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"So what are you wearing tomorrow night?" William asked Lizzy as he watched her toy with her tiramisu. Lizzy made a face.
"I'm undecided."
"Between what and what?" William asked as he relieved her of her spoon and tasted the dessert he insisted that she have.
"Well, I'm torn between a lavender dress I bought last month and running out to Loehmann's tomorrow at lunch." William shook his head and laughed. "What's so funny?"
"Why not just wear the lavender?"
"I'm not sure..." Lizzy bit her lip.
"I am. I'm sure you'll look lovely in whatever you wear."
"You always say that!"
"And I've never been wrong. Wear the lavender."
"You haven't even seen it!"
"It's lavender, fluttery, romantic and feminine, and has a ruffle somewhere on it?"
"You have seen it!" William laughed.
"That was just a guess." Lizzy shot him a dark look. "You could always invite me home with you to see it first hand," he suggested.
"Not if you're going to be impossibly smug," Lizzy retorted as she reclaimed her spoon.
"All right then, but take this home with you and see if it complements the dress," William said as he pulled a box from his jacket. "I'd like you to wear it tomorrow."
"Oh, I was planning to wear the pearls." William shook his head.
"Not tomorrow." Lizzy looked at the black velvet box. "Wear this...please."
"May I open it now?" William shrugged as if it wasn't important, although he was eager to see her reaction to the necklace he had chosen with the aid of Richard and Olivia. Lizzy was more eager than he, and her fingers trembled as she opened the box.
"I definitely have to go to Loehmann's tomorrow," she said in a whisper. William shook his head and called for the check. "Did I properly thank you for my beautiful gift?" she asked as they strolled to the car.
"Nope."
"Well then, you'd better come home with me, even if you are impossibly smug. I do some of my best thanking on my own turf." A crooked smile formed on William's lips.
"Really?"
"May I drive?" William rolled his eyes. "Please?" He opened the driver's side and she kissed him on the cheek before she got in.
"Now, just sit back and relax and I'll have you in Brooklyn and being showered with my gratitude before you know it." William leaned back against the headrest and closed his eyes. Lizzy kept an eye on him as she headed south. His smile never did straighten out or leave his lips that night.
"You look good enough to eat," Richard said when Olivia emerged from the guest room in a sherbet-colored dress. He wrapped his arms around her waist and began to nibble on her neck as she stood before the mirror and removed her necklace from its box.
"You'll spoil your appetite for dinner," she teased.
"Impossible!" Olivia handed him the necklace and he reverently fastened it around her neck. "Do you think that Lizzy will like her necklace?" he asked as he looked at Olivia's reflection in the mirror.
"Lizzy would love a string of paper clips if it came from Will. But I suspect that she'll be able to warm up to that little trinket."
"I still like yours better," Richard said, wincing as he watched Olivia insert the matching pierced earrings.
"Me, too! But her necklace is very pretty. And it's perfect for Lizzy, too. I think she'll look great in it."
"But not as great as you look right now."
"You say the sweetest things sometimes," Olivia said as she turned in Richard's arms and kissed his cheek. "Are we ready to go? William wanted us there early."
"Give me a couple of minutes," Richard replied before he pulled Olivia closer and kissed her.
Lizzy checked her appearance in the mirror for the third time. She didn't know why she felt so nervous. She assumed it had to do with the gold necklace that caressed the base of her throat. Lizzy looked at the necklace again; she still could not believe that William had bought her such an elegant and expensive gift. Not that such indulgences were rare: since becoming involved with William she had lost count of the baubles and trinkets he had given her. His generosity began when he sent her a Companion before they'd even met face to face, continued with a baker's dozen gifts at Christmas, and was followed by a ski wardrobe for their vacation in Vermont, a diamond and ruby tennis bracelet for Valentine's day, a coral bracelet in the Bahamas, the strand of freshwater pearls he gave her in Japan, a tiny jade statue he brought her back from Singapore, the Victorian choker he found in an antiques shop in London, the couture gown she'd admired in Paris... At least a half dozen pillboxes and pens were found on their flea market trips as well. Lizzy hadn't realized how much he had given her until she did that mental inventory. But nothing, not even her two tennis bracelets could compare with the necklace that adorned her neck on this night. She sat down at the vanity and stared into the mirror.
She felt a sudden empathy with Olivia, recalling how overwhelmed she was when she first showed Lizzy her birthday gift from Richard. Lizzy's necklace was quite different from Olivia's. It was a classic Tiffany creation--the dogwood necklace--and each flower looked as though it had been skillfully carved by hand and then strung onto the necklace. Lizzy smiled as she recalled how she had lay in bed the previous night and stared at it with tears in her eyes while William went through her closet searching for the lavender dress. He finally turned around when he heard her sniffling and laughed when she tried to explain her tears.
"You are very silly, Lizzy Bennet," William said as he flopped onto the bed beside her.
"I am not silly," she sniffed haughtily. "I'm sentimental."
"Sentimental, you call it? Richard would say that you are a mush ball."
"I can't help it. This is so beautiful it makes me cry." William took the box from her hand and stared at the necklace for a minute. Lizzy hit him and he laughed.
"Sorry, but it does nothing for me," he said as he carefully laid the box aside. "Now, if I had to pick something to cry about..." He reached over and caressed Lizzy's cheek. "...It'd be the thought of having to share you with a few dozen people tomorrow night." Lizzy smirked at his tease.
"You have me all to yourself tonight, you know," she said as she wrapped her arms around him.
"I know," William replied as he pulled her closer. "But that's a small consolation." Lizzy grabbed a pillow and thumped him on the head.
Lizzy rose to her feet and leaned forward to check her makeup in the mirror. She carefully wiped away the tear that had escaped her left eye.
"Oh, you're not starting that again are you?" William whined from behind her as he entered the dressing room. Lizzy turned and smiled at him.
"I think I agree with you. I don't want to be shared with anyone else tonight." William chuckled as he pulled Lizzy into his arms.
"You look stunning," he whispered as he nuzzled her ear. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.
"I love you Fitzwilliam Michael Fitzwilliam Darcy." A soft cough drew their attention.
"Sorry," Georgiana said. "But Mrs. R needs Will downstairs." William sighed and reluctantly released Lizzy. He kissed his sister on the forehead as he passed her on the way out of the room. "Lizzy you look amazing!" she gushed when the two women were alone.
"You look fairly wonderful yourself. New?" Georgiana nodded, looking down at her dress. "Well, we Darcys are going to knock them all dead tonight."
"Excuse me? 'We Darcys?' Did I miss something?" Lizzy immediately colored.
"Uh, no...I meant...I just meant that we...those of us--."
"Yes?" Georgiana asked pointedly.
"Never mind. You know sometimes you remind me of your brother, and that was not a compliment, young lady," Lizzy said as she turned Georgiana toward the door and gave her a slight push.
When Lizzy came downstairs she found that the entire Fitzwilliam clan had assembled, save for Richard and Olivia. She was immediately smothered in one of Stewart's bone-crushing bear hugs. Hugh quickly rescued her, however, and planted a kiss on her cheek as he hugged her gently. Lizzy took a deep breath before she turned to Kathleen, who laughed understandingly.
"What a lovely necklace. William?" Lizzy nodded. "It looks sensational with that dress!"
"William picked that out, too--from a pile of rejects I had pulled out of my closet, no less," Lizzy confided.
"The boy has style," Kathleen laughed as yet another Fitzwilliam claimed Lizzy's attention. She finally reached William, who was speaking with Mrs. Reynolds. She slid her hand into his and waited until he was done. Mrs. Reynolds smiled at Lizzy before she went to attend to her employer's instructions.
"You look fabulous," she whispered as she headed back to the kitchen.
"It's unanimous, then," William said with a squeeze of Lizzy's hand. "You're the hottest woman on the planet."
"I daresay Richard would argue with you," Lizzy replied as she saw Richard and Olivia enter the room hand in hand. They were immediately surrounded by Fitzwilliam relations. "It never ceases to amaze me how radiant Livy looks when she's with him," she sighed.
"Envious?" William teased as he leaned close to her ear and kissed his favorite pulse point. Lizzy laughed.
"I do believe you are trying to bait me, Mr. Darcy. It won't work. Wild horses stampeding over your back wouldn't make me admit that I'm not the luckiest woman alive."
"Ouch!" William winced. "I withdraw the question.
"Livy, you look lovely," Kathleen said as she embraced Olivia. Then she took her only son into a fierce hug. "You're still taking good care of her, I see."
"The thrill hasn't worn off, if that's what you mean," Richard quipped as Bess approached to hug the new arrivals. William caught Richard's eye and led Lizzy across the room to meet Richard and Olivia halfway.
"Hey, Bright Eyes," Richard smiled as he kissed her cheek. Olivia wouldn't settle for anything less than a hug.
"You look fabulous!" she enthused.
"Thanks! I'm beginning to like this guest of honor stuff," Lizzy laughed. "It's fun!"
"It's going to her head," William deadpanned before he turned and called the gathering to attention. He paused momentarily to oversee the distribution of champagne that the waiters were bringing into the parlor. "I'm glad you could all make it here tonight. I asked you to come a little early because I wanted to have a small family gathering." He paused briefly as nearly everyone laughed at the notion. He turned toward the door just as Jane, Charles, Caroline, and her date entered. "Ah, now we are truly complete. We have all the Bennets here as well as all the Fitzwilliams."
"Here you are," Mrs. Reynolds smiled as she handed the late arrivals flutes of champagne and then nodded for William to proceed.
"We're here tonight for a very important occasion. Although it officially happened a few weeks ago, we're here tonight to celebrate Lizzy's becoming a partner at Cherry Blossom, the web design company she helped to found with Charles and Caroline Bingley four years ago." The ensuing applause was punctuated by a cry from the back of the crowd.
"You mean this party really isn't to announce your engagement?" Both Lizzy and William flushed as all heads turned toward William's elderly uncle. Hugh said a quiet word to him as William said his toast to Lizzy, followed by a brief but humorous speech by Richard that essentially recounted Lizzy's entire history in ninety seconds. The toast was drunk, and Lizzy hugged first William and then Richard before she accepted the congratulations of the assembled party. William took Lizzy by the hand as soon as he could and led her into the backyard. The doors to the dining room had been opened for the party and most of the guests sauntered outside to enjoy the evening air as they nibbled on hors d'oeuvres. Other guests began to arrive as the band struck up and the garden began to fill. Richard and Olivia led off the dancing and William and Lizzy quickly joined them, followed by several other couples. When the dance was done, Richard spied his father waving him over and led Olivia across the garden to meet him.
"Richard, you remember Charlie, of course," Hugh said almost as soon as the couple was within earshot. Richard smiled and shook the hand of the bespectacled man who stood beside his father. "Charlie, I want you to meet my daughter in law, Olivia Crenshaw. Livy, this is Charlie Harris, my business partner for the past thirty-three years." Olivia blanched and Richard's eyebrows nearly disappeared into his hairline.
"How do you do," Olivia managed as she extended her hand. Richard was still apoplectic, but he managed to glare at his father.
"That's wishful thinking on my dad's part, Mr. H. Livy and I aren't married yet."
"Well, what are you waiting for? It's high time you settled down, Fitz. You're not getting any younger, you know. She seems to be a lovely young lady. I'd strike while the iron is hot, if I were you." Richard managed some sort of reply before he pulled Olivia away.
"What was that all about? Has Hugh gone nuts?" she asked bluntly. Richard laughed and shook his head.
"You have just witnessed a rare event--a case of male oneupsmanship."
"Come again?"
"You usually see this kind of behavior among the female of the species, present company excepted, of course. See, Uncle Charlie and my dad have been partners all my life and so the evil twins and I grew up with his kids. You've met one of them: Skip."
"Oh, good old Skip," Olivia smiled.
"Both the Harrises and the Fitzwilliams have two married daughters and a bachelor son. Corrie being pregnant with twins is a major coup for dad because he was behind in the grandchild race."
"And you're going to put him ahead in the 'marry off the bachelor son' sweepstakes," Olivia concluded.
"Correction: you're going to put him ahead. Of course, you have to stop shuttling my ring around every finger on your hand and actually marry me to do that." Olivia smiled.
"I have stopped shuttling your ring around, sir. It has been in its intended position for the last three weeks, not that you noticed." She lifted her hand and showed him the engagement ring. Richard was about to take hold of her hand when it was intercepted by Skip.
"Hello, Angel."
"Hello, Skip."
"Wanna dance?" Olivia shrugged, closed Richard's gaping mouth with her free hand and planted a kiss on his pouting lips before she headed for the dance floor.
When more guests had arrived, there was another brief ceremony during which Charles toasted Lizzy as his new partner and Caroline as a former partner in Cherry Blossom. Charles then led Lizzy to the dance floor and William claimed Jane's hand.
"You look lovely tonight, Jane."
"Thank you, William. I was about to say that I've never seen Lizzy in better looks."
"Are you crediting me with her appearance?"
"Yes. Obviously that little bauble on her neck does set off her outfit nicely, I think that you can also claim credit for the sparkle in her eye and the radiance of her cheek." William looked surprised.
"What did I do?"
"It's nothing you did. It's something you do." William furrowed his brows. "You love her, Will," Jane smiled. "It's surprising how simple it is sometimes, hmm?"
Charles dipped Lizzy so deeply that when she came up she reached up to make sure she still had all her hair. Charles laughed at her action.
"Don't worry. I'm too dependent on that head of yours to let any harm befall you." Lizzy laughed.
"I love it when men say things like that," she quipped. "So are you and my big sister faring with the wedding planning?"
"The wedding plans are coming along nicely," Charles said as Richard appeared out of nowhere and relieved him of his partner.
"Wedding plans? Remind me to speak to you later," Richard said as he whisked Lizzy away.
"To what do I owe this honor?" Lizzy smirked.
"I was lonely. Besides, I just remembered that I haven't told you how beautiful you look tonight," Richard replied with a sparkling smile.
"You know I was saying something very similar about Livy a while ago. She always looks so happy when she's around you."
"Everything looks better when she's around me, at least from my perspective."
"I'm glad you make my friend so happy," Lizzy beamed. "And I'm glad she makes you so happy, too."
"We have you to thank for it, of course. In fact, we've already decided that if we ever get around to having a daughter--or a girl puppy--we're going to name her Bright Eyes."
"And if I ever get a boy puppy--or a soda company--I'll call it Fizz." Richard insisted that they shake hands on the plan and the two of them laughed until they were nearly doubled over. Lizzy spied William and Jane looking at her with odd smiles on their faces, but Richard kept teasing her and she reached a point where she couldn't even pretend to dance anymore. Richard led her over to a chair and suggested she sit down and pull herself together. She managed to ask him for a drink and he went off to fetch it as she wiped tears from her eyes and tried to breathe deeply. She looked up and saw Charlotte approaching.
"Lizzy, what are you doing?" she asked in a dramatic stage whisper.
"I'm laughing myself silly at the moment," she said.
"You're making a scene with your best friend's boyfriend!" Charlotte hissed. Lizzy gazed at her for a moment and promptly began laughing again. Richard returned with a drink and looked at Lizzy in mock disgust.
"Oh Lord! I thought you were going to pull yourself together! What did you say to her?" he asked Charlotte. He had actually overheard her comment and took delight in watching Charlotte blanch. Olivia approached with Skip.
"Is she okay?" she asked.
"Well, she was...almost," Richard said with another glance at Charlotte. Olivia bent to help Lizzy sip her drink and get rid of the hiccups that had overtaken her. Richard introduced Charlotte and Skip and suggested that they go dance. Skip readily complied but Charlotte silently vowed to keep her eye on things.
"What did you do to her, Fizz?" Olivia accused. Lizzy promptly began to laugh again as William arrived on the scene.
"I think we broke her, cuz," Richard opined. William looked at Lizzy and shook his head.
"She does this upon occasion," he said seriously as he took hold of her hands and pulled her to his feet. "I know what to do." He took Lizzy to the dance floor and flashed a signal to the bandleader. A slow ballad began and William pulled Lizzy into his arms.
"Impressive," Richard said. "I wonder if that would stop your hiccups?"
"I imagine that slow dancing with William could cure a lot of things," Olivia drawled with a wink. "Ask me to dance." Richard promptly followed her suggestion and the pair returned to the dance floor. Lizzy steadfastly refused to look at Richard, however, as he made faces whenever he was in Lizzy and William's proximity.
William was dancing with Kathleen when he saw Jade step out into the garden. He felt a knot of tension as he watched her glide over to Lizzy, who was speaking with a few people from Cherry Blossom.
"Hi, Lizzy," Jade said with false warmth. "Don't you look lovely tonight?"
"Thank you, Jade. May I introduce Mina Sutherland and Lisa Thorpe?" This is Jade Ng. She's been doing some work with William's company," Lizzy said, matching her tone. Jade nodded in superficial acknowledgment.
"Where is William?" she asked as she scanned the scene. "I should think you'd keep a gorgeous man like him on a short tether."
"Oh, William doesn't need tethering, dear. He's completely immune to the flattery and flirtation of every desperate woman who flutters her eyelashes at him." Lizzy cooed. "And speaking of tethers, are you all alone tonight? I did say you should bring a date." Out of the corner of her eye she saw William approaching and hoped he hadn't heard her little speech. Jade smiled awkwardly.
"Oh, I--." She caught a glimpse of Christopher a short distance away and started to gesture in his direction but at precisely that moment the target of her scheme put his arm around Georgiana's shoulders and spoke into her ear in a manner that left no doubt as to whom he was with. Even William felt a smile of satisfaction tug at his lips as he saw Jade's face fall. After letting her stew for a second more, Lizzy changed the subject.
"William, you remember Jade, of course."
"Yes, of course," he said extending his hand as he would to any business associate. "Welcome to our home." Jade looked from William to Lizzy when she heard the word 'home' but quickly decided that he must have been referring to himself and his sister.
"Thank you so much for inviting me. You have a very lovely place here, Will."
"Thank you," he said uncomfortably. Having conceded to let her attend his party, he felt no need to spend any time conversing with her. He turned to Mina and Lisa, with whom he had become better acquainted at Melissa's birthday party and brought them into the conversation. Jade seemed to take the hint and soon moved on. As soon as Lizzy and William were alone again, he pulled her aside.
"You know, you never did tell me what Jade said to you at the hospital," he said as mildly as he could. He didn't want to provoke Lizzy's anger, but he was exceedingly curious.
"Oh, didn't I?" she replied blithely. "Well, you know that Livy called me at the office and told me that you were taken to the hospital for emergency surgery."
"Yes."
"Well, I got into a cab, got caught in a colossal traffic jam and didn't get uptown until you were nearly halfway through the procedure. When I arrived at the hospital, I saw Jade leaving. I was surprised to see her there, to say the least. Livy didn't mention anything about her accompanying you to the hospital."
"She didn't. I had no idea she was ever there."
"Well, she walked up to me with this very serious face and said something like, 'I'm really sorry about William.' I nearly collapsed on the spot. For a few seconds I thought you might be dead, or dying. I was scared out of my wits. If it weren't for Livy, I would have totally lost it. I swear, as soon as I learned you were safely out of surgery I wanted to go track down that little--."
"It's all right, love," William said as he pulled Lizzy into a tight embrace. "It's all right." But deep inside, he was seething with anger. He let her go off to fix her makeup. Richard caught sight of William's expression and went to him.
"What's wrong? You look as though you want to murder someone."
"Don't put any ideas into my head," William growled. Richard looked alarmed and took hold of his cousin's arm.
"Fitz?" William glared at him for a moment. Then he sighed and related what Lizzy had just told him. Richard was shocked. He had heard the story from Olivia, but William's retelling made his blood boil.
"That was--I can't even say what it was with our grandmother within a hundred yards of here," Richard growled. "Why on earth did Lizzy insist on inviting her to her party after that?" William shook his head.
"I have no idea, but thanks to Olivia, I won't have to look at that woman much more after tonight," William said as he stared at Jade grimly.
"Hey, remember that this is a party. You're the host, we're your guests and we're all supposed to be having fun. Don't let her spoil your evening."
"Oh, believe me, she's not going to spoil anything," William said with deadly calm as he strolled away. As Richard watched him go, a slow smile spread over his face. It suddenly occurred to him why Lizzy had invited Jade. He vowed to keep an eye on William, his smile broadening as he saw his cousin ask Olivia to dance. Richard took the opportunity to approach Bess.
"Want to cut a rug, pretty lady?" he beamed at her.
"If that remark is supposed to be some sort of reference to my age--."
"Oh, did they have rugs when you were a girl?" Richard smiled innocently.
"Not only am I considering taking you out of my will, I may come back to haunt you after I'm dead." Richard laughed and spun his grandmother around.
Lizzy and Jane watched both couples dancing from the sidelines. Lizzy had collected herself. It still upset her greatly to think back on the incident.
"You're not being overly sensitive," Jane assured her. "That was a nasty, mean-spirited, and cruel thing to do. Why didn't you tell me about this sooner?"
"What difference would it have made?" Lizzy shrugged. "I only told Livy at the time because I'm sure Kathleen or Grandma Bess would have had a fit had they heard about it. After that, I was so fixated on William's recovery I just put it out of my mind."
"And you let William invite her to your party?" Lizzy averted her eyes and let the comment pass, a small smile playing about her lips. Charlotte came over, just as Jane was commenting on Olivia's dress.
"Why's William dancing with Olivia?" she asked. Lizzy and Jane exchanged a surprised glance.
"Why shouldn't he?" Jane replied.
"Charlotte believes that I should never speak to Richard again and Livy shouldn't ever dance with Will. She believes that such interactions are dangerous, don't you, Char?"
"I said no such thing, Lizzy," Charlotte replied hotly. "But joke about it if you want, it's obvious to me that William is dancing with Livy just to get even for that scene you and Richard made earlier." Lizzy and Jane both rolled their eyes.
"And the fact that Livy's a great dancer, William's business associate, a good friend to him, and his soon to be cousin to boot has nothing to do with it?" Lizzy retorted.
"Soon to be cousin?" Charlotte squealed. "Do you mean--? When did that happen?"
"Oh, ages ago," Lizzy said. "You've been out of the loop, Char." She walked off, leaving Jane to explain things. She joined Richard and Matt, who were discussing Richard and Olivia's new house with David and Tineke. She kept an eye on William however, wondering how long it would be before her little plan came to fruition. When their dance ended, Olivia and William went over to join the others. Jade was standing nearby and Lizzy made a point of including her in the conversation. William glared at her, but Lizzy smiled benignly and pretended not to notice. Mrs. Reynolds came over and asked Lizzy when dinner should be served. Lizzy spoke with her briefly and then returned her attention to the conversation. Jade looked on in surprise, wondering why the housekeeper deferred to Lizzy rather than her employer, but she kept silent.
When Uncle Stewart also joined the conversation, William attempted to draw Lizzy away to dance, but she latched onto Matt's arm and said that she hadn't had an opportunity to dance with all the other "handsome Fitzes" yet. Matt led her to the dance floor, leaving William behind, glowering at the pair. Jade noticed his distraction as he wandered away from the others. She followed him to the refreshment table.
"This is a lovely party, William," she said, slightly startling him. William turned and regarded her coldly. But her eyes were on the dance floor, where Matt had Lizzy in his arms. "You've arranged things very well."
"I can't take much credit for it. Lizzy and Mrs. Reynolds did most of the work," William said tightly.
"Lizzy? She sounds as though she's trying to take your sister's place as lady of the house!" she said with a small laugh.
"...A position Gee would be only too happy to relinquish to her, I assure you," William replied. "Yes," he continued, "Lizzy does seem to have the run of things here, doesn't she? And she usually gets her way, too. She even chose to invite you to this party in spite of my strenuous objection." Jade paled and her mouth fell open. William looked her squarely in the eye. "After that little stunt you pulled at the hospital, I certainly wouldn't have invited you here. In fact, I am rather looking forward to your departure from DARCO at the end of the month." With that, William drained the glass he held in his hand, placed it on the table and stalked away. Richard and Lizzy, who had observed the entire scene from their respective positions in the area, both smiled in satisfaction. Their eyes met across the room and Richard gave her a "thumbs up" sign. But his smile quickly faded when he saw Jade charging in Olivia's direction. David and Tineke had just walked away, leaving her momentarily alone. Jade was upon her before Richard could react.
"What the heck was William talking about?" Startled, Olivia spun and looked at Jade.
"Huh?"
"Don't 'huh' me, Miss Nepotism! William just said I would be leaving DARCO at the end of the month and I know you had something to do with it!" Jade insisted, her voice rising in both pitch and volume as she bore down on Olivia. Richard reached Jade and put a firm hand on her shoulder.
"Olivia's not deaf, Jade. There's no need to raise your voice." Jade turned to Richard, but the look in his eye made her back off from whatever she was about to say. She returned her attention to Olivia.
"Well?" she hissed. Olivia was still slightly confused.
"Ken Hunt will be coming back to work for us next month. Haven't you spoken to Maddie or Ed Gardiner? We agreed to this over a week ago."
"A week ago? And you waited till the middle of a party to tell me? I never agreed to anything!" Jade said through gritted teeth. Olivia's hackles rose perilously. Richard, who'd been trying to keep Jade's anger in check was suddenly confronted by a more dangerous temper and he knew it.
"Listen, Jade," Olivia replied in a low, steady voice that barely contained her malice, "I am not your employer. William is not your employer. Edward and Madeleine Gardiner are your employers. It was up to them to tell you about this, not me. So get out of my face!" Richard's eyes widened, but Jade stood her ground.
"Why am I being replaced?" she demanded. "I've worked my butt off for you!" Olivia looked askance at her adversary.
"Jade, what planet are you from? You were only Ken's temporary replacement, remember? You were only here because he was temporarily disabled. And quite frankly, all you've done since your arrival is do what Ken set in motion three months ago."
"Well, had you given me a chance to do some creative work on my own instead of keeping me under your thumb all the time--."
"Jade, you haven't been under my thumb. In fact, if having a PR person on site wasn't vital to the launch I would never have touched you at all!" At this point, Richard thought it was time to intervene. Matt, who'd been a short distance away, also came over.
"What's going on here?" he said to Richard, who had moved to insert himself between the two combative women. Olivia backed away, shaking her head. Richard and Matt glared at Jade.
"Oh, great! Now you all come rushing to her rescue! You're all so loyal to your little favorite, aren't you, Richard?" Jade said, as she became aware of the fact that she was beginning to draw the stares of several guests. "Just because she's slept with you she can do no wrong!" Jade spat. Richard was about to open his mouth when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Hugh gently pushed him aside and Matt stepped back as he approached the woman.
"Young lady, I don't pretend to know what this is all about, but I do know that you are a guest in my nephew's house and this is no place for your tantrum," he said calmly. "I'm not going to stand here and allow you to ruin Lizzy's party or listen to you badmouth my girl, so I think it would be best if you just left." Mortified, Jade just gaped back at Hugh for a moment. Then she turned on her heel and pushed her way through the small crowd that was beginning to gather. Richard heaved a sigh of relief. He looked across the yard and saw William standing with his arms folded, quietly surveying the scene. Richard turned to find Olivia, but she was nowhere in sight. He quickly took off in the direction Jade had gone, disappearing into the house. Matt followed, mainly to assure himself that Jade would leave. Jade fought back tears as she roughly brushed past Caroline and bolted out the door.
"Well!" Caroline gasped and braced herself as Matt bore down on her. But he came to a stop when he saw the door close and apologized before he turned back. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Richard ascend the stairs. Richard poked his head into the guest bedroom before he moved down the hall. He heard Olivia before he saw her; she and Lizzy were discussing the scene that had just been played out below.
"I'm sorry, Livy," Lizzy was saying as she paced in front of the bed on which Olivia was sprawled. "I feel responsible for all this."
"Don't flatter yourself, girl! Jade is her own responsibility! Whatever Will said to her to set her off, if she hasn't got the grace or poise to control herself then it's her own fault! I just wish I knew what she came after me for."
"Easy; she just targeted the most beautiful woman at the party," Richard smiled from the door.
"Really?" Olivia deadpanned.
"Yes," Richard said as he entered the room and approached the bed. "Lizzy wasn't around so she went after you instead." Lizzy's mouth fell open.
"You're very brave! Most people would have better sense than to test Livy's humor when she's in her 'take no prisoners' mode." Richard shrugged and sat down beside Olivia on the bed. Lizzy decided to withdraw. "I hope I don't have to name that puppy posthumously." She closed the door behind her.
"Are you all right?" Richard asked as he reached out and placed a hand on Olivia's leg.
"You know what amazes me about you? How well you speak even after you've put your foot in your mouth." She promptly felt the tension ease in Richard's hand. He knew that she was all right if she could rise to his bait. "I only came up here because Lizzy had some misguided notion that I needed to cool off."
"You? Cool off? Never."
"Too late, big guy. You're already on dangerously thin ice." Richard laid back on the bed and looked into Olivia's eyes.
"Let's get married."
"I thought we'd already decided to do that," Olivia replied as she ran her fingers through Richard's hair.
"Well, that's what I mean. We've decided on it. I think it's time to do it." Olivia peered deeply into Richard's eyes.
"What brought this on?"
"Oh, the usual: adoration and lust." Olivia began to laugh. "Besides, we have to make an honest man out of my dad."
Lizzy was a bit reluctant to approach William. She spied him talking with Christopher and Matt, and deciding that it was best to approach him when he was in company she quietly made her way over. For most of the guests, the brief altercation was already a distant memory, but Lizzy was certain that William would not forget it and hold her at least partly responsible.
"Ah, here's the woman of the hour," Christopher smiled and he stepped aside to allow Lizzy to squeeze in next to William. She glanced up at him, but he was saying something to Matt at the time and simply took hold of her hand. Lizzy tried to join the discussion about Matt's pending graduation and plans to join Christopher's firm. But her mind was on William and the thoughts behind his benign expression. Richard and Olivia returned to the party shortly after Lizzy came downstairs, much to Lizzy's relief. The remainder of the party passed uneventfully, although William seemed somewhat reserved. Lizzy was particularly concerned when she noticed that William didn't react at all to the sight of Georgiana and Christopher dancing a slow ballad together.
Richard sat with Charles discussing weddings while Olivia danced with first David and then Hugh as the party wound down. William danced with Kathleen and then Bess while Lizzy watched and waited. When the last guests left--save for Richard and Olivia--William invited them to have a cup of tea before they departed. Olivia was about to decline when she saw the odd look in Lizzy's eyes and instead accepted the invitation. The four went into the library and lounged on the big leather couches, Richard resting his head in Olivia's lap, as a cleaning crew cleared away the remains of the party downstairs.
"I asked you two to stay because I wanted to apologize for what happened this evening," William began. He swirled honey into his peppermint tea and looked across the room to where Olivia was gently stroking Richard's hair. "I especially wanted to apologize to you, Olivia. I had no idea that Jade didn't know about the upcoming changes. I'm sorry she went after you like that." Richard sat up.
"Well, you certainly didn't do anything about it once she did," he accused, but Olivia squeezed his shoulder. William smiled.
"I still remember what happened the last time someone tried to get between Olivia and the target of her anger. It was at another party I hosted," William said. "I distinctly recall her saying that she could take care of herself. To tell you the truth my only regret about the whole incident is denying myself the pleasure of throwing Jade out myself, but quite frankly, I was having too hard a time controlling my own temper." He glanced at Lizzy, who seemed to be holding her breath.
"Are you terribly mad?" she asked in a small voice.
"I'm not mad at all. It just galls me to think that I've been civil to that woman for the past ten days when I had every opportunity to rip her heart out," William growled. Lizzy flinched, but he smiled and put his arm around her.
"So does this mean that Lizzy isn't grounded?" Richard asked. William rolled his eyes. "Good; now that we've all made nice, I think Angel and I ought to split while we still have the energy to stand upright. I'm beat." He rose to his feet and pulled Olivia to hers. William and Lizzy bade them good night and Lizzy promised to call Olivia the following morning.
"Make that very late morning," William said before he closed the door and turned to Lizzy. "As for you, young lady, the Joint Chiefs could have used your gift for strategizing during the Cuban Missile Crisis. You played me like a flute. I should have known what you had up your sleeve." He ran his finger along her cheek. "Remind me never to cross you."
"I always do," Lizzy said as she turned to head upstairs. William turned off the light and followed her. When she reached the bedroom Lizzy turned to William. "I am sorry, William. You're absolutely right. I did use you tonight. That wasn't my intention, though. I only invited Jade because I wanted her to see just how useless and petty all her little games were. I thought that if she saw us together and happy... And of course, I knew that if I told you about the hospital thing before the party you wouldn't have let her come."
"Lizzy, let's forget about it, shall we? Let's get undressed and into bed, and then I'll give your feet a nice massage. How does that sound?"
"I'm there!" Lizzy smiled. She grabbed her robe and headed for the bathroom. William went into the dressing room and changed out of his clothes. By the time Lizzy returned, William had lit a few candles and was warming a small vial of essential oil in his hands. Lizzy stretched out on her stomach and William lifted one foot and began to knead the tension out of the sole.
"You know, Jade said you seemed to be taking over the running of the house," he said with a wry smile.
"I thought we agreed to forget about her."
"So we did. But I really can't think too ill of the woman if she can see you in that role."
"William! She was calling me presumptuous and bossy!" Lizzy cried, lifting her head.
"I suppose, but I still have to admire her vision." Lizzy rolled over onto her back and shot him a look.
"Thank you for my party, Will. I really enjoyed it." William leaned over and kissed her.
"My pleasure, darling."
"Not entirely," Lizzy replied as she put her arms around his neck and drew him closer. William allowed himself to be pulled into the embrace and began to kiss her neck. "William?" Lizzy asked after a moment.
"Hmm?"
"I do have two feet, dearest."
Richard checked the map in his catalogue a second time before he headed down a crowded aisle lined with antiques vendors. Richard spotted the vendor he wanted and pointed him out to William. The two made their way into the booth and began to examine the vendor's wares.
"So where did they run off to?" William said, continuing a conversation begun earlier.
"I have no idea. Gee wanted to go to Soho and I heard Lizzy say something about Bloomingdale's. Knowing Livy, they'll probably do neither. I don't think she was quite awake when the girls showed up unexpectedly this morning. I guess we won't know until we get back." The vendor recognized the two men and quickly moved to greet two of his best customers.
"I have that item we spoke about on the phone the other day," the vendor said to Richard, while William continued to explore. He disappeared into the back of his booth and returned a moment later with a box. He reverently opened it to reveal a delicately hand painted bone china cup and saucer. Richard smiled. William approached and peered into the box.
"Aunt Kathy will love it." Richard nodded and asked the vendor to wrap it up for him.
"Look," William called, pointing out a small vase. "Grandma Bess?" Richard nodded and added it to his purchase. "Oh, I'll get it," he said.
"We can square things later. Let's just do this and get out of here. I'm starved." William agreed and soon the two cousins emerged from the antiques show with a few small shopping bags and headed for a bistro on Madison Avenue. They ordered burgers and sat back to sip iced tea while awaiting their meals.
"So what else is on your agenda today?" William asked. Richard pulled out his electronic planner and checked his list.
"I have to pick up a few things for Livy on my way home, but otherwise my schedule is clear. What's on tap for you?"
"Well, I need to find a birthday present for Aunt Kathy, too. Then I thought that you and I could just hang out together. It's been a while."
"Well, that's because you've been spending all your time with Bright Eyes lately," Richard teased.
"Jealous?" Richard shook his head.
"If you're going to neglect your poor old cousin, you may as well make the most of it," he laughed.
"Neglected? You're about as neglected as I am blonde," William retorted. "You've been pampered and nurtured and coddled by Olivia--."
"Life is good, isn't it," Richard smiled. "We're getting married, you know."
"So you told me."
"No," Richard replied as their lunch arrived. "We talked about it last night. We've decided to go ahead and start the ball rolling. We'd put it off for a while until things got settled after the launch but we agreed last night that there's no longer any reason to wait."
"That's great! So when's the big day?" William asked as he snared a shoestring fry.
"Well, we've only opened negotiations. Livy is going to take her sweet time making any decisions on this, so I may have to take matters into my own hands."
"What on earth does that mean?" Richard gestured with his free hand; a huge burger occupied the other.
"Well, I told her that I'd do the planning and arranging and she could just show up and look stunning when the time came."
"And she bought that?" William laughed.
"She's no better at winning arguments with me than you are."
"So when's the big day?" William repeated. Richard shrugged.
"I have to look at our respective calendars and find a good day. I've already decided that we'll honeymoon in Scotland."
"At the castle? How's that coming along?"
"Well, part of it's been made habitable, but there's still a lot to be done. Dad looked at it last month when he was there and even spent a night. He said it was quite comfortable."
"So you're not going up to the Cape this summer? I thought I heard Aunt Kathy say that she and Grandma Bess would be going up to the family compound at the end of the month."
"I was thinking of going up for a weekend or two, more if we can swing it. Again, it's a matter of clearing our respective schedules. How about you?"
"Why do you think I sent Lizzy out to shop for a bikini? We'll be spending most of July up at Truro Bay. I've asked Jo to clear my schedule, but both Lizzy and I will probably have to go back down to the city for an occasional meeting."
"I know how it is," Richard sighed. "Remember the good old days when we could just pick up and go whenever we wanted to?" Richard asked nostalgically. William nodded.
"But I don't mind growing up too much. Responsibility has its perks."
"Like a new house, a new wife and a couple of businesses to run?"
"I was thinking of my own situation, but yes," William smiled. "Hey! Why don't we stop at that little lingerie shop we found last winter? It's only a block or two away, isn't it?"
'You want to buy my mother lingerie for her birthday?" Richard asked, nearly choking on a piece of ice.
"No, Fitz, I was thinking about doing a little shopping for Lizzy. We can find something for Aunt Kathy on the way uptown."
"Okay, you're on." The two finished their lunch and left the bistro. They crossed the street and found the shop one block north, as William had remembered. William greeted the shop's proprietor in French and soon picked out a short nightgown and robe for Lizzy. Richard decided that he should pick out something for Olivia's trousseau, much to the disappointment to the sales associate who waited on him. He picked out a long gown and peignoir in a soft lavender shade, and a lacy teddy the color of a pale rose. The two men then wandered up Madison Avenue, stopping into various shops. William found a heavy silk scarf that he deemed perfect for his aunt's birthday gift and then had to practically pry Richard out of a gallery that specialized in model ships. Richard returned the favor when William became distracted in a menswear shop a bit later. They hailed a cab and returned to Richard's apartment where, as Richard predicted, the three women had spent most of the day.
William was very pleased by the scent that greeted him at the door. The women were in the kitchen baking. He waded into the fray and checked the oven while Richard slipped into the bedroom and to hide his present for Olivia. But to his surprise, he found Olivia on the bed fast asleep. He slipped into the guest room and hid the packages under the bed before returning to her. He sat on the edge of the bed and kissed her brow.
"Hey! Only my fiancé is allowed to do that!" Olivia said without opening her eyes.
"Are you okay?" Richard asked. "What are you doing in bed?" Olivia stretched cat-like and sat up.
"I was taking a nap! You kept me awake till 3:30 this morning talking remember?"
"You're just angry because I didn't keep you up doing other things," Richard countered. Olivia shot him a look and slipped off the edge of the bed.
"Are the cakes done?"
"Cakes?"
"Yes, Richard cakes. We put a couple of lemon pound cakes into the oven before I went to lie down."
"What did you three do all day?"
"We only went as far as Bloomie's and tried on bikinis."
"Did you buy anything?" Richard asked as Olivia tried to sort out her disheveled hair with her fingers.
"Yep," she smiled impishly before she went to join the others. Richard followed and found William, Lizzy, and Georgiana setting up for tea. The two pound cakes were resting on a rack on the counter. William was pulling cups and saucers out of the cabinet, Lizzy was clearing a space and laying a tablecloth on the coffee table in the living room, and Georgiana was filling the teapot with boiling water. Olivia turned to Richard. "Can we keep them?" The five settled around the large coffee table for an impromptu show and tell. William and Richard started off with the items they purchased at the antiques show. William had bought two pens and a writing case, and Richard had purchased a crystal perfume bottle for Olivia in addition to his other gifts. Then they showed a few of the Madison Avenue purchases save for those made at the lingerie shop. When the ladies' turn came, Georgiana showed off not one but three bathing suits. She held up a bikini, a "tankini," and a suit designed for serious swimming.
"That's what I like, a woman who's prepared for anything," William quipped.
"Well, this woman is not prepared to model a bikini," Lizzy said. Instead she held up her bikini for the men to see.
"It isn't at all the same, is it?" Richard asked his cousin. William shook his head. Olivia also held up her bikini and Richard made a comment about her having accidentally been sold black rubber bands.
"It's a bikini, trust me," she said. "It just looks tiny when you hold it up."
"I'm kind of hoping that it'll look tiny when you put it on," Richard winked.
"Yes, when will you two deign to actually wear these suits? I know, we can drive up to Connecticut tonight and test them at the pool tomorrow."
"Are you kidding?" Lizzy cried. "I can't swim in this!" Richard found that remark hilarious for some reason and Lizzy demanded to know why.
"What on earth makes you think William wants to see you swim?" It was quickly decided that the group would make a day trip up to the family homestead, and Richard called and invited Charles and Jane to join them while the others lightly debated which bathing suit Georgiana should wear for the occasion. William talked Lizzy into bringing a "serious" bathing suit along so she could show off her synchronized swimming techniques and while she was not in the room it was unanimously agreed upon that Olivia would make them all lunch.
How about July 12th?"
Richard, it's already July 15th!
Then you've missed a golden opportunity. Olivia laughed.
How so?
You could have been my wife of three days by now.
I see.
How about the 17th, then?
I'm having lunch with William on the 17th.
Ouch! You cut me to the quick!
Really? How so?
You know I get insanely jealous when you two go to lunch. Here I am trying to set a wedding date and you're having lunch with a single, handsome millionaire.
But William is your cousin, and I'd hardly call him single. Besides, you're supposed to be at the lunch, too. It's a meeting of the Darcy Group. I was kind of hoping that I'd actually see you at one of those meetings--just for the heck of it.
You know, I'm beginning to think that you really don't want to marry me...
Don't be absurd! I adore you and want nothing more than to become your wife. (There! I've put it in writing!)
Then why won't you commit to a date?
I will, sweetness, as soon as you name a reasonable one. Why don't we discuss this tonight?"
I have that board meeting tonight.
I take it you will be home eventually.
Yes, but I'd rather set the date now, so I can let mom and dad know.
Well, why don't you look at a few REASONABLE DATES and then call me and we'll discuss them?
I don't want to distract you.
You don't think that flashing instant messages at me every thirty seconds is distracting?
Is it?
Richard!
I tell you what: I'll think up some reasonable dates and get back to you. Olivia sighed and shook her head as she typed her response.
Brilliant idea.
Still love me?
Yeah, I guess.
Good! I'll get started on the wedding plans.
You do that. I have to go to a meeting with Ed.
Seeya later?
Inevitably.
Olivia rose to go to her meeting. Richard's flurry of messages had momentarily distracted her from the disturbing phone message she'd received upon her arrival earlier that morning. Jade Ng had called to say that she was leaving DARCO and the Cook's Companion web page project effective immediately. When Olivia called Madeline Gardiner, she learned that Jade had also abruptly resigned from the Gardiner Group, and on equally bad terms. Olivia felt badly about the matter, although Richard had insisted that it was Jade's own fault. William went so far as to take the full blame for the matter upon himself, but it would be left to Olivia and Ed Ferrars to handle things until Ken Hunt was ready to come on board with the Darcy Corporation. She went off to her meeting, while Richard continued to think about a far more pleasant matter.
"Danielle?" Richard poked his head into the chief financial officer's office. She looked up from her work and smiled. "Have you got a moment?" Danielle nodded. "Which of these colors do you like better?" Richard produced a handful of fabric swatches from his pocket and tossed them on the desk. Danielle eyed them suspiciously.
"What are we looking at here?"
"Wedding decorations. I want to use Livy's favorite color, which is lavender, but when I asked for lavender napkins and table cloths, I was given all these choices," Richard replied desperately. "They all look about the same to me. How do I choose one?"
"Which one do you like best?" Danielle replied simply. Richard stared blankly at the six swatches she had lined up and Danielle suppressed the laugh that sprang to her throat. "You're not choosing draperies for the White House, Richard! Just pick one!"
"I want to pick the right one. I want everything to be perfect."
"Am I correct in assuming that you haven't shown these to Olivia?" Richard nodded. "Well, that might make your task a whole lot simpler." Richard shook his head and bit his lip as he rearranged the swatches.
"She's helping Charles and Jane plan their wedding. I'm doing ours."
"Oh!" Danielle replied, amused.
"Well?"
"Don't ask me; I hate lavender." Richard frowned at Danielle and collected his swatches.
"I haven't written the guest list yet, but I assume you'll come--if the sight of lavender table linens won't offend you too greatly?"
"When is it?" Richard shrugged and glumly walked out of the office.
"You know, Lizzy," Olivia said hours later. "Laughing so hard that your juice comes out of your nose would be even less attractive now than when it was when we were ten." Lizzy wiped tears from her eyes.
"I promise I won't...I don't even have any juice," she managed through her laughter. Olivia frowned at her and began to clear the table. The two women had shared a simple meal of steak and potatoes for dinner.
"Well, it would be a waste of a perfectly good Pinot Noir, as well." Lizzy shook her head as she tried to pull herself together.
"You know, I think Richard has become twice as funny since he became involved with you. Or maybe it's your divergent personalities that make him seem so funny by comparison."
"Are you saying that I'm not funny?" Olivia pouted.
"Compared to Richard? You're as sober as a judge. In fact, you have the makings of an excellent straight man," Lizzy smiled as she carefully sipped her wine. "So now that it's official, are you going to have an engagement party? In fact, I insist on giving one for you and Richard." Olivia shook her head.
"I doubt if there'll be enough time. If we did things his way, we'd have been married three days ago. Of course, he only told me that this morning," Olivia sighed. Lizzy began to laugh again. "Lizzy, if you ever come to your senses and agree to marry William, don't let him ask his cousin for any advice." Lizzy was unable to speak for a full minute.
"I...promise...although I'm not entirely sure I could prevent it." She looked at the ring on Olivia's finger somewhat wistfully. "So what are you two doing for a wedding ring?"
"Oh, this is it. Wedding and engagement ring all in one fell swoop. I made that quite clear to Richard last week, not that he listened to a word I said." Lizzy took hold of Olivia's hand and examined the ring more closely.
"I guess it does work well for both. I'd like...I mean, I always thought..."
"Hmmm?"
"Well, if I were to become engaged--."
"You mean when, don't you? I think we're talking about a ninety-nine percent or better chance, here," Olivia teased.
"Maybe..." Lizzy said coyly. "I admit I have been thinking about it."
"Oh? "
"Just a little," Lizzy smiled.
"And--?"
"And nothing! I just said I've thought about it!" Lizzy said quickly. "I was just thinking that if I did become engaged, I'd want two separate rings. I'm a traditionalist, in that sense, I guess."
"Well, I guess if I had been given a traditional solitaire, I'd want another ring, too. But to tell you the truth, whenever I look at this," Olivia said, "I don't feel as though I need anything else."
"It is a beautiful ring." Olivia nodded and reached for the bottle to refill their glasses.
"So, when you did this thinking, did you discuss it with William at all?" Lizzy shook her head.
"There was a time when William brought up the subject of marriage at least once a week; not directly, mind you. But I was always aware that he was thinking about it. Lately, however, marriage seems to be far from his mind." Olivia looked at Lizzy carefully.
"You sound a bit disappointed."
"Oh, I'm not disappointed," Lizzy answered too hastily. "It just seems kind of odd. I would have thought--."
"What?" Olivia rose to clear the dishes and put them into the dishwasher. Lizzy rose and followed her to the kitchen counter. She leaned on it and watched Olivia put the kettle on and pull a package of cookies out of a cabinet.
"Store bought cookies, Livy?"
"The housekeeper bought them. Apparently, she's used to spoiling Richard with an occasional treat and I don't make 'Little Schoolboys'," she explained as she put a few on a plate and gestured for Lizzy to follow her back to the table. "Go on; you were saying something about William."
"Actually, I was going to say something about me. Ever since Will went into the hospital, I've been reconsidering the whole commitment thing. His illness made me think about our relationship and about marriage... I would have thought that it would do the same for him, but it seems that ever since his operation, he's become less concerned about our future."
"Well, situations like that do have a way of making people focus on the here and now, Lizzy," Olivia suggested, but Lizzy wasn't convinced. "You don't think his feelings about you have changed, do you?"
"Oh, heavens no! If anything, we're even closer. I guess maybe he's decided to put off the subject of marriage for a while."
"And you're not happy about that."
"I didn't say that!" Lizzy said as she rose in response to the kettle's whistle. "Where do you keep your tea?" Olivia rose and fetched it for her while Lizzy found a pair of mugs.
"Admit it, girl! You're teetering on the brink of taking the big leap and all of a sudden you're scared because you think William's losing interest."
"He is not losing interest...not in me, anyway. I just think he's backed off the marriage idea."
"Why haven't you broached the topic with him?" Lizzy looked at Olivia incredulously. "Yes, you! You're going over to his place when you leave here, right? Why don't the two of you sit down--?"
"...And I'm supposed to say what? 'Uh, Will, you know how I've been scared to death to make a commitment? Well, now I think I'm ready and, by the way, why you haven't brought up the subject in months?'" Olivia laughed.
"Well, that wouldn't be my approach, but if it gets you where you need to go..."
"I can't." Olivia rolled her eyes and shook her head.
"Reality check, Lizzy! It's 2001, not 1825. You can bring up the topic of marriage and not be considered a brazen fortune hunter."
"I'm not at all concerned about sounding like a fortune hunter!" Lizzy replied as Olivia laughed. "I'm just not sure...I mean I'm just not--."
"Let me guess: if William were to turn around and say, 'Great! Let's get married!' you'd panic and go running back to Elverson?"
"No! Well, to Brooklyn, maybe...I'd have to think about his offer."
"Lizzy, you've been thinking about what William Darcy has to offer for weeks now!" Olivia cried in exasperation. "I daresay, you've been thinking about it for months!"
"Yes, but that was speculation! It'll be a whole different thing when he finally asks..." Olivia shrugged.
"I wouldn't know. Richard asked me so long ago, I can barely remember not being committed to him." Lizzy smiled and leaned across the table.
"How exactly did Richard propose?" Olivia laughed.
"In a typically Richard-like fashion. He scared me half to death by driving the Range Rover over Suicide Hill. When he was sure that I had survived, but was still extremely vulnerable, he popped the question," Olivia remembered fondly. "Of course, I said no..."
"But you've been committed to him ever since?" Olivia nodded.
"That man has a way of making himself irresistible."
"So I recall," Lizzy laughed. "Well, to the right woman, of course."
"And several hundred wrong ones, too, I imagine. Last night I actually dreamed that an angry mob of women chased me to the church on my wedding day."
"I take back what I said earlier, Livy. You're very funny."
William and Richard left the Darcy Building after their late meeting and headed for the limo.
"Want to stop and get something to eat, or are you anxious to get home to Olivia?" William asked as he slid into the car.
"I convinced Livy that she should go ahead and eat without me, so I'm free, but I don't want to be out too late." William gave Bates directions and sat back to enjoy the short ride. "Steak?" Richard smiled at William's choice of cuisine.
"Do you mind?"
"No. We've been eating fish all this week. Livy is on another recipe-testing jag." William laughed.
"I imagine it must be very interesting living with a chef."
"Especially a beautiful and sensuous female one with great legs," Richard teased. "I can't imagine rushing home to Paul Prudhomme."
"Uh...yes," Will smiled. "So have you two set a date yet?"
"Sore point, cuz; I'm supposed to arrive home tonight with a list of reasonable dates for us to choose from."
"So? What's so hard about that?"
"I'm afraid that what she considers reasonable is sometime next year. I want to get married now," Richard pouted. William cast him a sidelong glance.
"If your mother were here, she'd say you looked ridiculous."
"Thank you for that bit of information."
"Really, Richard, what difference does it make? You're already living together!"
"True...but I kind of have my heart set on it, now that we've agreed to go ahead and start making plans."
"You're already making plans and you haven't set the date yet?"
"I already heard that lecture from my secretary, so just skip it," Richard said, retreating further into his pout.
"Does Olivia realize that she's marrying a man who's thirty going on twelve?" Will teased.
"Yes," Richard replied tersely. William laughed out loud as the car pulled to a stop outside the restaurant. In minutes, the cousins were seated at a table. Richard came out of his sulk as the two placed their orders and sat back to enjoy their beers.
"So what about you and Lizzy? Is there any progress on the marriage front?" William smiled impishly.
"Yes and no."
"What on earth is that supposed to mean?"
"It means that my plan is working. Lizzy is warming to the idea of marriage." Richard waited for more enlightenment and hearing none, prodded his cousin.
"But?"
"But nothing," Wiliam said simply. "Lizzy has become more open to the idea of a long-term commitment."
"So when Olivia throws the bouquet at her..." William shrugged.
"Maybe."
"Maybe? What are you playing at?" Richard asked.
"I'm going to let her think about it for a while. Let her stew in her own juices, as they say."
"Why?"
"I want her hungry. I don't want her to just give up and submit. I want her to want this marriage as much as I do." Richard scratched his head thoughtfully.
"So, you're going to do what, exactly?"
"Just what I have been doing--nothing," William explained cryptically. "I don't intend to propose to her until I am certain that there isn't any doubt in her mind." Richard smiled and nodded.
"Good plan."
"I think so," William said as the steaks arrived. "The raw one is his," he said to the waiter.
"And the one that looks like shoe leather belongs to him. But he comes from the U.K., so you'll understand his need to make sure that the cow is good and dead." The waiter regarded Richard strangely, not quite convinced that he was joking. "Tell me something," Richard asked when the perplexed waiter finally retreated. "How are you going to know when Lizzy is ready?"
"I'll know. I have a special sense where she's concerned," William replied as he cut into his steak.
"Really? Are you any good with colors?" Richard pulled out his swatches and laid them out on the table.
William was pleasantly surprised to find Lizzy waiting for him when he arrived home. He found her in his library, busily typing away on his computer.
"Hello, gorgeous," he said as he bent to kiss her brow. Lizzy grunted a response, never moving her eyes from the screen. William looked at her oddly, then went around the desk and flopped into a chair to wait for her to finish. Lizzy typed for several minutes more, while William contentedly watched her work. She finally looked up.
"What are you gaping at?" she asked archly as she rose and walked around the desk to sit on William's lap.
"The most beautiful woman in the world," he replied as he nuzzled Lizzy's neck. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming over? I would have come straight home after the meeting."
"Well, I didn't originally plan on coming over. I ran into Livy at the dentist's office this afternoon and she invited me over for dinner. Well, I wasn't going to turn down that opportunity, and decided to crash here for the night, if you're willing to accommodate me." William smiled lasciviously.
"My greatest joy in life is accommodating you," he purred in Lizzy's ear.
"So where have you been, if you didn't come straight from the meeting?"
"I had dinner with Fitz. He knew that Olivia would be eating early so he agreed to keep this lonely gentleman company."
"You? Lonely? Hah!" Lizzy settled more comfortably in Will's lap.
"Well, he bought that line and we went to a steak house."
"Too bad. We had lovely steaks, too."
"Oh? According to Fitz, Olivia is on something of a fish kick," William reported.
"That's why we had steak. She said she needed a change." William laughed and Lizzy felt the deep, rich sound reverberate through her body.
"It was nice to get out with him. It's been a while since the two of us had a stag night. It wasn't our usual male-bonding experience, though. Richard spent most of the evening discussing wedding plans."
"So I imagine; Livy regaled me with Richard's tireless efforts to get her to commit to an early date. If Richard had his way, they'd be married tomorrow."
"Not if he can't decide on napkin colors," William laughed. Lizzy furrowed her brows, but William didn't explain. He kissed the furrow away, and continued down the rest of her face for good measure. Lizzy returned the compliment, taking William's face in her hands and dotting light kisses all over his face.
"What do you say we go upstairs and check out the accommodations?" William suggested. Lizzy smiled and William lifted her to her feet.
"Let me just save my file," Lizzy said. She went around the desk to save the file as the phone rang. William answered it and became enmeshed in a conversation with his Uncle Stewart. Lizzy waved at him and went ahead upstairs. When William reached the bedroom some ten minutes later, Lizzy was already in bed.
"The accommodations are very nice," she said archly as she stroked a pillow. "But I wonder how room service is around here." William smiled and began to pull at the buttons of his shirt.
"Give me a minute," he said as he rushed toward the dressing room. Later, as Lizzy lay curled up in his arms, William thought back to his conversation with Richard. He concluded that he probably didn't have too much longer to wait. Give or take a few months, Lizzy would be his--at least, he expected that she would agree to become his. William smiled in satisfaction and decided that he'd leave it to Lizzy and Mrs. Reynolds to select the linen.
"Fizz! Have you seen my appointment book?"
"Nope.'
"You're lying."
"Yes, I am. I did see it...yesterday" Richard finished lamely. Olivia frowned at him.
"What did you do with it?"
"I looked at it." Olivia's look became dangerous. "I wanted to look at what dates you're free."
"Richard, where is my book? We have to leave soon."
"I put it back. Honest! By the way, did you know that your PDA is different from your appointment book?" Olivia extended her hand and Richard sheepishly placed her Palm Pilot into it.
"Now would you please help me find my appointment book?" Olivia asked wearily. Richard looked around the living room and came up with the missing item.
"We never did discuss dates last night," Richard assayed as he handed it to her.
"And whose fault is that?" Olivia asked as she put the book into her bag.
"Yours! You distracted me!" Olivia laughed as she gathered up her things and headed for the door. Richard grabbed his own briefcase and followed. "What's so funny?"
"You are; forgetting to discuss wedding dates because you came home and found me doing sit ups? Really, Richard, you have to do better than that! Plus, I'm sure that you purloined my appointment book after I went to sleep."
"Okay, so I needed to double check a few things. Wouldn't want to spoil any lunch plans you might have with you-know-who." Olivia smiled at Richard's joke and left the elevator. They went out to the curb where a limousine was waiting.
"Good morning, Diaz," she said as the driver held the door. The couple got in and headed across town.
"What color is lavender?" Richard asked suddenly.
"What?"
"You heard me."
"I'm in love with a lunatic," Olivia murmured. She opened her briefcase and pulled out a folder. "This is lavender," she said as she handed it to him. Richard stared at it a moment. "Why?" Richard looked at her.
"Just curious." He handed her back the folder and rode quietly the rest of the trip
The younger members of the Fitzwilliam clan, with the addition of Jane and Charles, had assembled in Cape Cod and were spending a lazy afternoon at the shore. William and Lizzy were curled up together on a double width chaise lounge watching Charles, Jane and Richard toss a Frisbee around the beach. Not far away, Olivia and Georgiana sat on chairs enjoying the sport, steadfastly ignoring Richard's attempts to involve them.
"So, when are you leaving?" Olivia asked as she handed the bottle of sun block to Georgiana and picked up a digital camera to take a photo of Charles and Jane frolicking in the surf.
"I'm going back to New York with Richard on Sunday and I'll be flying out of New York on Wednesday night." Georgiana cast a glance at William. "He's not too thrilled about it, but he hasn't said a word against it."
"Didn't you visit Christopher in England last year?" Olivia asked as she turned the camera on Richard, who made a face as she clicked the shutter.
"Yes, but things were different then," Georgiana said. "We weren't involved. In fact, I doubt that either of us could even have imagined that we might...Christopher was just my big brother's best friend and more like a second brother or guardian to me." Olivia nodded her understanding as she lowered the camera and set it aside.
"Sounds like it's getting serious."
"Not yet," Georgiana admitted. "Neither of us wants to rush anything. In fact, I'm not even staying at Christopher's--aah!" Both Georgiana and Olivia screamed as they were hit with a bucketful of icy sea water.
"Richard Anthony Power Fitzwilliam! What on earth is wrong with you?" Olivia shouted, as Lizzy and William, who'd watched the entire ambush, began to laugh.
"Come play with us!" Richard exhorted. Olivia firmly shook her head. "Aw, come on! You can't just sit there looking gorgeous all day, you know!" A tiny smile appeared on Olivia's lips but it quickly disappeared.
"Sit," she commanded, and Richard obediently collapsed at her feet. Olivia reached for the sun block and immediately began to slather it on Richard's fair shoulders. William and Lizzy continued to snicker.
"What are you two hyenas laughing at?" Richard asked.
"You!" Lizzy laughed. Richard glowered at her defiantly.
"And if you're thinking of bringing that pout, or anything else over here, I'd strongly reconsider," William said, raising his sunglasses to make eye contact with his cousin. Richard returned a look of surprised innocence, which William just smiled at. Olivia turned Richard's face to hers and began to spread sun block on his nose and cheeks. When she had done, she bent forward and kissed his lips before she covered them with the protective liquid as well.
"Come play." Olivia frowned at him reproachfully.
"No."
"Please?"
"Get lost." Richard sighed and scrambled to his feet as Lizzy and William began to giggle again.
"She's good," William said. "In fact, I think she may be the best thing to ever happen to the Fitzwilliam family."
"That's a pretty strong statement," Lizzy said.
"I know, but she's single-handedly taken on the family's greatest liability and turned him into a nearly respectable adult human being."
"I can hear you, you know," Richard said as he picked up the Frisbee and flipped it in William's direction. William calmly raised his hand and caught it.
"I know." He tossed it back as Olivia rose and carefully adjusted the tiny top of her bikini.
"I think I've had enough sun," she said. "Anyone interested in lunch?" Lizzy lifted her head.
"I'll help you." She gave William a kiss and got to her feet. Georgiana stayed behind with Jane, who took Olivia's place in the chair. Charles gave up on the game and went running into the surf to cool off. Richard dropped the Frisbee and watched Olivia and Lizzy disappear into the house.
"Spoil sports," he called after them as he went to join William on the lounge. "Hey, guess who I saw in town this morning?"
"I cannot imagine," William drawled as he covered his eyes with a forearm and tried to ignore his cousin.
"Mrs. Wycleff." William reluctantly lowered his arm and turned his head.
"Mrs. Wycleff?"
"Yes; I invited her over this afternoon."
"Whatever for?" William asked as he recalled the many months he and Richard spent under her tutelage learning to comport themselves in proper society. Matt, Georgiana, and David had subsequently been subjected to the matronly ministrations of Connecticut society's version of Miss Manners.
"I thought we could use a few lessons," Richard replied easily as he reached for a bottle of water. William again lifted his forearm to peer at his cousin.
"I can't speak for you, but I haven't forgotten mine. Charles could use a few pointers, though," he smirked as Charles came crashing up the beach splattering water on William as he passed the chaise lounge.
"Who is Mrs. Wycleff?" Jane asked. Georgiana shuddered.
"She's a society dowager about Grandma Bess's age, who runs a finishing school. William and Richard just had to take dancing and comportment lessons. I had to do the whole debutante thing. Blech!" Georgiana shuddered again, causing Jane and Charles to laugh.
"You two took dancing lessons?" Charles asked the men. "This is news!"
"We both dance divinely," Richard replied. "But although I love Olivia to death, she can't do a decent foxtrot. That's why I've engaged Mrs. Wycleff's services."
"Come again?" William raised his head.
"I think that before our respective weddings we should all take a few lessons," Richard beamed.
"That's not a bad idea," Jane agreed. "It might even be fun."
"Lizzy does a very nice foxtrot, thank you very much," William sneered. "And if she needs to learn anything else, I can give her private lessons."
"Yeah, count me out," Georgiana concurred. "William can give me lessons, too, if I need a refresher course, which I doubt."
"Oh, come on!" Richard cried. "It'll be a lot of fun. And it'll be something for us to do while we're here. We can practice a bit every day." William groaned. "Come on, William. It's not like you have to dance with Karen Fuse again, or Portia Wentworth."
"I didn't mind Karen so much, but I think my feet still bear the scars from Portia's heels," William said distastefully.
"Mrs. Wycleff is coming at two this afternoon," Richard snickered. "I'd better go break it to Olivia." He rose and bounded up to the house. William shook his head and lay back on the lounge.
"Well, I don't know about the rest of you," Jane said as she rose and wrapped a large shawl around her waist, "But I'm really psyched for this."
"I'm game," Charles smiled.
"I'm hiding," Georgiana said as she began packing up her things.
"I am completely indifferent," William said as he closed his eyes and resumed his nap.