals with the difference in the point of views.
I had the story in my head for many years and fragments of it scattered all over the country. It had finally shaped up and poured out of me. For years I had been shifting the time of the story from the 1930's to the 1960's and to every decade in between. I finally resolved to set it in the 1970's and used the women's movement as a backdrop. The plot required a lot of research. The only thing left to do was secure the approval of my agent and hope my publisher didn't laugh at me.
I met my agent, Shelia, in a restaurant. She was waiting for me when I walked in. She had told me years before that she always arrived fifteen minutes early to intimidate the people she was meeting.
Shelia was an interesting woman. I had no idea where she came from. She could be a long lost member of the English Royal Family or she could have worked in a gas station in Louisiana until she was thirty.
"Eliza Rose Lucas, you have been holding out on me. I had no idea you could write this literature stuff, too. I was blown away by the new book." She said to me as I sat down.
"Thanks Sheila. Now what do you really think."
"It's your best work yet. I was expecting another bodice ripper. It needs a bit of a polishing here and there. I think you should wait until the second draft until you send it to the publisher. Now don't take it personally, you know that I used to be an editor, I know what they want."
"Do you think that they'll except it?"
"I'm not sure. It is a bit highbrow compared to the stuff they usually publish. Luckily, Ember Books bought the house. They will probably be interested in it; it's a solid work and they own your contract, they have every reason to take it. I know the owner, if it gets desperate, I can always threaten him."
"I feel so much better."
"Not that the meeting is over, Liz, do you think that you'll ever write anymore Romance Novels."
"I don't know. This novel is the first thing that I have been proud of."
"You're so good at the Romance Novels, honey. I've met every great writer of this generation and whenever my friends introduce me they say that I'm Eliza Rose Lucas's agent."
"Then you need new friends. I'd much rather have literary merit."
"Honey, you can convince old housewives that men can be mysterious after they've been married to truck drivers and carpenters for thirty five years. That is as much merit as there is. You are a genius."
"I grew up reading literature. I thought that I'd write serious books. What I write about isn't possible. I feel like I'm giving people a fantasy that real life will never be able to well, live up to."
"Lizzy, you need a man, what are you doing for dinner."
"A man is the last thing that I need now. I think I have plans for dinner. I need to call a friend."
"Lizzy, I think that you wrote the way you did to combat your own romantic frustrations. I have a nephew that is perfect for you. He's thirty six, he's divorced . . . "
"Sheila, no. My life is insanely complicated. Once I get it sorted I swear I'll explain it to you, but just believe me."
Sheila didn't mention anything about setting me up for the rest of the afternoon. I returned to my hotel room to call Will Darcy and seal my fate.
To be continued in A Case of You Part 2 The Omnipotent Years
Posted on Monday, 9 July 2001, at 11:41 p.m.
I met a woman
Chapter 1
Fitzwilliam Darcy terrified most of his employees. His secretary, Miranda Walker, had grown used to him and gained his respect by not cowering in the corner whenever she was given a job. In the last few months, Darcy had become much friendlier. Mr. Darcy acknowledged that she was there most mornings.
At two fourteen in the afternoon, Elizabeth Bennet called Fitzwilliam Darcy's office. Darcy had been trying to read a report from one of his lawyers. He found it incredibly difficult to think about anything. He had too much to worry about.
Darcy Enterprises was a family run company; his father considerably increased the net worth of the company. Fitzwilliam realized that he could no longer run the company by himself. When he returned from Canada after rescuing Elizabeth Bennet's sister, he realized how much the business suffered in his absence. He had spent the last few weeks sorting out an arrangement that would lessen his role in the company. He must be careful, he was dealing out a lot of power and he did not want to make the mistake his father made when he trusted George Wickham.
His feelings for Elizabeth had not changed since the day he asked her to go to Paris with him. When he received her message the day before, he became a new person. Elizabeth did not specifically say why she needed to contact him. He was very nervous and determined to try to win Elizabeth again. His nervousness increased when he heard Miss Walker say the name "Elizabeth Bennet." He took a deep breath and picked up his phone.
"Hello Elizabeth, how are you?"
"I'm good Will, how are you?"
"Good. So how long have you been in the city?"
"I arrived this morning. I just had a meeting with my editor, then I called you."
"Oh." Neither of them was sure what to say. After weeks of thinking about it, Elizabeth thought it would be better to tell him that she was pregnant in person. It was too personal to say over the phone. He needed to find out privately, in case his reaction was unpleasant. Elizabeth wanted to tell him before dinner so he could think about the situation before they made decisions that would rule three peoples' lives and effect so many more.
Will never knew what to say to Elizabeth; it was one of the reasons he was attracted to her in the first place. "So have you made any dinner plans?" Will continued after a lengthy pause.
"No. I left it open."
"Great, what kind of restaurant would you like to go to?"
"Will, I really need to tell you something important; I think I should tell you face to face and in private. Are you terribly busy right now?"
"No, no, not terribly"
"Do you think that you could skip out of work for a few hours?"
"I guess."
"Okay," Elizabeth was relieved and nervous at the same time. "Do you know a good place to meet?"
"Yeah, lets just meet in front of my office building. We can go for a walk or something." Fitzwilliam gave Elizabeth directions. If she left her hotel right away she would be there in twenty minutes. Will would be waiting for her.
"Miss Walker, I'll be stepping out for a while. I shouldn't be more than an hour or two. Tell anyone who calls that I'm at a meeting or something." When Darcy said this he gave his secretary her second heart attack of the day. She knew that her boss's strange behavior had something to do with this Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Miranda Walker dreaded the coming weeks. She knew that practically every woman in the office would be coming to her to ask what was happening with Mr. Darcy.
Mr. Darcy's face lit up as he was leaving the office. He had not dated much during the years after of his divorce. According to office gossip, his divorce had been difficult. Of course, Mr. Darcy did not discuss his personal life with any of his employees so they naturally assumed the worst.
Darcy honestly had no idea what to expect from Elizabeth. After the fight they had after he asked her to go to Paris for a month, he trained himself to expect the worst outcome possible when it came to Elizabeth Bennet. After the complete rejection, Darcy was devastated. He ended up cutting his trip to Europe short. Darcy went to Montana. The lake in Montana was the only place he could truly relax. He had spent two weeks alone with Ally before he met Elizabeth.
Allison Darcy was his daughter in every sense except the biological. When Georgiana told him that she was pregnant with Wickham's child, he became sick to his stomach. He expected the child to be pure evil, like it's father. Georgiana chose to keep the child so he supported his decision. He did every thing in his power to ensure that the child has as normal life as possible, weather it was legal or not. He was reluctant to see Allison when she was first born. Darcy feared that his niece would be more like her father than her mother, but when Fitzwilliam met his day old niece, he fell in love instantly.
Anne, his wife, did not understand. She was from old money and therefore high society. She had a difficult time marrying Fitzwilliam because his father was self-made; his mother's strong heritage and the Darcy fortune helped her convince her family that it was a good match. Anne believed that Fitzwilliam should socially disown Georgiana and the child, but financially support them. The Darcy's marriage was crumbling before Allison was born; it was doomed when she was alive.
Darcy was devastated by the divorce. He had put all of his faith into his marriage and was forced to sit back while it crumbled. He was naturally a reserved man; the divorce caused him to totally withdraw from society. Darcy was always slightly suspicious that Anne married him for his money. In the final days of his marriage, he was certain that she had. He became suspicious of all women from that point and remained so until he fell in love with Elizabeth.
Will was standing in front of a sign that said "Darcy Enterprises" when he saw Elizabeth. She was as beautiful as ever. He watched her for a few moments before he waved to her. Will smiled 'at her and had to restrain himself from hugging her.
"Hi Will." Elizabeth began as if she were negotiating a contract. "I have something important to tell you."
"I should tell you something, too." Will needed to tell her how he felt to clear up any confusion. "I want to . . . I'd like." They were standing in the middle of a busy sidewalk. "Let's walk."
"I think we should sit down."
"Would you like to go to my office?"
"No!"
" Okay, there's a coffee house down the block, or there's bound to be a bench somewhere." Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam began their walk down the street. Elizabeth thought that she had been too hasty by refusing to go to his office, but then he would have the home court advantage. On the other hand, it seemed heartless to tell the man that he was going to be a father in the middle of the street.
Will attempted to engage in small talk while they were searching for a place to talk. He could not get Elizabeth to say more than a few words until he laughed softly.
As the approached an empty and relatively clean bench, she asked, "What's funny?"
"Our situations are reversed. You're usually the one talking."
"Will, I'm pregnant." Darcy was obviously shocked. The only thing Elizabeth could do was continue. "It was about nine weeks ago when we were on your boat. I found out after you left New Jersey and came to the city to tell you. I'm going to have the child, and be drugged out of my mind during labor. I'd like to discuss the other decisions with you whenever you're ready to. As I was thinking about what to tell you, I thought that it would fair if you had a little time to think about it before we came to any big decisions." When she finished she got up to leave, "I'll be staying at the hotel for another week. I'll give you my home number before I leave."
Will sat on the bench, completely dazed. As Elizabeth started to move he snapped out of it and grabbed her hand to prevent her from going any father. "Wait, Liz. I don't need to think. I'm ready to discuss it now."
Part 2, Chapter 2
"I will raise this child, no matter what else happens. I want . . ." Will trailed off. He had been staring at the floor of the cab. He hoped Elizabeth would want him, but he did not think that he would be so lucky. "If I had my way, I'd be in both of your lives. The baby doesn't have a choice, you do. Elizabeth, can we try to have a relationship: if not for us, for the sake of the child." Darcy paused before he offered his feelings. "I still love you. We had a few great days. Please give me another chance to . . . be . . . something."
"Yeah Will," Elizabeth said as she grabbed his neck and gave him a tight hug. "I love you too." Elizabeth had a death grip around his shoulders. The only thing for him to do was rub her back.
They had nowhere to go. Will could not tear himself away from Elizabeth to go back to work. Will eventually took Elizabeth to a park. Neither was particularly articulate that afternoon. They did not discuss the undying love they shared or the stock market. Darcy and Elizabeth were just two people, becoming friends.
They eventually talked about what went wrong in their relationship when Elizabeth said something about how she thought Will stopped caring for her when she left Montana. That was why she was so nervous about telling Will about the baby.
"Elizabeth, what did I ever do to make you think that I didn't care about you?"
"I thought you wanted nothing to do with me when my sister was arrested. Thank you for what you did for her." Will was obviously surprised. "I harassed Maddy until she told me, don't blame her."
"I always wanted to be with you. I thought that you wanted to be alone, the last time we were together."
"I was embarrassed by what Lydia did. I thought that you were going to back off because I have a felon in my immediate family. When I saw you in New Jersey, I thought that you were avoiding me."
"I was."
"Hey!"
"I didn't want to be around you, if I couldn't be with you, Elizabeth. I didn't want to force anything. I was afraid that you regretted what happened on the boat. There was this woman who told me that she'd 'rather gouge my eyes out with a rusty ice pick' than be my girlfriend. I was afraid that she'd feel the same way."
"Oh, Will. I didn't regret what happened on the boat for a second."
"I've also had a lot of work problems. I'm arranging to take a less time consuming role in Darcy Enterprises. When Dad died, our business was much smaller than it is now. It's too big for one man to run now. It will be putting a lot of work into the business now. I need to get back to work so we can be together tonight."
"Do you still have the address and phone number of my hotel?"
"Yes."
"Great, call me when you get home. I want you to think about us, if we're going to move in together right away, or if we want to ease into our relationship, that kind of thing. Then we can talk about where we'll raise the baby. Will, I can take my work anywhere, so we'll have one less thing to fight about." Elizabeth hugged him goodbye and asked. "Do you know where I can get a word processor?"
"I'll send something to your hotel. I love you."
"I love you, too."
Elizabeth and Will took separate cabs back to their respective destinations. They were both shocked that their days were as satisfying and eventful as they were. As soon as Will got to his office he sent Elizabeth a laptop and some daisies with a card that said "My Mother always told my that it was rude to send a lady office equipment, so I sent flowers too." He then made dinner plans and went back to work. He was so busy; he nearly forgot to send Miss Walker to the bank.
Part 2, Chapter 3
As much as Elizabeth wanted to rush into the relationship, she knew that they had to sort some things out. She did not want to go through the post-Montana angst again. There was so much to talk about. Elizabeth had never planned on having a baby, or a long-term relationship. Now she was going to have both. As terrified to the core of her soul as she was, Elizabeth wanted them both.
It was unlikely that Will would agree with her on anything when in came to the baby. She could not let her child be raised like Will was. The boarding schools and debutant balls had rotted his brain. He had no social skills and a lot of money. It was a lethal combination.
The laptop that Will had sent was top of the line, but it was useless. The disks that her manuscript was on were in New Jersey. Elizabeth would have to call Jane and have her send them. Her family would have to hear about everything. Elizabeth was not looking forward to telling her family about Will and the baby.
Will called at 7:15.
"Do you want to go to a restaurant or come to my house for dinner?"
"I'm nowhere near ready and I'm hungry now. I'd rather go to your house."
"Okay, if I leave now, I can pick you up in about half an hour."
"I'll just take a cab. If you come to pick me up, it will just be twice as long until we eat?"
"I'd feel safer if I picked you up."
"It's logical for me to take a cab; don't worry I'll be fine. I'll take my cell and I promise I'll call you the first sign of a pothole."
Darcy knew better than to argue with Elizabeth about something so trivial. Elizabeth could take care of herself. Besides, this way he would have time to shower and change. Before he went upstairs to clean himself, he checked on Mrs. Reynolds in the kitchen.
Darcy could not believe how lucky this day had been. Twenty-four hours before, he was a nervous wreck. Elizabeth's phone call had flooded his life with all of the emotions that he was trying so hard to repress. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that fatherhood suited him.
He wanted to raise the baby in this house. Will had grown up in New York so he was not afraid of the city. Allison spent most of her life in this house. She seemed to be emotionally healthy, for a five year old. Will wanted Elizabeth to move in with him.
As he passed his dresser he looked at the ring box. When Will got back from the park, he sent Miss Walker to his bank to pick up his mother's engagement ring from a safety deposit box. Will eventually hoped to convince Elizabeth to marry him. He was too nervous to ask her tonight.
After Will's shower, he went downstairs to find Elizabeth waiting for him.
"I'm here and in one piece. I survived the cab ride," said Elizabeth.
"So I see." Will bent down to hug her. Elizabeth was overwhelmed by Will's smell.
"Mrs. Reynolds, this is my friend Miss Bennet. Elizabeth, this is my housekeeper, Mrs. Reynolds.
The women exchanged pleasantries while Mrs. Reynolds lead them to the dinning room.
"Friend?" Elizabeth questioned as soon as Mrs. Reynolds left.
"Would you prefer mistress?"
"Is that what I am? Interesting. Does that mean that I have to walk around you house in lingerie all day and make you martinis? Did you make dinner?"
"Technically, if I'm lucky, and no. Would you like a glass of wine?"
"No thank you."
"It's safe for the baby. Georgie's doctor recommended it."
"I still don't want any, maybe later."
"How was your meeting today?"
"It was better than I expected. Sheila, my agent, really liked the new book. She thinks that the publisher might be a little reluctant. It's a lot heavier than my other novels."
"What is it about?"
Elizabeth described the basic plot. "Jane and Shelia think that the story is good, I just need to work on developing the main male character. I wrote a lot of it while we weren't around each other, so the relationship stuff is angst ridden and from a female perspective. I really don't know what men think, it will have to be a stretch. I'll let you read it when I'm through with the second draft."
Elizabeth never let anyone read her work between drafts. She did not think that it was fair to the novel to let people see it when it was unstable.
"I'd like that," Will was truly touched by Elizabeth offering any piece of herself.
"Have you thought about what you want to do about the baby or us?"
"Yeah. I want you to move in with me and I want us raise the baby in this house, or at least stay with me for the rest of your visit. I know that it might seem a little too hasty, but we have known each other for over a year. That is enough time to know each other, even if we weren't in a relationship."
"Okay Will."
"What do you mean?" Will had not expected her to agree so quickly. He thought that he would have to beg her.
"I'll stay with you for the rest of my visit, if we haven't killed each other at the end of three weeks, I'll consider making it permanent."
Having settled everything that needed settling that night, Will gave Elizabeth a tour of his home. Elizabeth knew that Will was rich, but she was not sure exactly how much money he had. He owned a house in New York City. Elizabeth knew that it must be worth millions of dollars.
They eventually found themselves watching television in the living room. Elizabeth dosed off with her head on Will's lap while he played with her hair. In twenty-four hours, their lives have gone from zero to mach 5. Neither knew quite how to handle themselves.
The door swung open and a voice cried. "William, Ally threw up on the cab ride home. I told her that she could sleep in here. Leave." It was Georgiana. Will had told her nothing about Elizabeth Bennet. Georgiana was in no way prepared to wake her up so Ally could watch TV while she puked. "I'm so sorry Will, I didn't know you had a . . . guest."
"That's alright," Elizabeth said as she sat up. "I was just about to ask you brother for a ride back to my hotel.
"You were?" Will asked, sounding upset and surprised."
"Hi Georgiana, I'm Elizabeth Bennet, we met in Montana a few months ago."
"Hello, it's nice to see you again." She was confused, but tried to hide it. "William, go tip the driver. How long have you been in New York, Elizabeth?"
"I just got in today." Within seconds Will was outside, apologizing to an irate cab driver while the women continued their conversation. "How is your daughter, is she carsick or does she have the flu?"
"She's never been carsick before so I think she has the flu."
"Where is she now?"
"She's sitting in the foyer. I'll get the room situated before I bring her in."
"Is there anything I can do?"
Georgiana was surprised again, "sure, can you go to the kitchen and ask Mrs. Reynolds to get some Sprite and saltines. If she's not there the Sprite is in the fridge and the saltines are in the Lazy Susan."
When Will came back, neither Elizabeth nor Georgiana were in the living room.
"Will, I have no idea how your sister does it. I'm so over my head. I'll be glad to have Georgiana around when the baby shows up."
"Why are you going back to the hotel?"
"Will, your sister and your servants have got to be curious about why I'm here. I think it would be better if they thought we eased into the relationship a little. I didn't think you'd want to advertise the fact that you knocked me up on our first date and we're shacking up."
"You didn't get knocked up till our second date."
"You're not funny, Will, but you are getting better. I just want people to accept the baby and I." Will could not break her logic, as much as he wished he could.
Seeing his disappointment, Elizabeth smiled and said, "That doesn't mean that you can't stay with me in the hotel."
Part 2, Chapter 4
Elizabeth slowly started to spend more and more time with Will. She moved her things to Will's house over then next week, but did not check out of her hotel for a while. Elizabeth told Sheila that she was moving in with a guy and gave her the phone number, but she did not dare telling her agent who the guy was. Will fully explained the situation to Georgiana who was incredibly supportive. She moved herself and Allison to the third floor to give the couple privacy and took her daughter to visit various relatives on the weekends.
Will also explained the situation to his housekeeper, Mrs. Reynolds. Mrs. Reynolds started working for the Darcys when Mrs. Darcy died. Fitzwilliam was a teenager and Georgiana was five. She maintained a professional relationship with the family, but they were her favorite employers. Mrs. Reynolds disliked Anne Darcy. She had seen too many gold diggers going after the Darcys. When Fitzwilliam Darcy told her that Miss Bennet was planning on moving in with them and there would be a baby, she was highly suspicious. Being a professional, Mrs. Reynolds put her feeling behind her and instructed the staff to remain silent about the situation.
On their second weekend, Will gave the entire staff the weekend off. He wanted to ask Elizabeth to marry him. He was positive that she would say no, but wanted to open the topic for further discussion.
Elizabeth was half done with the second draft of her novel, so Will took her out to celebrate on Friday night. He loved showing Elizabeth his favorite places. Business colleges were always trying to impress him by scheduling meetings in exotic places so Will knew the city better than the average billionaire.
Will took Elizabeth to an Off Broadway play that he thought she would like and to an Italian Restaurant he had been to several times. When they got back home, Elizabeth was very talkative.
"I haven't told anyone about us," she said.
"I know."
"It will shock my whole family."
"Probably so. My family and friends will be shocked too."
"Are you nervous about introducing me to them?"
"No. I'm nervous about introducing them to you. I wasn't a nice person until you told me you'd rather gouge your eyes out with a rusty ice pick than date me. My friends reflect who I was a year ago; I wish you'd forget who I was then." Elizabeth was not herself. She was so worried and pensive. "Why are you worried about this?"
"Our kid is going to grow up insanely rich and be a part of your world when she grows up. I'm worried about what the baby's life will be like."
Will could not think of anything to say so he just held her. "Elizabeth, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me. I don't know what I would do with myself if I didn't have you."
Elizabeth made a noise that was between a squeal and a moan. "Thank you."
They went to their bedroom. Before they went to sleep, hours later, Will started a conversation. "Elizabeth, when will you tell me what you pseudonym is?"
"You still want to know that?"
"Yeah."
"Very well. Eliza Rose Lucas."
"Hmm. I've never heard of you."
"That's good. A lot of it is pretty bad."
"What do you want from our relationship?"
"I've never really thought about it. I like it now. What do you want?"
"I'm happy too, what would you say if I asked you to marry me?"
"What would I do if you asked me to marry you? I'd freak out and say that marriage is a tool the man uses to bring us down and control what products we buy."
"That's not the reaction I hoped for." They both felt uncomfortable and pretended to go to sleep. When Elizabeth woke up in the morning, Will was not in bed. He usual stayed in the bedroom until she woke up. They would talk or have breakfast in bed before they made plans for the day.
Elizabeth threw some clothes on and went on search for Will. She looked in nearly every room in the house before she found him sitting in the library. He was reading Summer Bliss by Eliza Rose Lucas.
"Will where did you get that?"
"It's Georgie's." Will looked up at her and smiled. Elizabeth thought that Will would tease her about the novel. The look in his eyes suggested that he had a very different reaction to his girlfriend's work. "I had no idea you were so imaginative." He read a particularly steamy passage out loud and laughed when Elizabeth turned purple.
"Do you see why I was reluctant to tell the guys I used to date what I did for a living?"
"No. Believe me, you would have been much more popular if you were open about your secret life."
"It's not a secret life. It's fun and it pays the bills."
"How many books has Eliza Rose Lucas written?"
"Three."
"Georgie has two, it looks like I'll have an interesting few days."
"You're really enjoying this aren't you?"
"Yeah, yeah I am."
"I came to apologize about last night." Will's face became much more serious. "You know that I run away from anything adult and you just sprung it on me, I over reacted. I'm sorry."
"It's alright, you don't want to marry me; that's not your fault."
"Will I don't want to marry anyone. It's not you."
"Alright."
"Wait. How important is it for the baby to be legitimate?"
"I don't know," Will was surprised by the shift in conversation. "It's not that important," he said thinking of Ally.
"Then why are you so eager to get married?"
"It feels . . ."
"Honey, that was a rhetorical question. Our relationship is great as it is. It's certainly the best relationship I've ever been in. You were married before and it didn't work. I wasn't made to be a wife. Logically, if we get married because of the baby, then we have to stay married because of the kid. We'd eventually grow to hate each other and use our child to hurt each other. My parents did."
Will opened his arms and enveloped her in a hug. His hands found the back of her neck and lifted her head until it met
"I would never do that to you and the baby."
"Thanks. Why do you want to marry me anyway?"
"I just love you and I think we could make it work."
"I spent a long time thinking about what to say. You erase hours of logic by liquefying my heart with one sentence. That's really annoying."
"I've been told that I have that effect on women."
"Maybe we'll be ready to get married in a few years, but it's not right for me now. For, Christ's sake Will, we haven't even had a fight yet. We might kill each other over the toilet seat."
"Alright." As Will hugged his girlfriend he thought about the first time me met her
Part 2, Chapter 5 ~ Flashback
Fitzwilliam really knew that something was up when Clay would not shut up about this girl he had been dating's little sister. Clay should have known better that to set Darcy up with any woman, let alone a woman as crazy as Darcy himself. Darcy despised being set up with women. After his divorce he had been subjected to more awkward social situations that anyone should have to bear. All of his friends and most of his family thought they knew a woman who was perfect for Darcy, but none of them actually did. Darcy felt betrayed when Clay joined the horde determined to find him a date. Nonetheless, Darcy accepted the offered date when Clay made it seem like a personal favor.
Darcy's only condition was that Clay and Jane would come along to eliminate a bit of the awkwardness. It would also give him a chance to see what kind of woman Jane Bennet was. Little did he know that Jane was having just as much difficulty getting Elizabeth to agree to the date. Elizabeth also demanded that Jane a Clay come and that they go to a bar because it would be easy to separate if the date was going badly.
When Fitzwilliam Darcy enter the bar and saw Clay sitting at a booth with a gorgeous blonde woman, he thought that his luck had finally turned. Then he realized that the woman was Jane because Clay put his arm around her and kissed her when he thought no one was looking.
"Get a room Clay."
Clay blushed and apologized as Darcy sat down. "This is Jane Bennet, my girlfriend. Jane, this is my friend Fitzwilliam Darcy."
"Hello. Clay has told me so much about you."
"I can't say the same. Clay has been very secretive about you." Jane wasn't sure if that was a compliment or something more cryptic. She just laughed slightly and changed the topic.
"My sister just went to the ladies room. She should be back in a few minutes."
"Ahh. How long have you and Clay been seeing each other?"
"About three months."
"Four months next Tuesday," Clay corrected.
"Congratulations Dr. Bennet, for Clay that's a record."
"Thank you Mr. Darcy, but call me Jane. And I a veterinarian."
"Alright Jane. How did you meet Clay?"
"Her sister introduced us," Clay interrupted.
"Elizabeth?"
"What," asked a strange voice? Darcy's eyes searched for the body the voice belonged to. She was standing at the edge of the booth. Elizabeth Bennet looked nothing like her sister. She was a short brunette with dark eyes. She looked frumpy. She was not nearly as pretty as Jane. The humidity had a heinous effect on her hair and she could not get her contacts in that day. Darcy was a little angry with Clay for setting him up with "the other one" again.
It happened all of the time before Will got married. They would meet two women when they were out, Clay would get close to the pretty one while Darcy was stuck with the other one for the rest of the night.
"Darcy was just asking if you introduced me to Jane."
"Oh, no that was our other sister. Lydia works for Clay."
"Lizzy, this is Clay's friend William Darcy," Jane gestured towards the large man sitting in the corner of the booth. Elizabeth felt as though the wind had been knocked out of her. She had never been this attracted to anyone before they were introduced. She forced herself to breathe as she shook his hand.
"Hi William."
"It's Fitzwilliam, actually." His tone of voice was cold and bordering on angry. Her attraction began to fade.
"Oh, okay. Hello Fritzwilliam. That's a very interesting name"
"Fitzwilliam. It's a family name." Fitzwilliam wasn't making eye contact with her. Luckily, Elizabeth was too shocked by his behavior to be angry. Elizabeth did not trouble herself to respond.
"Elizabeth is a writer," Jane said attempting to break the ice.
"What do you write for?"
"I do some freelance work." Elizabeth glared at Jane. She did not like discussing her life as Eliza Rose Lucas.
"I'll go to the bar, what can I get you?" Clay asked. They all told him what they wanted.
"You'll never be able to carry all of that by yourself. I'll go with," Jane said. It was a poor decision on their part. Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam should not have been alone at that point.
"Excuse me," Darcy left, supposedly to go to the bathroom.
Elizabeth was angry at Darcy for being Darcy; Jane and Clay for setting her up with him; but most of all; she was angry at herself for agreeing to be set up with one of Clay's friends. Elizabeth liked Clay; he was a rich pretty boy, but he was good for Jane. She just wanted to leave but would not do that to Jane.
Their booth was a distance from the actual bar; Elizabeth was facing the doorway when she saw an acquaintance of hers walk in the door. He was a pretentious French artist she met years before and did not like, but his company was a welcome relief from Fitzwilliam Darcy.
Victor Collins was successful for some odd reason. Rich people felt that they were being continental by buying a French art that meant nothing to them. Elizabeth went to the bar to say hello when he walked in. They exchanged small talk for a few minutes. Across the bar, Clay and Mr. Darcy were talking. They were unaware that Elizabeth was within hearing distance.
"Darcy you're embarrassing me. At least be polite to Elizabeth."
"Why are you doing this to me Clay?"
"What?"
"Do you remember what we did before I got married?"
"Vaguely," Clay responded.
"You would hook up with some beautiful girl while I got stuck hanging out with the other one. That way the girl doesn't feel guilty about abandoning her friend. I knew something was up when you wouldn't stop begging me to do this."
"That was a long time ago. That's not what I'm doing now. If you would talk to Lizzy for five minutes you would realize how great she is and Jane isn't some girl I hooked up with."
"Stop it Clay. If I met this girl naturally, we'd be at each other's throats in five minutes. Go have fun, but I'm not in the mood to entertain a woman who couldn't get a real date.
A tiny part of Elizabeth was hurt by his statement, but most of her was angry and amused. She was no longer afraid of him. He was just an ass.
"Lizzy," her friend Charlotte yelled from across the bar. Elizabeth was happy to see her friend. Charlie's outburst caught Fitzwilliam Darcy's attention and forced him to realize that Elizabeth heard what he said about her.
Elizabeth was wise enough to move out of his earshot before she talked to Charlie. Darcy watched the ladies across the room. From there frequent glances at him and laughter he guessed that they were talking about him. Embarrassed, he walked back to his table and behaved himself.
When Elizabeth went back to the table she told Jane that Charlie had broken up with the accountant she had been dating and needed company.
"Bye honey," she said to Jane as she hugged her sister. "Bye Clay," she said to Clay as she shook his hand. "Well we've met Will. Goodbye," she said to Darcy.
Elizabeth threw open the living rooms doors to find Will sitting on the couch, talking to Clay and Jane. Elizabeth shut the doors a quickly as she opened them and ran. It was a natural reaction for her. She had told Jane nothing. Will did not tell Clay anything either. Her barging in on them wearing only a tee shirt and underwear was not the best way of introducing their friends to their relationship.
She fled to the kitchen; it was the most comforting room in Will's house. Even though the door was open for three second, Jane recognized her; she knew it. Elizabeth knew she had to go back in there (after she put pants on), but that did not mean she wanted to. Will followed her to the kitchen.
"They just showed up, I've been trying to get them to leave for forty-five minutes."
"What did you tell them?"
"Nothing"
"You just left the room without saying anything?"
"Yeah."
"You have to go back. I'll get dressed and come down. I think Jane recognized me, we have to tell them that we're together."
"What about the baby?"
"The baby can't talk, I don't think we should speak for him."
"Him?"
"I don't want to give her a complex by calling her it or mistaking the gender. I switch pronouns. Go, I'll get dressed and come down."
Will did as he was told. Jane and Clay were defiantly confused, but too polite to say anything about it. Will apologized without explaining what happened. When Elizabeth joined them a few minutes later, she took control of the situation.
"Hi," her game plan was to act like nothing strange was happening. "Will and I are living together."
"What?" The normally passive Jane was comfortable enough around her sister to express her emotional outburst.
"My things are here and this is where I eat and use the toilet. I'll explain it to you later."
"I'd rather know now, Lizzy."
"Okay, lets go somewhere else."
Elizabeth gave Will a meaningful and supportive look before she retreated to the library with Jane.
"We're you ever planning on telling you family?"
"Eventually, I wasn't planning on running into my sister before I had pants on today. What are you doing in New York anyway?"
"We're buying a ring and looking for you?"
"Lizzy. I've been trying to get in touch with you for days. I was worried sick about you."
"Did you call my agent?"
"No."
"Shelia always knows where I am, you obviously couldn't have been looking that hard."
"We just got in last night. You know that mom is still mad at you because of that stuff that you said before Lydia came home."
"I don't care, right now. Mom is always mad about something. I'm sorry you couldn't get in touch with me, I had my calls forwarded, the hotel must have messed up."
"What are you doing with William Darcy anyway?"
"You know, what we learned about in health class."
"Lizzy, be serious."
"I love Will. I think that I'll spend the rest of my life with him." Elizabeth told her sister everything. She described their surprise meeting in Montana. She told Jane about their date, and how she eventually fell in love with him. Jane learned that Elizabeth dealt with her pregnancy alone while she was wrapped up with Clay. Elizabeth told her about the day she saw Will in New York and told him that he was going to be a father. Elizabeth expressed enough emotion for her sister to believe everything and wish the best for Elizabeth.
"Lizzy, I'm so happy for you. I can't believe that everything turned out so fairytaleesque."
"Jane, I'm unmarried, knocked up, and shacking up with the father of my illegitimate baby. Not to mention, my mother hates me. That's not a fairy tale. It's a bad country song."
In the other room, the conversation was much simpler.
"We're getting married."
"Elizabeth's pregnant."
Part 2, Chapter 7 ~ Flashback
Darcy barely recognized Elizabeth. With her hair up and without her glasses she was very pretty. He watched her steadily that night; the more attractive she appeared, the more embarrassed he became by his behavior on their blind date.
"Lizzy," called from some unseen room "will you get me some scissors? They are in the kitchen."
"Yeah, just a minute." Elizabeth searched the kitchen for a pair of scissors, but could not find them. She was just about to ask Clay where they were when saw someone standing at the kitchen door. She jumped up and screamed and was embarrassed when she realized that it was Will. "Sorry, you startled me." Will tried to think of something to say, but couldn't. After standing in silence for a long enough period of time to be uncomfortable, Elizabeth sarcastically said, "It's nice talking to you again."
Darcy did not know why he couldn't talk around her. She obviously had a very low opinion of him. It would not have bothered him, but he knew that it was justified.
The party was larger than expected. Clay's sisters came down from New York and brought several friends. Darcy knew almost everyone at the party, but Elizabeth was the only person he wanted to talk to. However, Elizabeth wished to avoid him at all costs. A suspicious observer would have been highly amused by the sight of Darcy flocking to Elizabeth and Elizabeth avoiding Darcy. In her rare moments of privacy, she talked to Charlie.
"Will Darcy's scaring me. He keeps following me and listening to my conversations, but he never talks."
"Maybe he likes you."
"He obviously doesn't. He treated me like dirt on our date. He's just weird."
"He's looking at us."
"Don't make it obvious that you're watching him."
"I think he's checkin' you out."
"Charlie, stop it."
"He's coming over."
"Uuuhhaa! I can't take unexplainable behavior."
"I know honey."
As Charlie said, Darcy came over to them. As Elizabeth observed all evening, he made no effort to talk to them.
"Will what do you want?" He was saved from responding by Clay's sister calling him.
"Will, it's great to see you again," Caroline Bingley said as Will approached her.
"Hi Caroline."
"I'm sorry I interrupted your little conversation, but what is going on with my brother and that blonde?"
"Her name is Jane Bennet; they've been dating for a few months. He takes it pretty seriously."
"What about her?"
"I've only seen them together twice. I can't really say."
"Who were you talking to?"
"That is Elizabeth, Jane's sister."
"Oh. Trying to get information from her?"
"No."
"Poor Will! You must be bored out of your mind. Why did you let my brother talk you into coming here? You always hate this kind of thing."
"I'm having a good time actually."
"Good God! Why?"
Will knew better than to answer her question. Caroline was not someone he trusted. She would never shut up if he told her he was having fun following a beautiful woman around.
Jane turned suddenly ill when most of the guest left. Charlie needed to get home for work the next morning. Elizabeth wanted to stay with Jane, but she had no way to get home. She was about to leave without Jane when Clay offered her a bed in his house for the night. She could watch after Jane until she was well enough to go home. Elizabeth agreed, for Jane's sake and prepared to stay in the same house as Darcy.
Jane had a high fever. It was too high for her to go home the next day, but it was not high enough for anyone to worry about taking her to the hospital. Elizabeth did, however call their mother.
Mrs. Sarah Bennet spent years learning about natural medicines and other hippy stuff when she was living on a commune, or in the "cult" as Elizabeth called it. Years after she left the group, she still believed the medicinal quality of herbs and plants. She insisted her family use the herbs as well. When Elizabeth called her and told her that Jane was sick, she immediately came to assess the situation. She left several herbs and an aromatherapy kit. Sarah Bennet was explaining what herbs Jane needed to Elizabeth when Will got back from work.
"Mom, this is Clay's friend, Fitzwilliam Darcy. Will, this is my mother, Sarah Bennet." Caroline Bingley soon scurried into the room, looking for Darcy. When she found him, nothing could persuade her to leave. Mrs. Bennet continued by telling Elizabeth how to brew the tea she brought.
"Oh, I just love herbal tea," said Caroline.
"I grow my own herbs, this is very different from the herbal tea you by in the store. It tastes pretty bad, but it knocks out a cold faster than anything you can buy in a store."
"It can't be as strong as NyQuil," Will said.
"It's not as strong as over the counter medicines, but it enhances the immune system. Over the counter and prescription drugs simply distract from the pain. I know what I'm talking about, I spent years studying alternative medicines."
"Mom, I don't think he was doubting you. Nyquil is the best cold medicine out there." Elizabeth did not want her mother talking about her years down in the cult in front of these people.
"Lizzy, you know that Western Medicine doesn't have all of the answers. Mr. Darcy, Lizzy only took herbs when she had an ulcer a few years ago, and it was cured in a manner of months."
"But Western Medicine is much more advanced than herbs and such."
"I'm not an idiot Mr. Darcy. Of course western medicine is effective, it would be more effective if doctor's and pharmaceutical companies could make money off of herbs." Elizabeth would have been embarrassed by her mother, but she what she said was funny and true. It clearly made Darcy uncomfortable.
Elizabeth walked Mrs. Bennet back to her car and explained Will Darcy.
"I'm sorry, just ignore him. He's only happy when he's right and everyone else is a blithering moron."
"Who does that sound like? One of my daughters, I can't think of which one, though. Oh, that sounds like you."
"Go home, Mom."
"Bye, Lizzy. Call me if she takes a turn for the worse."
"I will, goodbye."
Elizabeth slowly nursed Jane back into health. The company was a little trying, but she is a writer. The more she observed people, the more she had to write about. Caroline Bingley obviously wanted Will Darcy. She was constantly throwing herself at him. Will was harder to understand. He avoided Caroline like she was the plague. He continued to watch Elizabeth without saying anything to her. Elizabeth got the impression that he was trying to psych her out.
Will would later remember that he fell in love with Elizabeth while she stayed in the house with him, Clay, and Caroline.
Will wanted to invite both of their families over and tell everyone at the same time. Elizabeth wanted to call everyone separately. She had grown used to separation after years of her parents avoiding each other at all costs. Elizabeth also wanted to avoid any objects her family might throw; calling was the perfect way to avoid that situation. They resolved to tell their own families in their own way.
Will called a family dinner in which Elizabeth was introduced to very old, very rich people. When Will announced that she would be the mother of his child, they remained polite yet shocked and disdainful; they were far too polite to call her a gold digger to her face. Behind her back however, they openly criticized Will for his poor judgment.
Elizabeth called her mother and her father separately, as planned. Edward Bennet liked Will Darcy and was glad that his daughter was with him, even though he had gotten his little girl pregnant. Maddy was happy that Elizabeth had finally found someone, but disappointed that they she would not have a family wedding to plan. Elizabeth was nervous about calling her mother. She would never have a good relationship with her mother, but Elizabeth did not want the responsibility of making it worse.
"Mom, I've been dating someone. We're going to live together in New York."
Sarah Bennet sensed the nervousness in her voice. "Lizzy, I'm not shocked. I consider myself liberal, its one of the things that that guy from Connecticut that I worshiped stressed. How long have you known him?"
"About a year and a half, but we've only been romantic-like for three and a half-months."
"Do I get to meet him?"
"The thing is, you already know him. He's Will Darcy."
"Elizabeth, you hate him. Why are you living with him?"
"We've put everything behind us. I really do love him now, and I'm pregnant."
"Oh, no. Elizabeth if you want to be with him then be with him, but make sure that you are doing it for you. I married your father because I was pregnant and wanted to be respectable. We wouldn't have been together if we weren't parents. In the end, it wasn't fair to you girls. Your father and I could not be together. It was unfair for our entire family to pretend that we could be happy."
"We talked about getting married, but we're not going to."
"I know that you'll take care of yourself, you always have. When am I going to be a Grandmother?"
"Five and a half months."
The next few weeks brought nothing new to Elizabeth and Will's lives. They worked, ate, and slept like normal people. There was no more discussion of marriage.
One Day, Will received a frantic phone call from Elizabeth. Will got a cell phone specifically for Elizabeth to call him. His secretary was not used to him having women call him socially other than Caroline Bingley, so Miss Walker accustomed to getting rid of unwanted women harassing her boss. She did her job so well, that she sometimes forgot that Elizabeth was indeed his girlfriend and wouldn't let her through.
Will was in the middle of a board meeting when Elizabeth called, but took the call anyway.
Elizabeth was yelling hysterically, he got the impression that someone was trying to calm her down before she realized that Will picked up.
"Will I'm in a lot of pain. Something's wrong with the baby. Mrs. Reynolds called an ambulance, I need you to meet me at St. Luke's Hospital as soon as possible."
"Of course, I'll leave now." Will changed his tone to address the board. "Ladies and Gentlemen, please excuse me. There has been a family emergency. I must leave."
Will drove himself to the hospital. He arrived moments before Elizabeth's ambulance pulled in. A nightmare unfolded in the emergency room. The hospital was not busy so Elizabeth was seen right away. Neither would remember the exact course of events later that day, but they ended up in a room, waiting for a doctor to tell them what happened.
They either waited an eternity or fifteen minutes, neither was certain which. Neither could say a word. Will sat by Elizabeth's bed and held her hand. The door opened without them noticing. They just perceived a doctor and a nurse standing before them, saying things like: "Miscarriage", "Nothing we could do," and "not your fault, these things just happen," or "You can still have children."
Elizabeth had to stay in the hospital overnight for observation. Will insisted that he would stay with her; he went home to get a few things for them. He told Georgiana and Mrs. Reynolds what had happened. He instructed Mrs. Reynolds to tell the staff to not say a word to Miss Bennet about what happened.
Elizabeth was the only person he could stand to be around that night. They did not have to say a word to each other; they were going through the same thing. Elizabeth was glad that Will stayed the night. She could not have dealt with the sympathy of the nurses if he was not with her. Elizabeth and Will were devastated. The night seemed to last months, they could not sleep they just lie in bed without saying a word.
Sometime in the middle of the night, Will told Elizabeth that he loved her. Elizabeth told him that she loved him, too. They both knew that it was true, but it was said without the passion that usually accompanied those words. They were stating a fact, like saying "the sky is blue."
(Another explanatory note: At this point, Will and I had known each other about a year. His best friend and my sister were dating for about three months when they tried to set us up on a blind date. I hate those things, but Jane made it sound like Clay really needed this. I guess Clay gave Will a similar impression. That night was not pleasant. Will and I completely antagonized each other; I let my intellectual, middle class liberal upbringing out while he released his corrupt billionaire persona take over. I still don't know why Jane and Clay tried to set the two of us up. Soon after the date, Clay and Jane began seeing each other more seriously, so Will and I were forced to associate with each other.
(Another Explanatory note, I apologize they must be getting annoying. The day after Will asked me to go to Paris, he sent me a letter to respond to my accusations. He claimed that Jane showed no sign off affection and merely warned Clay of the danger of marrying a gold digger. Will felt this responsibility for two reasons: Clay was too trusting and Will himself had married an awful woman when he was in his twenties and knew the warning signs. He did not feel that Jane was a strong enough woman to handle the pressers of being married to a social climbing executive
Chapter 2 ~ Dinner at the Darcys'
Chapter 3 ~ A Date with THE Darcy
Chapter 4 ~ A Nice, Big Boat and the Adventures Therein
Chapter 5 ~ Family Disgrace
Dad."
.(Quick Math: each pregnancy test claimed 99.9% accuracy I took 3 tests, each test was positive 99.9*3=299.7. So, there was a 299.7% chance that I was pregnant.)
Elizabeth,
I remember that time you told me
Part 2 ~ The Omnipotent Years
You said, "Love is touching souls"
Surely you touched mine
'Cause part of you pours out of me
In these lines from time to time.
She had a mouth like yours
She knew your devils and your deeds
And she said, "Go to him,
Stay with him if you can,
But be prepared to bleed"
A Case of You- Joni Mitchell
Fitzwilliam knew that something was up when Clay would not shut up about this veterinarian he had been dating. Clay was a player in the most inoffensive way possible. His relationships seldom lasted longer than three weeks. When Clay asked Fitzwilliam to go on a blind date with her sister, Clay had been dating Jane for three months.
Part 2, Chapter 6
Part 2, Chapter 8
© 2001 Copyright held by the author.