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Olivia woke on Wednesday morning feeling well rested, thanks to Richard's attentive ministrations the previous night. He had been careful to let her sleep late as he went off to exercise, rising later than his usual hour so as to make sure that her sleep was undisturbed for as long as possible. Olivia slipped out of bed and went into the kitchen to make him breakfast. Richard was soon lured from the training room by the scents and sounds emanating from the kitchen.
"You're supposed to be in bed Angel," Richard said as he wrapped his arms around Olivia and kissed her throat.
"You're soggy," she said as she quickly kissed him before turning back to the bowl in which she was preparing a batter. "And there's no stove in the bedroom," she reasoned. Richard kissed her neck again before he released her and reached for the coffee.
"I just spoke to Fitz and we arranged to meet for breakfast," Richard informed Olivia, who seemed undaunted.
"Call him back and reschedule."
"What are you making?" Olivia turned and confronted him.
"Do you think you'll get something better at a restaurant?" Richard smiled and picked up the phone.
"Hello Mrs. R, it's me again. Would you tell Fitz that I've had a better offer? Yes, that should make sense to him, and if it doesn't he can call me back when he gets out of the shower." Richard hung up the phone as Olivia smiled triumphantly. "So, what are we having?" Richard repeated.
"You'll find out when you get out of the shower, young man." Richard snapped his towel across Olivia's derriere and headed for the bedroom. When he returned a half hour later he found his breakfast awaiting him.
"Well, it's about time," Olivia teased as Richard sat down. "William called; he was rather understanding about your standing him up."
"I should think he would be," Richard smiled as he unfolded his napkin. "By the way," he continued as he tasted one of the heart-shaped waffles artfully arranged on his plate with an assortment of berries. "I've been thinking..."
"It's not even 8:30! What's the occasion?"
"You are feeling better this morning, aren't you?" Richard smirked. Olivia nodded unrepentantly.
"You were saying--?"
"I was thinking that when we move into the house we should hire a housekeeper," he said as he cut into his sausage.
"You mean our very own Pierce or Mrs. Reynolds? I don't know..."
"What's not to know? We both work very hard and neither of us has the time to manage a household on a full-time basis." Olivia seemed unconvinced.
"Yes, but it's not that big a house."
"It's at least three times as large as this place!" Richard replied.
"I know you're used to them, but I've never had servants before."
"What do you mean? We have a housekeeper here!"
"She's only part-time and I rarely see her, Richard!"
"You're used to being around Pierce and Mr. Fong up at the house."
"Yes, but those are your parents' servants, not mine. I don't know how I'd feel about having live-in help," Olivia confessed.
"She needn't live in, if that's what's bothering you," he suggested. Olivia shrugged. "Look, I just want you to think about it. Pierce has a sister who wants to relocate somewhere closer to her only living relative. It would be a perfect opportunity to get someone with excellent experience. She could move into the housekeeper's cottage with Pierce and just work days."
"A housekeeper?" Olivia repeated squeamishly. Richard smiled.
"Get used to it. You've already gotten used to having Diaz as our driver."
"Diaz is a Darcy Corporation employee. It'd be different if he were our employee," Olivia reasoned.
"We're going to need a nanny sooner or later, too." Olivia blushed slightly. Richard was touched by her modesty and leaned over to kiss her cheek. "Thank you for making me a wonderful breakfast."
"I just wanted to show my appreciation for last night," Olivia explained as Richard rose to get ready to leave. "It feels odd watching you go off to work without me."
"Well, it'll only be for a few days."
"It'll only be for today. I have things I need to get done before we fly to Scotland," Olivia corrected. "In fact, I have to remember to call Adam as soon as he gets in. I really would rather meet with him face to face to go over--."
"Hey! Don't get any ideas about sneaking in to work. I have a spy in your office."
"Having you been bribing Amy again?" Olivia shook her head. Richard took her into his arms.
"Don't forget that you've got a date for lunch today," he said as he nuzzled Olivia's neck.
"Or that you have a spy there, too?" she countered. Richard kissed her goodbye and left as Olivia went to clean up the breakfast dishes. But, recalling that she did indeed have a housekeeper--one who was due to arrive within the hour--she left things as they were and went to get dressed.
Are you free for lunch today? William sent off the message as he spoke on the telephone with a business associate in Chicago.
Yes, but I can't go far. I have meetings all afternoon.
I think I can free up some time to come to you. We can go to Balthazar.
Sounds great. How was your breakfast date with Richard?
He stood me up. Olivia apparently decided to make him a big breakfast.
What is she, nuts? Her wedding is four days away and she's cooking gourmet meals at dawn?
What's wrong with making breakfast for the man she loves?
Nothing, I guess. I would have made you breakfast had you stayed over last night.
I don't recall receiving an invitation.
Do you need one?
A man likes to feel wanted on occasion. Besides, you said something about having to meet with Charles early this morning.
Yes, we actually met at 7:00 this morning to discuss a few things that rose out of the meeting with our client last night. So maybe you wouldn't have gotten a breakfast. But you would definitely have felt wanted...In fact, you're wanted right now! Lizzy smiled wickedly as she sent off the message.
If you had said that last night...
I would have missed my meeting this morning. At least I gave you a wake up call.
It was Fitz's call that woke me up. Of course, had I spent the night in Brooklyn...
I would have missed my meeting this morning. Lizzy giggled as she pasted the message from her previous reply and sent it off.
So you admit to not wanting my company last night!
I admit no such thing. I just know my limits.
That's appallingly inconvenient.
So what time is lunch?
Are you sure you can't miss a meeting or two this afternoon?
After dealing with several calls related to business, Olivia called the store in Washington where she had found the dress she liked and spoke with the manager of the bridal salon, who was swept away by Olivia's plight. The manager was enchanted by Richard's romantic notion of surprising his bride with the perfect wedding and offered to ship the dress to New York overnight. But having come to the point of a decision at last, Olivia suddenly felt paranoid about the idea of relying on a delivery service.
"May I call you back? I need to consult my...my grandmother about this," Olivia asked. The manager said she understood perfectly, but warned Olivia that if she wanted the dress by the next day it would have to be shipped by 1:00 p.m. Olivia promised to call before then and hung up the phone. She paced the apartment for several minutes before she reached for the phone again and dialed Bess.
"Oh, your timing is excellent, Livy! We just arrived at the apartment," Bess answered pleasantly. "Why don't you come over early and we can make lunch together?"
"That sounds like a great idea," Olivia replied, grateful for any excuse to do something. She had been growing bored being at home and increasingly anxious as she thought more and more about the dress. She grabbed her bag and the ordering information for the dress and rushed out of the apartment. She made a quick stop at a shop and arrived at the Park Avenue apartment that the Fitzwilliams called home in the city in less than twenty minutes.
"That was fast!" Kathleen smiled as Olivia stepped off the elevator and entered the penthouse. She embraced Olivia warmly. "Go on through into the kitchen. Mother is already plying her magic. I'll join you in a bit," she said as she excused herself and went off to read while she gave the others an opportunity to speak privately.
"Hello, Bess," Olivia smiled as she entered the kitchen with a small bag. "I brought some of that bread you liked so much the last time you came to dinner."
"Oh, excellent! It will go perfectly with our meal," she replied as she hugged Olivia and offered her a seat. "Why don't you open that bottle of wine, there? It's not quite noon, but I won't tell if you don't." Olivia smiled and opened the bottle as Bess revealed her menu and the two made small talk about food. Bess put the chicken salad into the refrigerator to chill for a little while and turned to Olivia with a serious look in her eye. "But we aren't here to talk about food, are we? Why don't we take our glasses into the other room and have a nice chat?" Olivia followed Bess into the living room, where Kathleen was reading her mail. Kathleen looked up as they entered, ready to evacuate the room, if need be.
"Oh, don't go, Kathleen," Olivia said hastily. "I'd like your opinion on something." She went to her bag and drew out the photograph of herself in the dress she'd picked out. "I called the store this morning and the manager said that she could FedEx the dress to New York overnight. I wanted to get a second opinion before I made the commitment." She handed Kathleen the picture.
"Well, you know my opinion of the dress," Bess said as Kathleen assured Olivia that she looked lovely in it. "But before you make that call, let me tell you my idea. I'm only offering it as a suggestion, mind. I don't want to pressure you into anything."
"That's Fizz's specialty," Kathleen quipped.
"Hah! You three are all co-conspirators; don't try to deny that you've been in on this from the beginning!" Olivia laughingly accused.
"Well, Fizz promised me a grandson within a year if I helped him get you to the altar by the end of the month," Kathleen offered as her excuse. She wore an expression that left much doubt as to whether or not she was serious. Olivia was rendered speechless by her remark and blinked at her in shock.
"As I was saying," Bess continued, "I thought that we might consider an alternative to the dress in Washington." She went over to the sofa and pulled a box out from behind it.
"What is that?" Olivia asked.
"A wedding dress," Bess replied simply. She opened the box and handed it to Olivia, who placed it on the rug in front of her and reverently lifted out the dress. It was a rather simple ivory silk taffeta gown with an empire waist. The sleeves and the hem of the gown were embellished with rows of pleats and lace inserts, and a faded pale blue ribbon served as a sash.
"You simply have to lose those puffed sleeves," Kathleen said distastefully, "But otherwise I think it's rather sweet." Olivia smiled.
"Where on earth did you get this?"
"Well, when you were getting ready to sell your house and Richard shipped a truckload of stuff up to Greenwich to put into storage, I was put in charge of seeing it all squared away," Bess began as she took a seat beside Olivia. "I recalled seeing a box marked 'Mom's stuff,' and on a whim I went looking for it over the weekend. My hunch paid off. This was in that box."
"You mean this is my mother's dress?" Olivia whispered. "I've never seen it before," she said as tears began to form in her eyes. "Dad packed away all of my mom's stuff after she died. He wouldn't let me go through any of it because he couldn't bear being surrounded by her things anymore. He sent me over to my aunt's house one day and packed up all her stuff while I was out of the house and put it away in the attic. My mother did tell me about it once, though, and I saw a few pictures--my grandmother made it for her. She was an expert seamstress, you see."
"It's very seventies, isn't it?" Bess teased. "But I think it's lovely, and with a few adjustments--."
"And maybe a lavender ribbon," Kathleen interjected. Bess nodded.
"I think it might be lovely."
"It would," Olivia said as she embraced Bess tightly.
"Oh, don't thank me, child--." Kathleen silenced her mother with a stern look. "I'm just happy to have been of use." Olivia pulled away and looked Bess squarely in the eye.
"Richard didn't have anything to do with this, did he?"
"Oh, no! He doesn't have a clue. Turnabout is fair play, I think," Bess assured her. Olivia hugged her once more and stood up to hold the dress against her body.
"Well, thank goodness your mother was tall," Kathleen said appraisingly as she rose to get a better look.
"We Crenshaws are a tall breed," Olivia smiled. "Unfortunately, I'm the only flat-chested one."
"Well, that's easy enough to fix," Kathleen said. "I took the liberty of speaking to a tailor about this and she assures me that it can be altered easily."
"By Saturday?" Olivia asked. Bess smiled and went to the desk. She picked up a business card that was lying there and dialed as Kathleen continued to assess the dress.
"I think we should remove the sleeves, and maybe lower the neckline as well as take in the bodice...how would this look without the ribbon?" she said mostly to herself as Olivia stood hugging her mother's dress to her chest.
"This is the best wedding present ever!" she said in a voice barely above a whisper. Kathleen and Bess both looked up and exchanged a glance.
"This isn't your wedding present, dear," Bess informed the bride. "We had a little something else in mind for that. Why don't we go in and start lunch? Clara will be here at one." Olivia reluctantly put the dress aside and followed the others into the dining room.
William slid into the booth beside Lizzy, causing her to look at him in surprise.
"Hey! You're kind of close there, Mr. Darcy!"
"...And you're complaining because..." Lizzy smiled as she felt William's hand on her knee.
"I didn't think of it myself?" William smiled as he perused the menu. Lizzy was too distracted to focus on the menu as William traced the words "I love you" on her thigh with his free hand, so William ordered for the two of them.
"You know my biggest regret in life right now?" William said as the waiter placed a basket of bread on the table.
"Pray tell," Lizzy cooed.
"Not being born left-handed, like Fitz," William said as he brought his hand up and reached for a knife with which to butter a roll.
"That's fattening you know," Lizzy offered helpfully. William tossed the roll back into the basket.
"True." But before he could restore his hand to its hiding place an associate of his called his name. William rose to shake his hand and speak with him for a few moments. When he sat down again, Lizzy had eaten half of the roll. "Hey! That's fattening!"
"I'm sure I'll work the calories off later, somehow," Lizzy said enigmatically.
"Is that an invitation?"
"Well, I do have to be able to fit into my dress on Saturday, so I would appreciate your help in burning off a few extra calories," she said with a suggestive waggle of her eyebrows.
"Speaking of Saturday, have you chosen a wedding gift for the couple or should we give them a gift together?" Lizzy smiled at the notion of giving a joint gift, but she thought better of it. She didn't want to assume anything from William's offer.
"Livy asked for a KitchenAid mixer."
"Doesn't she already have one?"
"She has two, I think. She inherited her mom's old one, and Richard bought her another one when she moved in with him."
"What a romantic!"
"She was thrilled with it," Lizzy said as she playfully slapped William on the shoulder. "This is Livy we're talking about. That mixer probably worked on her as well as a plate of oysters. She wants one for the new house, though, and I promised I'd give it to her. Why, what were you planning to give them?"
"A wine cellar," William said as he took the remainder of Lizzy's roll and began to pick at it.
"A wine cellar? You're giving them a wine cellar?" Lizzy asked incredulously.
"Yes. I've asked Tineke to carve out a 200 square foot space in the basement to install a wine cellar and I'll stock it with a few hundred bottles to start. I've spoken to a few people who will also give the couple wine and spirits to add to the collection."
"A wine cellar," Lizzy repeated. "I would never have thought of that." William shrugged.
"It was either that or a train room, but I'm not sure Olivia would have appreciated that as much."
"No, probably not, but then Livy's appreciation of a lot of things has grown considerably since she became involved with Richard." William agreed that both Olivia and Richard had grown significantly since they'd begun living together. "What about us?" Lizzy asked boldly. "Do you think we've grown at all?"
"So what brings you downtown?" Charles asked as he took the bottle of ketchup Richard offered him.
"I had to pick up something for dinner," Richard said. "I also needed to--."
"Wait, wait, back up. You needed something for dinner?"
"Yeah, what of it?"
"What did you need?"
"Well, if you must know, tiger prawns."
"What's a tiger prawn?"
"It's a huge prawn with a striped shell."
"And they can only be found in the waters off Tribeca?" Charles teased. Richard rolled his eyes.
"They are not native to the northeast, you ignorant gourmand. Livy says you can get the freshest seafood in Chinatown, so I'm going to pick up the prawns on my way back to the office."
"Tiger prawns."
"Yes, Charles, tiger prawns," Richard repeated as he hefted his hamburger.
"Does this mean you're cooking again?"
"Yes, it means I'm cooking again. What of it?"
"We're a little testy, today, aren't we? This wouldn't be pre-wedding jitters rearing their ugly little head, would it?" Richard cast his friend a withering look.
"You know, if I had hit the three instead of the two on my phone, I could be sharing fried zucchini with Bright Eyes right now," he said as he picked up a French fry.
"I think not. She ran off to have lunch with Will about a half hour before you called me," Charles said smugly. "You would have had to settle for my company, anyway. So, tell me about it."
"About what?"
"The pre-wedding jitters; you aren't having any second thoughts, are you?"
"I don't have any pre-wedding jitters. Olivia is having them, though, and I'm a little worried about her." Charles grew serious. "And no, she's not having any second thoughts, either. I just think I didn't give her adequate time to prepare for the wedding and it's taking its toll on her sanity."
"So you're cooking dinner tonight as a means of easing your guilt," Charles said, returning to his playful mood. Richard shrugged.
"I guess that's part of it. But I also want to ease as many of her burdens as possible for the next few days."
"Well, considering that you're her largest burden..." Charles ducked as a French fry went whizzing by his left ear.
After a pleasant and relaxed lunch, Bess cleared away the dishes as Kathleen went to her room and returned with a box.
"This," she said as she handed it to Olivia, "Is your wedding present from my mother and me." Olivia smiled in anticipation as she opened the package.
"We have another present for you and Fizz, but this one is just for you." Olivia opened the box and found a strand of pearls.
"Oh, my! They're beautiful!" she gasped.
"Aren't they?" Bess said impishly as she took the choker from Olivia's hands and fastened it around her neck. Olivia rose and went to look at herself in a mirror.
"But why? I mean, they're gorgeous and I love them, but--."
"Well, we thought they'd look good with the gown, you see," Kathleen began. "It's one less accessory for you to have to worry about."
"And you can't be a proper Greenwich wife without a decent strand of pearls. It just isn't done," she teased.
"And as a Fitzwilliam, you must keep up appearances," Kathleen chimed in. "My daughter in law will not flout tradition," she said with mock solemnity. Olivia hugged her and then Bess.
"I promise to try not to be an embarrassment," Olivia teased. Kathleen squeezed her hand as she resumed her seat.
"Livy, we all love you dearly--Hugh, mother, and myself--and we think you're a wonderful addition to the family. I know you've made my son the happiest man alive--."
"He calls and reminds us on a regular basis," Bess quipped.
"...And we hope that you will be as happy with him as he is with you," Kathleen continued. "You're taking on a big commitment on Saturday--."
"...And an even larger family," Bess added as Olivia gave her a wink. Kathleen gave her mother a warning look.
"Richard is a bit of a handful, and if you've ever had any doubts about the origin of his behavior--," she said with a significant look at her mother. "But seriously, I hope you don't have any doubts about him, Olivia. I'd rather you call the wedding off right now than marry him this weekend and regret it later."
"Oh, I won't regret it, I assure you. I've wanted to become his wife for some time now. I guess the only doubt I've ever had about it was when we should marry. But I want to marry him Saturday. I want that more than anything in the world."
"I'm delighted to hear it," Kathleen said as Bess rose to answer the intercom.
"The tailor is here. Why don't you go and get into that gown and we'll see what we can do with it?"
William gazed into Lizzy's eyes as he carefully pondered her question. In a way, she had given him the perfect opening, an opportunity for him to unburden his heart and tell her all the things that he'd holding in abeyance for months. But it wasn't the right time. He had never intended to propose marriage in a crowded, noisy restaurant, especially after she'd goaded him (intentionally or not) into a confession of his feelings. Lizzy stared right back, impatiently awaiting his reply.
"Well?"
"I'm counting," William said. "Should I include my newfound fascination with synchronized swimming, or..." Lizzy arched an eyebrow. "I guess not."
"I withdraw the question," Lizzy said as she averted her eyes.
"Please don't. It's a wonderful question. I just think it merits a good deal of thought," William smiled, and rested his chin on his hand. "You know, I've never thought about you in quite this way before." Lizzy was intrigued.
"In what way?"
"Well, I've given a lot of thought to what you mean to me, but I haven't thought about how much my life has changed since you became a part of it--or about the person I've become since we became involved--not in quite that way, anyway." It was a tiny lie, but it had the desired effect. The furrow between Lizzy's brows disappeared.
"You know, come to think of it, neither have I," she said thoughtfully.
"Well, maybe we both should think about this a bit before we answer." Lizzy looked him in the eye.
"Nice stall, Mr. D." William fixed her with a disarming smile.
"Does it matter so much when I answer your question, so long as I give the right answer?" Lizzy didn't reply, but she bit her lip, and William knew that he had dodged the bullet--for the moment, at least.
Olivia arrived home to find Richard in the living room poring over a cookbook. He rose to greet her, pausing to look at his watch.
"Where have you been?" he said as Olivia dropped her bags and wrapped her arms around him. "You know I can't make rice when you're not here."
"I was at your parents' apartment, remember?"
"You bought shoes at my mom's place?" Richard said doubtfully as he picked up a shopping bag.
"We went shopping, silly!" Olivia smiled radiantly. "I have a dress!" Richard returned the smile.
"You found a dress?" Olivia nodded and hugged him more tightly.
"Yes! Isn't life wonderful?" Richard chuckled softly as he held his ebullient bride. "And then we went out and found shoes, and your mom and Grandma Bess gave me this beautiful strand of pearls," she continued as she pointed to her throat.
"Very nice," Richard smiled.
"I'm very happy!" she sighed.
"And very beautiful," Richard amended as he looked deeply into her eyes. Olivia stood on her toes to kiss him and indulged her passion for a minute or two. Then as quickly as she'd begun she stopped and pulled away.
"I don't have time for this now," she said as she left Richard and rushed down the hall to the guest room.
"But..."
"I have to call Clara and let her know if..." Richard didn't hear the rest of the comment as Olivia disappeared into the walk-in closet. He threw himself on the bed and waited for her to emerge. She came out of the closet in a full slip, which she had thrown on over her slacks.
"Please don't tell me that's the dress."
"Don't be an idiot, Richard. It's just a slip."
"It goes very well with blue pants, I must say." Olivia rolled her eyes as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. "May I ask what on earth you're doing?"
"I'm trying on a slip to see if it--, oh never mind. You wouldn't understand." She left the room and Richard heard her talking to herself as she went back up the hall. "Darn it! Richard, what's your mother's number?" She reappeared at the door and Richard sat up and reached for the phone in her hand. He punched in the number and handed it back to her. She kissed his cheek and he swooned backward on the bed. Olivia giggled and stretched out beside him.
"What are you--?" Olivia put her index finger to Richard's lips as Kathleen answered the phone.
"Hello, Kathleen. I tried on the only full-length slip I own and it's too high. I know...well, I'm sure I could...I must have a teddy or something that can fit under...yes, I need something cut much lower." Olivia glanced at Richard, whose eyes were wide with curiosity. "I'll find something, maybe after the fitting tomorrow. I don't know what I did with Clara's number... Oh, would you? Thanks." Olivia turned away from Richard's questioning gaze. "Yes, and this is a problem that's easy to solve. Oh, he's here. Would you like to speak with him?" Olivia rolled over and handed the phone to Richard.
"Mom, can I call you back later? Yeah, maybe in an hour or so? Thanks." He turned off the phone and laid it aside.
"Why did you do that to your mother?"
"I'd really rather talk to you right now. What's all this about low-cut underwear?" Olivia rolled her eyes and sat up.
"Really, Richard!" Olivia said as she rose and went back into the closet. She emerged for a second time, pulling a tee shirt over her head. "Let's go make your rice."
Lizzy rushed home to prepare a special dinner for William. She had stopped and purchased some large shrimp and went into the kitchen to start preparing the recipe she'd downloaded at the office. When she realized that she lacked two of the ingredients, she dialed Olivia in search of substitutes.
"I'm desperate, Livy," she said when Olivia answered the phone. "I'm making a shrimp dish for dinner and I just realized that I don't have any lemon grass or kefir lime leaves."
"Do you ever?" Olivia teased.
"Well, quite frankly, no. Do you have any suggestions for what I can use instead?"
"You can use the rind of a lemon or lime to replace the kefir lime leaves, but the taste of lemon grass is rather unique. Let me think for a moment," Olivia said as she rose and wandered into the kitchen, where Richard was at work at the stove. She opened the cupboard and looked at the spices arranged there, and glanced at the several bottles Richard had pulled out. "No...no, Lizzy; I'm afraid I can't think of any. Exactly what are you making?"
"It's supposed to be some sort of Thai-style shrimp. It sounded so good when I read the recipe, but I'm afraid it won't come out right if I don't have the right ingredients."
"You're absolutely right, there, girl. It won't taste at all like a Thai recipe without those key ingredients. But hey, Fizz is making something with shrimp and it looks really good. Why don't you make what he's making?"
"What is he making?"
"I have no idea," Olivia said with a smile. "I'll let you speak with him." She told Richard what was up and handed him the phone.
"Hello, Bright Eyes."
"Hi, Fizz," Lizzy drawled.
"You do want my help, don't you?"
"Sorry, Richard. What are you making?"
"I'm making scampi."
"Is it hard?"
"Do you know who you're talking to?" Richard countered.
"You're a lot smarter than you let on, Richard," Lizzy admitted.
"Thanks, Bright Eyes. Just for that, I'll share my recipe." He reached for the cookbook and read her the ingredient list.
"Ooh! I still have some herbs in the garden! This could work! How is yours coming along?"
"It got a rave from Livy and she hasn't even tasted it yet."
"Good enough," Lizzy conceded. "What are you serving with it?"
"I'll gladly answer all your questions if you answer a few of mine."
"What do you want to know?"
"I want to know about the dress Livy bought today." Richard heard Lizzy gasp in surprise.
"She bought a dress today? Last she told me, she was determined to go with the one she found in Washington."
"She found a dress in Washington?" Richard blurted out, before he recalled that Olivia was in the next room. He lowered his voice. "She never mentioned that to me. What did she do, have it shipped?"
"I don't know what she was going to do." Lizzy replied. "But I doubt if she'd have something sent at this late date. Why don't you ask her?"
"Well, she said she got a dress today. I didn't want to pry. All right, I did want to pry, but I didn't."
"...Which is why you asked me," Lizzy accused. "Well, I'm more confused than you are. Put her back on, will you?"
"On one condition," Richard entreated.
"No can do, buddy. She may want to tell me something not meant for your ears. This is strictly girl stuff."
"And after all I've done for you..." Richard pouted.
"What have you ever done for me?" His reply was immediate and concise.
"Fitzwilliam Darcy."
"I'll try." Richard smiled contentedly and carried the phone into the dining room, where Olivia was working on her computer. He handed Olivia the phone and kissed the top of her head before returning to the kitchen.
"Hello?"
"What's this about your buying a dress today?" Olivia sighed and shook her head.
"Richard's been importuning you for details already?"
"I want details for myself! Is it true?"
"No, it's not true. I did not buy a dress today."
"Oh," Lizzy said as her heart fell.
"I did, however, acquire one. That's all I can tell you about it, save for the fact that it will have two inches of lace on it, and that's only because removing it would make the gown too short."
"Why?"
"Because it's a vintage gown and it has lace on the hem."
"Where did you find this gown?" Lizzy was all curiosity. She set aside all thoughts of cooking to hear the tale.
"In Manhattan."
"Where in Manhattan?"
"What did Richard promise you for this information?"
"Nothing. Why are you being so secretive about the dress?" Olivia laughed.
"It looks like a taffeta bubble at the moment," she admitted. "You can tell Richard that I'm having it altered quite a bit. On second thought, don't bother. I'm sure he's right behind me listening."
"I am not!" Richard called from the kitchen.
Olivia never did reveal any details about the dress to either Lizzy or Richard. Only Kathleen and Bess saw the dress that Clara transformed overnight into Olivia's wedding dress. Olivia went to her shop for a second fitting Thursday afternoon, and was amazed at how quickly the tailor and her tiny army of seamstresses had performed their magic. When they were done, Olivia's dress had become an elegant sleeveless gown with a deeply scooped neckline front and back. The skirt had been narrowed so it was more like a graceful A-line on Olivia's slim body. She eschewed the ribbon entirely--at least on the outside of the gown. At Bess's suggestion, it was sewn inside the garment to serve as the traditional "something blue" in Olivia's ensemble. In its place, a band of the taffeta made a narrow pleated sash. As a special gift, the tailor fashioned a little purse out of one of the sleeves and delivered it to the delighted bride along with the gown. She entrusted the precious garment to Bess, who returned with it to Connecticut to prepare for the bride and groom's arrival Friday evening.
When Olivia entered her office Friday morning, she was surprised to see that her entire staff was present.
"What are you all doing in so early?" she asked.
"Well, we knew you'd be leaving early today," Adam spoke up. "And we thought that this would be the best time to get both you and Richard together for a small send-off."
Amy stepped out of the office with a small homemade wedding cake. Richard and Olivia exchanged an amused glance and joined the small celebration. The couple was toasted with sparkling apple cider and promised to put the picnic hamper they were given--fitted out with china, flatware, two Thermos bottles, a corkscrew, and a bottle of champagne--to good use at their earliest convenience.
A similar celebration took place upstairs a while later. Danielle walked William and Richard into a meeting which turned out to be an impromptu party. Olivia arrived a moment later, lured by a phone call that said that Richard had taken ill and asked for her. This time the champagne was real, as it was the early afternoon, and the staff of Fitzwilliam/Fitzwilliam gave the happy couple a pair of matching touring bicycles. In addition to a special edition of the Traveler's Companion fitted with a Global Positioning Satellite system, the DARCO staff gave the couple a pair of matching internal frame backpacks.
"I'm beginning to sense a theme here," Olivia said.
"Yeah: get lost!" Richard laughed.
"Hey, we just chose things from your gift registry," Ed Ferrars replied defensively.
"What registry?" Olivia asked as she turned to look at Richard, who looked back at her sheepishly.
"We already have a few blenders, so I went for fun stuff."
"Hence the request for a train set?" Danielle teased.
"And a number of cookbooks," Richard insisted. "I asked for cookbooks and a new Cuisinart." Olivia just laughed, but later, as Diaz sped the couple north toward Connecticut, she turned to Richard and asked if he'd really asked for all those things.
"Yes. I thought that we had most of the basic necessities, and those we don't have we might enjoy picking out for ourselves. So I just put things on the registry that I thought would be fun."
"How come I didn't get to put anything on the registry?" Richard tried to look apologetic.
"I thought that if I asked you about it you'd start asking too many questions."
"...Or ask for dull stuff like crystal or china?"
"Oh, I put china on the list; twelve settings of that china pattern we looked at last month. And those Calpha...Calaph--those pots and pans I can't pronounce the name of. I didn't bother with the crystal; Uncle Stewart will give us Waterford. He gives everyone Waterford crystal as a wedding gift, and we'll be able to go to their flagship store and choose the pattern ourselves. Better yet, we can hop over to Ireland and go to the factory while we're in Europe," Richard suggested as he pulled Olivia closer.
"Just think...tomorrow at this time we'll be halfway there," Olivia said wistfully.
"And you will have plight your troth with me forever...or is that plighted?" Olivia giggled.
"Are you sure you're a Harvard man?"
"Scout's honor."
William met Lizzy at her office and drove up to Connecticut while he told her about the wedding gifts Olivia and Richard had received from their respective staffs and colleagues.
"I can understand the picnic hamper, but bicycles? Backpacks?"
"Richard put them on the bridal gift registry."
"Figures," Lizzy sneered.
"Olivia seemed to like all the gifts. As I recall, she's been talking about bicycling between the houses on the family estate since the two of them started talking about building their own place."
"Well, good for her. But I'm not sure what I'd do if someone gave me a bike as a wedding present."
"Ride it?" William suggested reasonably.
"You know what I mean, William."
"Yes: you mean that you're a traditionalist who'd rather receive three toasters and seven place settings of china than a laptop loaded with a solar battery and a GPS." Lizzy shot him a dark look.
"I just think that when a girl gets married--."
"...So does a boy."
"Especially in Richard's case," Lizzy smirked.
"I won't argue with you there. But Olivia seems to like Richard just as he is."
"Yes she does."
"By the way, I have something for you," Richard said. "I suppose I should actually give it to Fitz, since he'll be standing up with me..."
"What is it?" Richard reached into his pocket and produced a small box.
"It's my ring." Olivia took the box and opened it to see a classic wedding band.
"I didn't know you wanted one."
"You never asked."
"I might have, had I had a few more days' notice before our wedding," Olivia returned archly.
"True. But not to worry, I took care of it myself."
"I think it's great that you want to wear a wedding ring," Olivia said as she gave the box back to Richard. "I've always thought it unfair that women were required to have them but men weren't."
"I think it should be an all or nothing deal; either both partners get rings or neither," Richard said. "I want everyone to know I'm a happily married man."
"So do I," Olivia laughed. "I was thinking of having your forehead tattooed."
"I think the ring will suffice," Richard frowned.
"So would you put outlandish things on a bridal gift registry?" Lizzy asked.
"I don't think that bicycles or camping gear is so outlandish," William replied. "I doubt I would think of such things, but yes, I would be open to putting a few fun things on a gift registry.'
"Such as?" William smiled impishly.
"How about a couple of cases of that chocolate body frosting?"
When Olivia and Richard arrived at the house they were warmly received. The twins had arrived with their families, and David and Matt were at the house helping Bess with last minute preparations.
"May I go out and look at the venue?" Olivia asked.
"Can I prevent you?"
"If you're very creative, probably. But it's all right. I can wait until tomorrow. As a matter of fact, I'm kind of looking forward to all the surprises tomorrow."
"Do you really mean that?" Olivia nodded. "Well, good...but I'm still willing to get creative for you."
"Save it for the honeymoon," Olivia laughed as she went off to speak with Kathleen. Richard went out to the garden to look at the venue for himself. A large tent had been erected on the tennis court for the reception. A small area a short distance away had been decorated with potted shrubs and garlands of flowers for the ceremony itself. It was there Richard found Bess, David and Matt. A half dozen or so others were at work arranging chairs and tables and hanging greenery inside the tent.
"Hello, GB," Richard said as he bent to kiss the family matriarch. "Matt, David. Everything looks great out here," he said as he surveyed the area.
"Have you looked inside the tent?" David asked.
"Not yet. But I'll take a peek. Livy is here; I don't want her to see any of this until tomorrow." Bess linked arms with Richard and led him toward the tent.
"Oh, I think we can keep her busy. Now, come see how your wonderful plan turned out."
Back at the house, Olivia was opening gifts of lingerie from the twins amid a great deal of laughter. Kathleen, Stewart's wife Marjorie, Tineke, and Matt's girlfriend Anne kept Olivia well entertained with their surprise lingerie shower. When Richard returned to the house, Hugh called him into his study.
"No point in looking for Olivia, they've got her in there having some sort of hen party," he said as he ushered his son into the room. "How are you holding up?" he asked as he poured out a snifter of brandy and offered it to Richard.
"Thanks. I'm fine. I'm just looking forward to having this all over with tomorrow and flying off to Scotland."
"So, you're all ready for the big day, eh?" Hugh asked as he sat back in his big leather chair.
"As ready as I'll ever be."
"She's a lovely girl, son. Your mother and I think you've got a real prize in Livy."
"I believe you told me something to that effect last December," Richard said impertinently.
"Well, you have to admit I was right on the money."
"You won't get an argument from me!"
"As long as I have you here, Richard, let me tell you the four keys to a happy marriage. I like to think of them as the Four C's."
"The Four C's?" Richard repeated doubtfully.
"Yes. The first C is for commitment. If you aren't committed to the marriage, you have no business entering into it in the first place. If you're committed to each other and to the life you are building together, then you have a firm basis for a lasting relationship." Richard nodded in agreement. "The second C is for communication. As long as the two of you are open and honest with each other and communicate effectively, things will go well. The third C is for compromise. Marriage is all about give and take, son. Choose your battles carefully and know when to stand your ground and when to concede." Richard chuckled at this bit of advice.
"You said there were four C's. What's the last one?"
"Charge cards. Let her have her own and just pay the darned bill," Hugh seriously. "Unless she buys something off the wall, just pay for it and don't ask any questions." Again Richard laughed.
"I gave Livy a charge card months ago. I think she's used it five times, and then only because I made her do it. She runs her own business, dad, and as she is apt to point out, she can afford to buy her own stuff." Hugh smiled.
"Then make it three C's. Just take good care of each other."
"I'll drink to that," Richard said as he raised his glass.
Lizzy and William arrived at the house and Lizzy went to join the women while William joined Richard and Hugh in the study.
"Sorry I'm late. The traffic was awful," Lizzy said as she swept into the room. "Have I missed much?"
"Just enough lingerie to fill half a Victoria's Secret catalogue," Corrine laughed.
"You do realize I can't take all of this stuff to Scotland with me. They'd think I was smuggling a whole lingerie shop into the country!"
"And just imagine the embarrassment of having your luggage searched at Customs," Caitlin giggled.
"Well, put this in your closet for when you return, then," Lizzy said as she handed Olivia a large box. Olivia unwrapped the package to reveal a lacy ankle-length nightgown. "And before you start complaining, William picked it out." Everyone turned to look at Lizzy. "He just happens to know where to find the prettiest lingerie in New York," she said with a slight blush.
"When will Gee arrive?" Hugh asked William as he offered him a brandy.
"She should already be here. Her plane was to touch down in New York about an hour ago," William replied after glancing at his watch.
"Is she driving up to Greenwich tonight or will she come up tomorrow?" William shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
"She and Christopher are driving up in the morning." Richard quickly changed the subject.
"How much longer do you think they're going to be in there? I'm starving and I'd kind of like to have a little time alone with Livy this evening." Hugh laughed knowingly and rose to go check on the women, leaving the two cousins alone.
"So, tomorrow's the big day," William said.
"Been there, done that," Richard said. "Just had that speech with dad."
"I wasn't about to offer any sage fatherly advice," William said, slightly offended. "I was simply going to wish you and Olivia all the best."
"Thanks, Fitz." Richard stared into his glass. "You know, I never expected that I'd be the first one of us to marry. I always figured that you'd beat me by at least a year or two."
"Well, I hardly had any chance in this particular competition. You proposed before I even--."
"Hey! You and Lizzy had already been dating for months before I asked Livy to marry me!" William sighed.
"But you proposed long before I even had a chance!"
"Nonsense! You knew the moment you met Lizzy that she was the one! I even told you so when I first told you about her." William smiled at the memory of that night in Japan. It no longer pained him to think back to the period of awkwardness that followed Richard's revelation. The happiness Richard had found with Olivia rendered all of that harmless.
"That I did. But Lizzy wasn't ready for a proposal."
"Neither was Olivia, but I didn't let a little thing like that hold me back," Richard smirked.
"I'm afraid I don't have your charm. I doubt I could have pulled it off as easily as you did." Richard shrugged.
"True, your charm is elusive at times. But you'd have to agree that Lizzy is ready now. Livy said she was practically chomping at the bit when they were at the bridal salons." William smiled.
"She won't have to wait much longer. I think we'll have good news for you by the time you return from your honeymoon," he said as he swirled the amber liquid in his snifter.
"If you have need of a good wedding planner..." William raised his glass in a silent toast. Richard touched his glass to his cousin's and drained it.