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Richard sat in the kitchen of the Darcy townhouse with Georgiana and watched as the housekeeper, Mrs. Reynolds, served up two dishes of pistachio ice cream.

"You know, Mister Richard, you're going to lose that 'studly' figure of yours if you keep this up." She placed the ice cream before the two cousins and left the room. Richard and Georgiana looked at each other.

"Excuse me, Gee, but did I just hear Mrs. R refer to me as 'studly'?" Georgiana and Richard laughed.

"She's right, you know. You will get fat if you continue eating like this. And if you don't, I certainly will."

"I'm not forcing you, princess. You're eating of your own free will." Georgiana admitted that she had little free will where pistachio ice cream was concerned. They began to eat their ice cream in silence.

"You seem a lot better than you were yesterday," she offered tentatively.

"Don't be fooled, Gee. It's just a carefully constructed façade. Actually," Richard confessed, as he rose to scoop out more ice cream, refusing his cousin a second helping. "I'm just as miserable as I was yesterday. No!" he cried, as Georgiana reached for the ice cream scoop. "One of us has to be the designated driver." The cousins finished their ice cream and went up to the playroom, where Richard challenged Georgiana to a game of pool. It wouldn't be much of a contest; although Richard had taught her to play, she had never mastered the game well enough to beat him and as a matter of practice she usually played pool with anyone but Richard. But she was willing to humor him this evening, out of a concern for his emotional state.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she began, as Richard critically assessed her position and fine-tuned her grip.

"Nope."

"It might help..."

"It might not. Besides, it's a dead issue," Richard said, as he again repositioned Georgiana at the table.

"Are you sure about that?" William asked from the door. Richard didn't look up.

"Yes, I'm sure," he replied. Georgiana glared at William, hoping he'd take the hint and leave. It was obvious to her that Richard didn't want to talk to William. She had felt him stiffen at the sound of William's voice. But instead of leaving, William walked into the room and opened out his laptop he was carrying under his arm. He turned it on while Richard walked over to chalk up Georgiana's cue.

"If you don't mind, we're in the middle of a game here," he said, still refusing to meet William's eyes.

"This will just take a minute," William replied. He clicked on the e-mail icon, and after a few seconds turned the computer around so that the screen was facing Richard, and placed it on the pool table.

"Read." At that, Richard looked up at William. Then he lowered his eyes to the screen and read first William's message and then Lizzy's brief acknowledgment of it, his eyes coming to rest at the last line:

How is Richard?

Richard looked up at William blankly.

"Why don't you write her back?" William suggested. Richard smiled briefly.

"I'm the phone guy. You're the computer guy, remember?" Richard sneered, perfectly parroting Lizzy's earlier statement.

"You're a non-traditionalist. Take a chance," William challenged.

"Why?" Richard asked suspiciously.

"Because she's obviously worried about you, Richard."

"Well, she knows how to reach me if she wants to." Richard handed the laptop back to William and leaned over the pool table and lined up a shot.

"Lizzy's gone, Richard. She left town sometime after I spoke to her last night." Richard didn't move, but Georgiana could see from the way his muscles tensed that he was affected by the news.

"Why? What did you say to her?" For the first time, Richard locked eyes with William.

"I told her the truth, all of it. I think she deserved to know," William said, determined to get a rise out of his cousin. He laid the computer on a nearby table.

"All of it?" Richard asked as he shot a ball into a side pocket.

"Yes, and she didn't like it, as you can well imagine. She couldn't understand why a man who was obviously in love with her so willingly abandoned her to another man." Richard snapped. He dropped the cue and lunged at William as Georgiana screamed. The fight only lasted a few seconds. Bates came running up the stairs with Mrs. Reynolds and, mainly out of deference to them, the cousins quickly parted, as they had done since childhood when either of the two family retainers intervened in their frequent skirmishes. Richard glared at William as he picked up the laptop and calmly left the room. Georgiana was furious that William had apparently chosen to pick a fight with Richard and turned to her cousin, who had opened a small cut above his eye. She went for a first aid kit and tended to the wound. Richard sat on the sofa staring into space, oblivious to her ministrations.

"So this is about Lizzy; I should have guessed."

"I don't want to talk about it, Gee." Georgiana sighed. She looked at Richard and understood that William had spoken the truth. Her heart went out to him and she suddenly reached over and hugged him. The gesture startled Richard out of his reverie, and after a moment's awkwardness, he hugged her back. They remained that way for some time.

"I'm going down to see Sophia this weekend. Why don't you come with me? It'll take your mind off things." Richard smiled, and kissed his cousin's forehead.

"Thanks, Gee, but a weekend spent cramping your style doesn't sound too appealing."

"You won't cramp our style. We're just going to ride horses and hang out, and there's a party on Saturday night. You might meet someone." Richard suppressed his initial reaction and instead teased his cousin.

"Do you girls need a chaperone, or are you suggesting that I chase jailbait?" Georgiana ineffectively punched Richard in the stomach, and objected to having her friends referred to as jailbait.

"All right. Don't come to the party, then. But I wish you would consider coming down with me. You're good friends with Sophia's father, and maybe getting away from William..."

"I'll think about it, princess," Richard promised, and he rose to take his leave.

Upstairs, William lay on his bed, staring at the screen of his Companion. He had half wished half feared that Richard might take him up on his offer. What if Richard had responded to Lizzy's message? What would that have meant to Lizzy? And what would it have meant to William, whose hopes had ebbed and flowed in rapid succession over the course of the previous week? William wanted to answer Lizzy's message himself but felt unsure of what to say. I can't speak for Richard's mindset, but his left hook is stronger than ever... William sat up and perched the computer on his lap. He pressed the reply button.

I cannot answer for Richard and Richard refuses to answer for himself.

William read the sentence over with dissatisfaction, but he could not think of anything else to say. He hit the send button and leaned back against the pillows. He wondered if Lizzy would respond to his message. William flexed his right hand, which was still sore from his fight. That was a stupid move, William. Did you really expect Richard to do anything else but slug you? You're lucky you didn't break your hand.

William counted his blessings. He was always the better fighter of the two cousins, however, Richard carefully sculpted and molded his body with hours of strength training every week, while William only did a little running and swimming, plus the occasional game of squash. He could no longer be as sure of the outcome of a fight between the cousins as he had been when they were boys.

William got up and went into his bathroom. He slipped out of his clothes and got into the shower. As his tired body began to respond to the pulsating streams of water, William came to a decision. He would seek Lizzy out. It shouldn't be very difficult; she could easily be tracked through her computer, although William would have to try to do it without involving Richard. The technicians at Fitzwilliam/Fitzwilliam were trained to trace hackers, and Lizzy would offer no challenge. William made a few mental notes and he emerged from a shower with a plan of action. All that remained to be determined was what William would do when he found her. Would he have the courage to give her back to Richard, or would he give in to the voice in the back of his head that was telling him that he wanted to find her for himself.

William sat at the edge of the bed and toweled his hair. The answer to those questions would have to wait. He had to find Lizzy first. I could do the honorable thing and let Lizzy decide, he thought. Or I could try to make her love me...if it's not already too late.

Part 4

Olivia's tiny home office was abuzz with activity. On one side of the room, Lizzy toiled away at her laptop, and on the other Olivia worked at her state of the art desktop computer, an incongruous element amid the whimsical cottage décor. The women worked in silence, each absorbed in her respective task. Finally, Olivia paused to stretch her arms above her head. She turned to look at Lizzy, who had stopped typing some few minutes earlier.

"You know, I'm willing to bet that you don't use two computers at once in your office back in New York." Lizzy was startled by Olivia's voice, and withdrew her eyes from the screen she'd been staring at. She felt a pang of guilt, but she responded defensively.

"As a matter of fact, I have two computers in my office, and I often have them going at once." Olivia rose and went to peer over Lizzy's shoulder as she slouched in her seat.

"Oh, really! And is one always logged into your e-mail?" Olivia smirked. Lizzy didn't answer. "Really, Liz, how long does it take you to read and digest one line? Richard is not speaking to you; end of story." Olivia reclaimed her seat and reached for her coffee. Lizzy sighed.

"I know," she sighed. "What bothers me is, from the looks of this post he's not speaking to William, either. That's the last thing I wanted to do...come between the cousins."

"Those cousins are big boys. Big, strong, handsome, rich, sexy..." Lizzy laughed and begged Olivia to stop. But soon her smile faded, she stared wistfully at the screen again.

"I wouldn't be surprised if William isn't speaking to me, as well," she said softly.

"Well, then. All your problems are solved. You have accomplished everything you set out to achieve, and in record time, I might add. I do hope you'll stay on a while, in spite of your fast result. Want some lunch?" Olivia rose and left the room with Lizzy staring after her, flushed with anger at her friend's insensitivity to her plight. She followed Olivia into the kitchen.

"That was cruel, Livy."

"What was cruel?" Olivia asked innocently, as she began to pull out the ingredients for grilled cheese sandwiches.

"Don't play the innocent. You know exactly what I'm talking about!" Lizzy retorted, her eyes tearing.

"Now wait a minute!" Olivia said, putting down a baguette to put her hands on her hips. "Didn't you, Eliza Bennet, swear to me not two days ago that you didn't want anything further to do with either man?" She fixed her penetrating stare at Lizzy, who slipped into a chair and ran a hand through her hair.

"You got exactly what you asked for, Lizzy," Olivia continued. "If you can't live with it, then someone's been lying to herself." With that, Olivia returned her attention to her preparations and Lizzy returned to the office to think.

Danielle entered her office to find Richard fiddling in her CD rack. She put her briefcase and shoulder bag down and placed her hands on her hips and made a slight coughing noise. Richard turned around at the sound.

"Good morning, Dan. I'm just returning the stuff I borrowed last week." He turned back to the rack, selected a recording and put it into the stereo system. He switched it on and walked over to the desk.

"I didn't see you yesterday," Danielle said, pulling off her coat and putting it away. She walked over to her desk where she spied a small package. Her eyes went from the package to Richard. He plopped into a chair and motioned for her to sit. Danielle smirked at him and walked around to her chair. "Where were you? And what is this?"

"I was here yesterday. Physically, if not mentally--I thought I'd spare you my bad temper. And that," Richard added as he pointed, "Is a bribe." Danielle raised one elegant brow.

"A bribe? What for? And what happened to you?" she added, noticing the bandage that was just visible below his hairline.

"It's nothing." Danielle waited, but Richard said no more on the matter. She turned to business.

"William was also looking for you yesterday."

"He found me." Danielle understood the meaning behind his cryptic reply.

"What on earth is going on between you two?"

"Nothing, anymore. We settled it last night?"

"Oh, really. And what does William look like?"

"A Greek God, according to Karen Fuse," Richard smirked. "I didn't lay a finger on him, I promise. Not that I didn't try."

"Who is Karen Fuse?"

"A girl who lived down the road from us in Greenwich when we were kids. She was obsessed with Fitz and constantly threatened to kill me if I did anything to ruin his perfection. Little did she know that Fitz was never in any danger from me. Of course, she never complained about the beatings I endured from him," Richard mused. "Now, about my bribe--." Danielle crossed her arms.

"What do you want?"

"I want...I would appreciate it if you would meet with William today...without me. I know, I'm asking a lot, Dan, but believe me, if I'm at this meeting, we'll have a repeat of Monday, or worse, last night."

"All right, Richard. I'll face the Boss Man alone," she said, as she unwrapped the package, "If you promise to stop calling me 'Dan.' My name is 'Danielle.' Got it?" Richard stood and leaned over the desk. He planted a kiss on her cheek.

"Yes, ma'am." He straightened up and headed for the door. "By the way, I'll be leaving early tomorrow. I'm taking a long weekend with my cousin, Gee." Danielle rolled her eyes as Richard left. She opened the package and pulled out the silk designer scarf and smiled.

Caroline entered Cherry Blossom's offices and, without waiting to be announced, headed down the corridor in search of her brother. As she passed Lizzy's office, she noticed that the lights were out. Caroline entered Charles's office, where she found him in discussion with Mina.

"Oh, come on in, Carrie. I'll be with you in a minute," he said, and gestured toward a chair. But instead of sitting, Caroline wandered about the office, looking at items on her brother's desk and at the half dozen or so web design awards the young company had garnered during its brief history. Mina left the office and Charles reached for his jacket. Remembering something, he turned back to his desk.

"One second, and then we're off to lunch." As soon as the words escaped his lips, the phone rang. Charles shrugged and took the call. Caroline rolled her eyes and turned away. When she saw Mina pass by the open door, she followed her down the hall.

"Mina?" That lady turned around, surprised to be addressed by Caroline, who usually didn't bother to socialize with Cherry Blossom's employees as the company's "absentee owner."

"I see that Lizzy isn't in today," Caroline prompted, knowing Mina's predilection for gossip.

"No! I hear she left town in order to avoid a certain gentleman!" Mina said eagerly.

"Do tell!" Caroline coaxed.

"I don't know all the particulars, but I heard that Lizzy was at Freddy's the other night with Charles and Richard Fitzwilliam, this really hunky, rich guy she's been involved with. Well, according to my sources, William Darcy showed up--speaking of hunks--and Lizzy made a big scene. She left town the next morning. Charles said she'd be telecommuting for a while." Caroline's interest was piqued.

"I wonder why Lizzy would create a scene over William Darcy?" Mina leaned closer to Caroline, who momentarily jumped back. But she overcame her surprise and leaned in to hear Mina's whispered reply.

"I think he's been coming on to her, and you know Lizzy's been really hot and heavy with Richard. He calls her here every day, according to Lisa, and once he sent her a huge vase of flowers. He even sent her a pink feather duster in anticipation of their reunion when he came back from a trip to Japan! Can you imagine! Having two really hot rich guys falling all over you?"

"That's enough, Mina," Charles said sternly as he came into the hall. "Lizzy's got enough problems without your spreading gossip about her." Charles took Caroline by the arm and led her to the elevator. Once inside, Caroline turned to him.

"Is it true? Has Lizzy really left town?" Charles sighed.

"Yes." Caroline smiled and began to calculate how soon she could have William Darcy consoling himself in her arms. Jane's out of the picture, not that she was any real competition. And now Lizzy's gone and left him brokenhearted...I should be the one sending flowers to Lizzy, along with a thank you note!

William was sitting in his office staring out over the New York City skyline when the phone rang. He absently lifted the receiver to his ear.

"William Darcy."

"Hi, Fitz."

"Fitz?" William's tone was inquisitive, rather than curt.

"Danielle will meet with you this afternoon about those figures we'd been trying to iron out in the quarterly. I won't be able to make it--I've got a presentation to make up in Westchester," Richard stated conversationally, as if nothing unpleasant had occurred between the two men.

"Can't one of your people handle it?" William asked, a bit suspicious of Richard's convenient excuse.

"Yes, but this is a new client with links to a multi-national. It could be big so I want to be there to personally sweet talk the brass. Besides, I don't think that Danielle really wants to face the two of us again just yet." William sighed.

"Maybe you're right." He began to fuss with an invisible speck of dust on his cuff. "How are you, Fitz?"

"Battered but unbroken," he said easily. "How's your hand?" William looked down and flexed his hand.

"When did you have that steel plate put in your head?" Richard laughed and a knot of tension slipped out of William's chest.

"It's rock, according to mother," Richard replied defensively, "And it's always been there. You just usually make the mistake of aiming lower when you hit me."

"Mistake for whom?" William laughed.

"Are we playing squash today?"

"I thought you had a big presentation to do."

"It's not until 3:00. We're scheduled for our usual 12:30, plenty of time for me to be humiliated on the court, shower, grab a bite, and make the trip...if you loan me the limo."

"Why don't you get a limo of your own?"

"I'd only use it once in a blue moon."

"Sign out one from the fleet. We always have one or two on standby."

"It isn't the same without Bates," Richard pouted. "So are we on for this afternoon or not?"

"Are you sure you trust me with a racket in my hand?" William asked, feeling a little guilty for baiting Richard the previous night.

"I'll make you a deal: you can take your best shot at me whenever you want if you promise not to hit me in the face again before my meeting."

"You're so vain, Fitz," William sneered.

"Well, I don't have your debonair accent working for me. I have to settle for just being unbearably handsome."

"Just being unbearable, you mean!" William snorted. There was a brief pause.

"Did you write back to Lizzy?" Richard asked. William formed his reply carefully.

"Yes, I wrote her a short note explaining that you declined an opportunity to let her know how you're doing." William heard a wistful sigh.

"Is that all you wrote?"

"That's all she wanted to know," William said simply. Richard considered saying something to encourage him, but decided that it was too sensitive an issue, given their recent fisticuffs.

"Fair enough. By the way, while I've got you: I've decided to take Gee up on her offer to go to Pennsylvania this weekend."

"What's in Pennsylvania?" William asked, making a face.

"Her friend, Sophia Knightley. I'm going along to take in the quiet. The girls are going partying."

"Give my regards to George. It's been some time since we've spoken."

"Will do. 12:30?"

"12:30."

"Give Danielle a call."

"Right-o, old bean," William retorted in high British accent. William hung up the phone and looked over at his laptop, where the previous day's messages glared at him from the screen. He started to close the browser, but impulsively, he sat forward in his chair, typed a message and sent it before he lost his nerve.

Had you asked me, I'd have told you that I am quite alive and well in spite of your precipitant dismissal Monday night. William leaned back and closed his eyes. Richard's decision to go away would make his plan easier. He made a note to himself to call on Bill Collins late Thursday afternoon.

"Lizzy Bennet, George Knightley, gentleman farmer."

"How do you do, Mr. Knightley?" Lizzy extended her hand to the owner of the large horse farm adjacent to Olivia's tiny property. The trio was standing in the parking lot of a large shopping complex about twenty miles from the Knightley farm. George Knightley was a handsome man of about forty whose manner, clothing, and car all bespoke wealth and position. He looked upon both ladies with obvious admiration. His boldness made Lizzy a bit uneasy. However, Olivia seemed immune.

"I'm very pleased to make your acquaintance, Lizzy" he smiled.

"I was under the impression that gentleman farmers were indigenous to Bucks County. Aren't you a little far afield, Mr. Knightley?" Lizzy quipped. He laughed heartily.

"You must be mistaking me for the northern variety, Lizzy," George said with an unmistakable emphasis on her name. "I toil in Washington--when I'm forced to make a living--and southern Pennsylvania is far more convenient than Bucks County."

"Washington? Then I should think you'd be in Virginia," Lizzy persisted.

"George is a Pennsylvania native like us, Lizzy," Olivia put in helpfully.

"Oh, are you from these parts?" George asked Lizzy.

"Yes. I was born in Elverson, but I actually spent most of my life in New York City," Lizzy replied, wishing she could just get on with her shopping. But George continued to ply the women with questions and soon learned that Lizzy and Olivia had been childhood friends until the death of Lizzy's parents had forced her removal to New York. The friends, however, had continued to correspond and visit each other until college age. They both attended Pratt University in Brooklyn, but Olivia had chosen to return to Pennsylvania, while Lizzy remained in the city. After several minutes of gentle interrogation, George released the women with a promise that they come to dinner sometime during Lizzy's stay. They walked away, a mixture of amusement and relief evident in their expressions.

"So tell me about your gentleman farmer," Lizzy said to Olivia some time later as they cruised the aisle of K-Mart.

"Let's see: prominent attorney; widower with two daughters; money, obviously; charming; and as you saw, talkative. And a bit too old to be my anything, I should think."

"Is he interested in you? More importantly, are you interested in him?" Lizzy pressed. Olivia hefted a huge bottle of laundry detergent as she considered.

"Oh, I don't know. I think he's a little bit of a sleaze, but judging by the way he looked at you just now, whatever slim chance I might have had if I was interested in him just flew out the window."

"Oh, no! He's all yours! I'm off men, thank you very much!" Lizzy cried. Olivia made a face at her behind her back. She didn't buy Lizzy's declaration for an instant.

William entered what Richard often jokingly referred to as "Geek Central," a large room where the most talented of Fitzwilliam/Fitzwilliam's staff worked diligently to track down hackers, viruses, and other potential threats to the company's clients. William surveyed the room in search of Bill Collins, Richard's "head geek." He found him in a corner, playing Doom on a large screened computer.

"Is that in your job description?" William asked benignly. Nonetheless, Collins nearly fell out of his seat.

"No, sir. Excuse me, sir. I was just taking a break, Mr. Darcy," the little man managed as he squirmed in his chair and hastily shut down the game.

"Relax, Collins. I need to ask a favor of you."

"Sure, Mr. Darcy, whatever, you want, sir. Shoot," he said obsequiously, and William had to suppress the urge to laugh.

"I need to find someone. Her name is Elizabeth Bennet--."

"Oh, that's easy. Just ask Mr. Fitzwilliam, sir. He sees Lizzy Bennet all the time." William rolled his eyes, and wondered if Richard was aware that details of his personal life were common knowledge among his staff.

"I want to find out where she is right now, Collins. Can you track her location if I give you her e-mail address?" William pulled a slip of paper from his pocket and handed it to the technician. Before Collins could speak, William added, "She's not in New York. She's on vacation somewhere and it's very important that I contact her. Try and track her down and call my office when you have found her." William turned to leave but Collins stayed him.

"If you have a few minutes, Mr. Darcy, I should be able to find her right now. I mean she's probably not trying to deliberately hide her point of origin, is she? " William was impressed with Collins' skill. He leaned over the computer and watched as Collins quickly and expertly tracked Lizzy to a place somewhere in southern Pennsylvania. "That's as close as I can get," he said as he wrote down a telephone number on the slip of paper. The towns down there are so small that one area code can cover quite a lot of ground." William clapped Collins on the back.

"Thank you, Collins," he said gravely. As William made his way back to his office, he considered calling Jane but decided against it. He didn't want to arouse her suspicions. He had only spoken to Jane briefly since the incident at Freddy's and she had urged him to give Lizzy some breathing space. So instead of Jane, William called information and found out the name and address of the person who owned the phone line that Lizzy had been using to relay her work to Cherry Blossom.

"Are we there yet?" Georgiana playfully slapped at Richard, who attempted to dodge her blow.

"If you ask me that one more time you're going to walk the last three miles to Sophie's house." Richard promised to behave and the cousins arrived at the Knightley farm without any further incident. Richard got out of the car and stretched his legs. George Knightley and his two daughters came out of the old stone farmhouse to greet the new arrivals.

"Richard, good to see you again," George said, taking Richard's hand. "You remember Sophia and Marisa."

"Of course," Richard smiled at the girls, and each was suffused with a becoming blush. Sophia, a classmate of Georgiana's at Barnard, was Georgiana's age, and Marisa was sixteen and both bore their father's dark coloring. They took one look at Richard and nearly swooned. Georgiana was accustomed to this reaction among her friends when they were introduced to her brother or her cousin, so she calmly pulled the sisters away and led them into the house. George and Richard followed, making small talk as they went. George and Richard knew each other through their collaboration on a number of political and charity endeavors. The Fitzwilliams, Darcys, and Knightleys had a longstanding history, and though Richard and George could scarcely be considered close friends, they had an easy relationship. The guests settled in and soon joined the Knightleys at the dinner table. As the daughters stared rather openly at Richard, he and George talked about plans for the weekend.

"Why don't you take a horse out tomorrow and take a tour of the countryside? There's some beautiful scenery to be seen in these parts," George suggested, and Sophia and Marisa eagerly offered to take Richard on a tour. Georgiana just shook her head. Richard smiled charmingly at the ladies and politely declined their invitation. He suggested that they take Georgiana on a tour while he got caught up on some business in the morning. Later, as the cousins made their way to the rooms, Georgiana apologized for the girls' behavior.

"It's no problem, Gee. Don't worry; I'll give them a wider berth tomorrow. I think I'll check in with the office and then borrow your car and take a ride around the neighborhood." He kissed Georgiana on the forehead and turned in for the night.

The next morning, Lizzy arose early and made biscuits, a conciliatory gesture to Olivia after their confrontation the day before. After putting them into the oven, she went into the office and booted up her old laptop to check for messages from Charles and Charlotte. When she saw that there was a message from William among the others, her heart leapt in her chest. She sat down and said a small prayer before she clicked on his message. By the sixth reading, Lizzy was completely miserable.

"Something smells good," Olivia called from the kitchen. Lizzy went into the kitchen and checked the oven. Olivia looked at her sullen expression. "Who died?"

"William sent me an e-mail," Lizzy said dully.

"That's bad?" Olivia asked, confused by Lizzy's demeanor. "I should have thought that you'd welcome any signs of life from that quarter," she added, digging in the refrigerator for jam and butter.

"You didn't see what he wrote," Lizzy droned.

"That you're insensitive, unfair, and completely undeserving of the obvious affection he still has for you in spite of himself?" Lizzy shot Olivia a dark look. "Just a wild guess." Lizzy threw a potholder at her before slumping into a chair.

"Well what are you waiting for?" Olivia asked impatiently.

"All right, Livy, yes! In a nutshell, that's what he said." Lizzy looked into her lap. "Except that he didn't say that he still cared about me," she added softly.

"Good! I'm pleased to know that he has some shred of dignity left in him. But that's not what I meant." Lizzy looked up, feeling bruised and battered by her friend's heartless assault. Olivia pulled Lizzy to her feet, turned her around, and pushed her in the direction of the office. "Don't just sit there feeling sorry for yourself. Get in there and write him back!" Lizzy was propelled into the office by a hard shove at her back. "And your dignity doesn't mean squat. You're not having any breakfast until you've completely humbled yourself!" With that Olivia slammed the door shut and locked it behind her.

William impatiently grumbled his way through a few meetings in the morning. He felt out of sorts, half sorry half glad that he'd sent that last e-mail to Lizzy, and now he was hesitant to continue with his plan. What had he done? He'd probably pushed her last button, that's what he'd done, and the likelihood of being warmly welcomed into Lizzy's life suddenly seemed a remote possibility. How come Richard can get away with being angry and endearing simultaneously and I can't? I've seen him do it a million times. He always comes out smelling like a rose and I always end up--. The phone interrupted his thoughts.

"Ms. Lewis is outside, Mr. D," said William's secretary.

"Tell her I'll be out in a minute, Jo," William said. He looked wistfully at his laptop, which had remained shut down since his e-mail to Lizzy. He shook off his funk and headed for the door.

"I thought we were meeting in your office," Danielle said as William came out of the office and led her to the elevator.

"I'm taking you to lunch," William said sheepishly. "It's the least I can do after my boorish behavior Monday and having to cancel on short notice yesterday." Danielle wanted to go get her coat, but William insisted it wouldn't be necessary. He escorted her to the limo and in a few minutes, they were ensconced at a prominent table at an exclusive restaurant.

"I must say, you Fitzwilliams have a way of turning a lady's head," Danielle quipped as she fingered the scarf that was wrapped around her shoulders.

"Hmmm?" William said distractedly, his mind still on that e-mail.

"Why do I get the impression that we aren't going to discuss the quarterly?" Danielle asked as a waiter brought her appetizer. William smiled.

"Danielle, I learned a long time ago that talk about money and French cuisine don't mix. Bon appetit," he said, and the two enjoyed a delicious lunch without getting any work done at all. Danielle tried to get him to open up about what was bothering him and his cousin but, aside from admitting that it was "the usual woman problem," he offered no more information. They turned their attention to safer topics. William insisted that Danielle have two desserts before they returned to the office and completed their discussion on the quarterly report.

Sophia led Georgiana and Marisa over a narrow creek and stopped when she reached a clearing in the woods. The girls looked out over a wide valley that was aflame in the colors of autumn. Georgiana was very impressed by the sight. She dismounted and suggested that they walk awhile. She had not been on horseback in some time and was feeling a bit sore. As they strolled, Sophia or Marisa would point out an occasional landmark of interest or relate something of the history of the farm. It was late in the morning when they decided to head back to the house. They mounted their horses and were about to start back, when Georgiana spotted a familiar car. Instinctively she knew that in all likelihood it was not Lizzy's lime green Volkswagen Beetle, but she decided to investigate, nonetheless. She turned her horse in the direction of the little car, her friends in tow. The car sat just at the edge of the Knightley property. Its owner was a short distance away, trying to capture something of the fall foliage with her camera. Lizzy turned when she heard the hoof beats approaching.

"Lizzy!" Georgiana cried, as Lizzy simultaneously called out her name. Georgiana hastily dismounted and hugged her warmly as the sisters looked on.

"I never expected to see you here!" Georgiana exclaimed. "When I saw a car that it reminded me of yours but--." She stopped to draw breath and hastily introduced the sisters.

"Pleased to meet you both," Lizzy managed. "How long have you been in Elverson?" she asked cautiously.

"Oh, Richard and I...we arrived last night," Georgiana finished softly, realizing the import of her words. She and Lizzy both blushed and averted their eyes.

"How is Richard?" Lizzy managed in a tight voice.

"He's...well, you know how Richard is," Georgiana fumbled, unsure if what to say. Lizzy grabbed her hand and looked into her eyes meaningfully. "He's okay," she finally admitted. Lizzy released her hand and nodded her gratitude.

"We'd better get back to the house. Dad is expecting us for lunch," said Sophia. "You're welcome to join us, Lizzy. I'm sure Richard would be happy to see you," she added in a tone that expressed her hope that Lizzy would not accept her invitation. Lizzy was all too happy to oblige her. Georgiana looked into Lizzy's eyes, and Lizzy instinctively knew that her secret was safe for the time being. Lizzy managed a small smile, and the girls mounted their horses and left. Shaken, Lizzy threw her camera into the car and quickly returned to the house.

"So what?" Olivia declared ten minutes later, as she pulled the handful of clothing out of Lizzy's suitcase. "What are you going to do, run from him the rest of your life?" Lizzy dropped the things she had hastily pulled from the drawer and sat on the bed. "Why are you running, anyway? If he isn't speaking to you, he's not likely to come a-calling, is he? And you just said that you didn't think that Georgiana would tell him about you..."

"But George might tell him," Lizzy reasoned.

"So what? If you have any hopes of ever returning to New York you have to accept the fact that Richard Fitzwilliam lives there, too. You cannot avoid him forever, Lizzy!" Olivia wanted to shake Lizzy by the shoulders but she restrained herself. "Look, just lay here a while and think about this." Olivia rose to leave.

"You aren't going to lock me in are you?" Lizzy joked weakly.

"Don't put ideas in my head, girl." Olivia headed down the stairs mumbling something about stealing Lizzy's distributor cap.

Richard did not need George or anyone else to tell him that Lizzy was nearby. He had seen her himself. Driving down the road in Georgiana's silver BMW, he had seen Lizzy pointing her camera at a tree. It was all he could do to keep driving, but he had done it and made it back to the farm before his emotions got the better of him. It only took a few casual questions to George to learn that Lizzy was staying at the home of a friend nearby. Richard cursed his luck, and almost considered going back to the city. But he changed his mind when he realized that this might be the opportunity he needed to explain himself to Lizzy and to let her know, once and for all, that he had decided not to see her again. He didn't relish his fate. Lizzy had gotten far closer to his heart than he'd ever let anyone before and it wouldn't be easy to give her up. Perhaps he should get away for a while, perhaps visit his kin in Scotland. Maybe by the time he returned, Lizzy and Fitz would have settled things. At least, Richard hoped that they would. As he considered his options, Georgiana, Sophia and Marisa came in from their ride, and Richard rallied himself to greet them pleasantly.

"Did you ladies have a nice ride?" he asked.

"It was great," Marisa gushed. "The fall colors are so pretty, Richard. You should come out with us and see them," she hinted none too subtly. Sophia endorsed the plan.

"We even met a friend of Georgie's from New York," Marisa added. Georgiana's eyes met Richard's as the sisters went upstairs to change.

"You already knew, didn't you," Georgiana said. Richard nodded.

"I saw her."

"I don't think she--. What are you planning to do?" Georgiana asked, fearing that Richard might abandon his plans for the weekend and fly back to New York.

"Nothing just yet," was all he volunteered, and he headed upstairs to wash up for lunch.

William was on his way home when the phone rang, interrupting his reverie about Lizzy. William glanced at the caller ID in his cell phone and was surprised to see that the area code and exchange were identical to that of the number that William had already committed to memory.

"Hello," was all he dared to say.

"Don't tell me. You're sitting in rush hour traffic on Park Avenue and...Sixty-fifth?" William relaxed when he heard Richard's voice.

"Seventieth. I thought you were supposed to be on vacation. According to Anne, you've called the office four times today."

"I miss you, too, Fitz. And since when have you been using my staff to spy on me?" Richard demanded. William felt a pang of guilt as he considered telling Richard what he'd learned about Lizzy. In all likelihood, she was within a few miles of his current location. But William realized that in order to do so he'd have to confess to spying on her and using the resources of Fitzwilliam/Fitzwilliam to do it.

"She volunteered the information. You should really train your people to be more discreet, Fitz. How's George?"

"He's very much in his element out here, playing the country squire," Richard laughed. "Ever the gracious host. And the country around here is quite spectacular. If I thought I could bear the sight of you, I'd suggest that you join us down here." Richard's hesitation, however, was actually due to his apprehension about revealing that he'd seen Lizzy. Richard rather wished that he could convince William to join him in Pennsylvania, but he knew that one more unplanned reunion of the three people involved in the messy triangle could spell the end of Richard's hopes for Lizzy and William. So instead of following his heart, he followed his instincts and changed the subject. "Did you meet with Danielle?"

"I took her to lunch at Le Cirque."

"Le Cirque?" Richard cried. "Show off!"

"Sorry, Fitz, but I lack your ability to take women to a corner hotdog cart and them charm them into believing that they'd just dined at Buckingham Palace," William smirked. The limousine pulled up at the Darcy townhouse and William carried on the conversation as he entered his home and made his way to the library.

"Admit it, cuz: I got both the looks and the charm in this family."

"Not according to Karen Fuse. By the way, what on earth possessed you to bring her up with Danielle?"

"I'm more interested in learning why you took Danielle to Le Cirque!"

"I owed her. First, I was completely out of it on Monday, and yesterday I had to cancel on her after she was kind enough to agree to stay late to meet with me."

"I think Danielle's had a better week than either of us. She got a hundred dollar scarf from me, and a hundred dollar lunch from you. Did you get around to getting any work done or did you just discuss my unrequited lust for Karen?"

"We got some work done, eventually," William said enigmatically as he poured out a brandy and went to sit on the couch.

"Sounds very serious, cousin!" Richard teased.

"Richard, she's a married woman!" William exclaimed.

"Oh, you know she'd abandon Harper in a heartbeat if you asked nicely," Richard continued to tease.

"My, you're in a good mood. Is Gee around?"

"No. She's promised to keep the ogling Knightley sisters busy for a while. They've been shadowing me all afternoon." William laughed.

"That's the downside of being unbearably handsome, Fitz. Look, will you have Gee call me later?"

"Sure thing."

"Enjoy the rest of the weekend."

"You, too, cuz."

William went to his desk and placed his laptop in its docking bay to recharge. He turned it on, ostensibly to check on the closing market figures, but he knew that sooner or later he was going to look at his last message to Lizzy again. He was interrupted by the housekeeper, who came in to inform him that dinner would soon be ready.

"Thank you, Mrs. Reynolds. I think I'll take a shower first. Then I think I'll take dinner in here." William ignored the housekeeper's look of disapproval and headed upstairs. Within fifteen minutes he was at his desk again, jeans and tee shirt replacing the charcoal tailored suit. As he consumed a green salad, medallions of beef, green beans, braised carrots, roasted new potatoes, and some of the cook's homemade rolls, William perused the financial news. Finally, he pushed aside his dinner tray and clicked on his e-mail.

"All, done?" Mrs. Reynolds surveyed his plate like a doting mother. She cleared away his dinner and returned with a carafe of coffee and a slice of pie.

"No dessert tonight, Mrs. Reynolds. After my set-to with Richard I've decided to lose a few pounds, William said absently as he stared at the screen.

"Lose a few pounds? If you saw how much ice cream Richard put away this week, you wouldn't bother," she sniffed and pushed the plate toward him. William didn't need any more encouragement. He dove into the pie and consumed it as he reread Elizabeth's message.

William,

I am relieved to know that you are alive and well in spite of my callous disregard for your feelings. I can only imagine that what I meant as a simple inquiry as to your cousin's state of mind after the incident on Monday must have hit you like a slap in the face. Please believe that it was unintentional. I never wanted to slight you; I was just worried about him after all you'd told me. I have regretted my words ever since I hit the send button and am glad that you have forgiven me so far as to write me again.

I know that on Monday I expressed a desire to never speak to either you or Richard again, but I had no idea that I would miss our correspondence as much as I have this past week. So it was somewhat bittersweet to find your message today. I was stung by your comment and at the same time overjoyed to hear from you. I hope that you will be happy to see this reply and find it in your heart to accept my heartfelt apology.

Lizzy

Lizzy was putting the finishing touches on an e-mail message to Charles when she saw that she had a new message. She sent off her missive to Charles and eagerly clicked on William's name.

So, you are finally willing to acknowledge my worth...as long as you don't have to look at me.

Lizzy's heart felt as light as a feather.

I may have to reconsider that position very soon. You are, after all, very handsome, and your lovely British accent gets completely lost in the mail. William poured out a second cup of coffee and decided to issue a challenge to his reluctant pen pal.

Good. So when will I see you?

You're pushing again. I want to spend some more time down here with my friend before I come home.

Is that "girl" friend or "boy" friend? William smiled and leaned back, awaiting the expected reply.

What's it to you? William laughed; her response wasn't quite what he had expected, but he pushed the challenge a bit further.

Exactly when are you planning to come home?

Two weeks, maybe...

Maybe? If you are not back in Brooklyn in one week's time, I'm coming there to bring you home!

Hah! You don't even know where I am! Don't make threats you can't follow up on, Mr. Darcy.

Lizzy clicked on "send," realizing that a man in William's position could probably track her to the ends of the earth if he so desired.

Elizabeth, I never make idle threats.

So, it's Elizabeth now, is it?

Yes; Elizabeth sounds better with my "lovely British accent." Besides threatening a "Lizzy" sounds strange to my ears.

Well, threatening an Elizabeth sounds strange to MY ears; my name is NOT Elizabeth!

So you've been using an alias all this time? Lizzy's laughter aroused Olivia's curiosity. She poked her head into the office and saw Lizzy at the little laptop. Olivia smiled and gave her some privacy.

I was named Eliza after my grandmother.

Oh. I was named Fitzwilliam after my grandfather, my uncle, my great grandfather, another uncle by marriage, a second cousin twice removed... Lizzy laughed delightedly.

I've missed you, Fitzwilliam.

So come home. (See how desperate I am? I am even willing to overlook the fact that you actually referred to me by that name.)

Sorry. I won't call you Fitzwilliam if you promise not to call me Eliza. Deal?

I'm only interested in negotiating your return to New York.

You're really feeling your oats tonight, aren't you?

I thought I ought to give it a shot while you were still feeling sorry for me.

Feeling sorry for you? Actually, I've been feeling sorry for myself, mostly, these last several days. I think my friend has beaten the last of it out of me, though.

Your friend...what did you say her name was?

I don't believe I mentioned my friend's name or gender. Lizzy laughed wickedly as she hit "send."

I just want to know what I'll be up against when I get there.

When? Well, I should warn you then--my friend is quite a formidable character.

I grew up with Richard. Believe me, that makes me an expert on coping with characters. Lizzy grew serious, and William simultaneously regretted mentioning Richard's name.

Speaking of Richard, I ran into your sister today. She says that she and Richard are staying in the neighborhood. Lizzy hesitated a moment; finally she took a deep breath and sent off the message.

Did you see Richard? William felt as though he had held his breath for the three minutes it took to receive Lizzy's reply.

No. I don't think he wants to be seen and I intend to respect his wishes.

"I'm trying to do that as well," William thought aloud, but he still wasn't completely comfortable about it.

He thought carefully about his answer to Lizzy.

Perhaps that's wise. Richard can be amazingly stubborn when he wants to be .

Oh really? I bet it's a family trait. William heaved a sigh of relief.

Doesn't your friend mind your tying up her phone line for so long?

I'm using my wireless. Besides, who said my friend is a she? William smiled and shook his head. The phone rang and he reached for it as he typed with one hand.

"Hi, Will."

"Hello, Gee. How are things in Pennsylvania?"

"Okay, I guess. It's really beautiful around here."

"But?" William prompted.

"But I'm worried about Richard. It turns out that Lizzy Bennet is staying with a girlfriend of hers just a half mile away from here."

"Does Richard know?" William asked as he hit the send button.

We have a date for dinner next Saturday. A romantic dinner, lots of good conversation in my lovely British accent and your Brooklynese, face to face. You can pick the place, but I'll take care of all the arrangements, okay?

Brooklynese? I beg your pardon, Mr. Queen's English, but I do not speak Brooklynese. And, as if you've forgotten, I won't be home for TWO WEEKS!

"He saw her while he was out driving," Georgiana replied. "He didn't speak to her or anything, but he's been a bit edgy ever since," said Georgiana worriedly. William laughed, and Georgiana frowned.

"What's so funny? Your cousin and best friend is suffering and all you can do--."

"I'm sorry, Gee, I wasn't laughing at what...hold on a minute, will you?" William said. He put the receiver down and typed a reply.

Perhaps you have forgotten my threat!

I haven't time to argue with you anymore tonight. I've got Gee on the phone and I need to give her my full attention. We can pick this up tomorrow. Sleep well. And for the first time in two weeks, Lizzy did just that.

When William came downstairs Saturday morning he heard Mrs. Reynolds speaking with an uninvited visitor at the door. The housekeeper defended her employer's privacy with the tenacity of a mother hen, but Caroline Bingley would not be dissuaded. The minute she saw William she pushed past Mrs. Reynolds and swept into the entrance hall.

"William, dearest, will you call off this woman? Really, she acts as though I'm here to steal the family jewels." Caroline laughed to herself at her private joke and swept past William into the dining room. William rolled his eyes at Mrs. Reynolds and reluctantly followed.

"I brought you some croissants for breakfast," Caroline said, as she pulled out a chair near the head of the table and sat down. She looked up at William expectantly, but he didn't move from his position by the door. "Well? Aren't you going to join me?"

"No, Caroline. I already breakfasted an hour ago. I have some things to do, but feel free to have your croissants. If you ask nicely, Mrs. Reynolds may give you some coffee to go with them," he added as he turned to leave the room. He paused in the hall and came back. "And Caroline, if you ever again speak to Mrs. Reynolds in anything less than a civil tone, you will not only not be allowed on the premises, you will not be welcome in my house. Am I understood?"

"Well!" smiled Caroline, as she settled herself more comfortably in her chair. "Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning." Mrs. Reynolds entered through the rear door of the room with a tray bearing a carafe of coffee, a cup and saucer, milk, sugar, and utensils, and placed it near Caroline. She left the room as she had entered it, wearing the same stony expression as William. Caroline looked from one to the other.

"Has something happened? Everyone around here looks positively grim," she said as she poured a cup of coffee and took a tentative sip. William leaned on the doorframe.

"Aside from your showing up uninvited and insulting my housekeeper, nothing has happened," Caroline refused to take his hint.

"Lighten up, William. You have absolutely no flair for spontaneity, do you?" Caroline pouted.

"Caroline," William asked impatiently, "What are you doing here?" Caroline mumbled something about the housekeeper's failure to bring her a proper place setting and William nearly lost his temper. "All right, William. I heard that you've been depressed lately and I just thought I'd come by and cheer you up," Caroline smiled. William was disgusted.

"Where on earth did you hear that I was depressed?" he cried, but rather than let her answer, William decided to set her straight. "Nothing could be further from the truth. I appreciate your concern, Caroline, but it is completely and utterly unfounded. Now if you don't mind, I have to go." He turned and left the room, headed for his office. Caroline flew after him.

"I'm very glad to see hear you're not depressed, William. That means that we can just relax and enjoy each other's company." William picked up his laptop, and walked around Caroline to the couch.

"I don't need any company, this morning, Caroline," William said as he grabbed his leather jacket from the couch and headed for the door.

"Where are you going, William?" Caroline cried running after him.

"I told you I have things to do," William said as he stopped at the limousine and turned around. Caroline ran right into his chest, smearing lipstick on his pale sweater. William looked down and scowled.

"I'm sorry," Caroline said weakly. William sighed and strode back into the house. He went up the stairs two at a time while Caroline ran into the dining room to grab her purse and coat. William came back down the stairs a minute later in a different sweater and stopped before her.

"Look, Caroline, I really have to go. I appreciate your concern, but I assure you,, there is absolutely nothing wrong with me." William went out to the limousine and climbed in and Bates began to close the door.

"Can't I tag along with you on your little errands?" Bates glanced back at the doorway where Mrs. Reynolds stood shaking her head. He sighed and held the door, awaiting the master's instructions.

"I'm afraid not. I've got a date in Pennsylvania." He nodded to Bates to close the door and Caroline was left fuming as it pulled away from the curb and into traffic.

Olivia was in the living room reading late Saturday morning when she thought heard a car drive up. Thinking that it might be Lizzy, she went to the door to investigate, but instead of Lizzy she saw a handsome stranger sitting in her porch swing with a bucket full of daisies on his lap. He looked up when Olivia opened the door and smiled. Olivia immediately knew who he was, even she hadn't heard Lizzy's description of him, but he confirmed her suspicion by standing and introducing himself.

"Hello. I'm Richard Fitzwilliam."

"Olivia Crenshaw," Olivia said as she extended her hand. Richard smiled disarmingly, wiped his hand on his jeans and shook her hand. "If you're looking for Lizzy, she's out. But she's due back at any time. In fact, I thought you were her returning from the market."

"I'm sorry to disappoint you," Richard said and Olivia had to bite her tongue.

"Would you like to come in and wait for her?"

"No, I don't think...I'd just like to leave these for her." Olivia looked down at the flowers as he handed them to her, and then looked into his eyes. What she saw there touched her heart.

"Lizzy loves daisies. I always found them a little too cute, if you know what I mean."

"Yes," he said softly, but the amusement at her comment was evident in his eyes. "Would you please see that she gets them?" he asked as he started to leave.

"Is there a message to go with them?" Olivia called after him.

"No," he replied. Then he grinned impishly. "Feel free to make up something, if it'll make you feel better." With that, Richard climbed into Georgiana's BMW and sped away. When he reached the end of the drive he abruptly stopped and reversed the car to its former resting place. Curious, Olivia walked over to the car and peered into the window that Richard lowered.

"Just curious. Lilacs, sunflowers...wildflowers in general?" Richard smiled.

"All of the above, and cherry blossoms in the spring," Olivia said, impressed. Richard nodded, put on his sunglasses and drove away, leaving Olivia staring after him. A half hour later, Lizzy returned to find Olivia sitting in the living room staring at the daisies, which had been placed, still in the bucket, on the coffee table.

"Where did all these daisies come from?" Lizzy asked, bending over to inhale their scent.

"From Richard Fitzwilliam," Olivia said simply. Lizzy's face registered surprise.

"Richard sent me flowers?"

"He brought them himself," Olivia said, still mesmerized by the flowers and moved by the memory of what she saw in Richard's eyes. She knew that Richard loved Lizzy and that he was determined to let her go. "I understand what you mean by his talent for leaving a woman breathless," she whispered. But Lizzy didn't hear her. She was busy looking about for the card or note that accompanied the daisies. Finally, she looked up.

"Did he leave a note?" Olivia shook her head. "Any message?"

"He just said he wanted you to have them," Olivia said, and she rose and walked away, leaving Lizzy misty eyed and alone. Lizzy wandered into the kitchen with the bucket and carefully arranged the flowers in several vases. She took one into the office, placed one in the living room, and carried the third vase into her bedroom. Lizzy placed it on a table near the window and as she put it down she heard the sound of a helicopter. Lizzy put her head out of the window and looked east. She saw a royal blue helicopter bearing the Darcy Corporation logo landing on the Knightley property. Lizzy pulled her head inside and threw herself on the bed.

Richard's leaving. These flowers are his way of saying good bye. Lizzy lay on her back as a number of thoughts flashed through her head. Memories of times spent with Richard, William's revelation of Richard's plan, Olivia's biting assessment, Gee's embarrassment when Lizzy asked about him. Lizzy had already come to the realization that she wasn't in love with Richard. She wasn't in love with either man, but she was terribly fond of both of them and Richard especially. She didn't want to lose his friendship, but if Richard got his way Lizzy wasn't sure how she'd ever be able to face him again. Lizzy also was also forced to concede that her reticence about William stemmed from her unwillingness to do something that could only add to Richard's pain, even Richard insisted that it was what he wanted. Eventually, Lizzy fell into a fitful sleep.

She awoke about an hour later and decided to go out into the back yard to work in the garden. She had been complaining about the state of the garden since her arrival, and Olivia told Lizzy that she should feel free to tidy up the yard. Olivia preferred to let the garden completely die back on its own and then go in and cut it down. But Lizzy's window overlooked the messy plot, so she went into the garage and came out with a number of lethal looking implements. She pulled on gloves and began chopping down the dessicated and dying cornstalks. Olivia came out and joined her for a while, taking away the cuttings to the compost heap. Neither woman said much; the work wholly occupied them. They worked in companionable silence. It kept Lizzy from worrying about Richard or the future, and it kept Olivia from asking Lizzy about her emotional state. Olivia took a break after about an hour to go in and make some cocoa. While the milk was heating, Olivia went to answer the knock at her front door.

"Fitzwilliam Darcy?" William's mouth fell open.

"Was I expected?" he asked as she showed him inside.

"Just a wild guess," Olivia said self-consciously. "Lizzy's out back. Will you come through?" William followed Olivia through the kitchen and out onto the back porch. Olivia was about to call out to Lizzy, but William touched her arm. Olivia smiled at him and went back inside the house. William walked over to where Lizzy was pulling up weeds.

"You didn't tell me that you were being forced to work for room and board," William said. "Your friend is tougher than I thought." Lizzy smiled but didn't stop pulling on the large, tough weed in her grasp.

"Aren't you a bit early? You said 'next' Saturday, I believe," she said. Lizzy pulled at the stubborn root and fell back when it gave way. William chuckled softly and helped her to her feet. Lizzy blushed as their eyes met. William reached out and rubbed away a smudge on her cheek. Lizzy pulled off her gloves and led him back to the house.

"Have you and Olivia met?" Lizzy asked as they entered the kitchen. Olivia put a tray of cookies on the table and extended her hand.

"Your reputation precedes you, madam," William smiled. Olivia smiled back then shot a questioning look at Lizzy. The three sat down at the table and enjoyed Olivia's oatmeal cookies and cocoa.

"These are delicious," William complimented.

"Olivia's cooking is the real reason why I want to stay here two more weeks. She ought to be running a restaurant instead of writing Java codes and designing web pages for a living."

"She ought to be writing cookbooks," William replied as he bit into a second cookie. Olivia sloughed off the flattery and tried to leave the pair alone. But William, sensing that Lizzy might be a bit nervous, insisted that she stay. The trio talked for a while about gardens, about William's new laptop, and about other things until Olivia got up to clear the table and, before the others were aware of it, effected her escape.

"So, the helicopter I saw earlier was yours?"

"Yes, I came down to have lunch with George and the others. After I spoke with Gee last night, George got on the phone and invited me down. I thought it might be a bit crowded," William said delicately, "So I only agreed to come for lunch."

"You came all the way down here for lunch?" Lizzy gasped.

"And to see you," he said, matter-of-factly, his lips betraying just a hint of a self-satisfied smile. Lizzy smirked at him.

"How long have you known my whereabouts?"

"Since Thursday."

"It took you that long?" Lizzy teased. William reddened a bit and he looked away.

"I had to wait until Richard left town. I used his people to track you. Of course, as it turns out, I could have just asked him." Lizzy sighed as they both wondered how long it would be before they could say Richard's name without awkwardness.

"Does he know you came here?" Lizzy asked softly.

"I didn't mention it to him, however, I know he would never let me hear the end of it if he found out that I didn't stop by." Lizzy just nodded.

"I take it...did he go back to New York? I saw the helicopter take off soon after it landed."

"The helicopter went to pick up some fuel. Last time I saw Richard, he and George Knightley were heading down to the poolroom for a game. If he's lucky, George will never know what hit him. Richard's fairly infallible with a pool cue in his hands." William cupped his chin and propped himself on his elbow. He looked into Lizzy's eyes.

"You know, it still feels a little strange talking to you without using my fingers." Lizzy averted her eyes; William's intense gaze still overwhelmed her, especially when he smiled.

"I did warn you, William. I suggested that we approach this face to face thing gradually, but you had to get in your big fancy helicopter and take matters into your own hands," she teased.

"Oh, it's not that difficult! I could easily get used to the sensation of speaking to you hands-free," William said, fighting a sudden urge to put his free hands to use running his fingers through Lizzy's windblown hair or stroking her soft cheek.

"So, you're planning to fly back tonight?" Lizzy asked, trying to think of something to say.

"Trying to get rid of me already?" William quipped, flashing dimples and eyes at Lizzy, who blushed.

"No! No, I'm just making conversation," she said trying to recover her calm. William continued to smile, relishing, for once, the advantage of being in control.

"I'm flying back this afternoon...unless you want to move up our date by a week," William teased. Lizzy didn't look up but she smiled.

"Two weeks."

"I will come back if necessary..."

"I haven't a doubt about that." William succumbed to the urge to capture an errant curl. Lizzy cringed inwardly, then relaxed as William quickly let it go.

"You know, my helicopter seats four comfortably."

"Really? Can it fit my car as well?"

"If that little citrus-colored thing out front is the car in question, I'd probably say yes," William laughed.

"That's okay. I think my car and I will wait and take our chances in the road, thank you," Lizzy smiled back shyly.

"Well, then, if I cannot convince you to come with me..." William pulled a cell phone from his pocket and called his pilot. He put it back in his pocket and rose. "I'd better head back to the farm. Jim's given me an ETA* of ten minutes and it's about a fifteen-minute walk back to the farm."

"If you aren't averse to riding in my 'little citrus-colored thing,' I'll give you a ride back," Lizzy offered. William accepted the ride and Lizzy went to fetch her keys. In less than five minutes, the Beetle made its way to the field where the helicopter was expected. William made small talk, mainly marveling at German engineering. In a few minutes the helicopter appeared and Lizzy began to feel butterflies in her stomach. The copter landed and William turned to take his leave of Lizzy.

"So are we on for next Saturday?" he shouted above the noise of the idling vehicle. Lizzy watched the wind ripple through his hair as she answered.

"You're giving me a choice? I thought you were planning to land an invasion force to storm Livy's house if I didn't show up in Brooklyn!" she shouted back.

"I'm giving you one last chance to spare Olivia's home," William quipped. "I expect your answer by tomorrow." Lizzy was about to retort but William bent and kissed her mouth. It was brief but it spoke volumes. Lizzy was stunned into silence and before she regained her composure, the helicopter was nearly out of sight.

*Estimated Time of Arrival

When the helicopter was gone, Lizzy turned back toward her car and was shocked to find Richard leaning on its hood. His face was almost expressionless, and Lizzy wondered what was going through his head as she approached him.

"Satisfy my curiosity: which of us is the better kisser?" he asked in his usual playful manner. Lizzy blushed deeply, but she tried to match his tone as she replied.

"Tell me, do you two compete in everything?" she asked, emphasizing the last word. Although she was not about to answer his question, she could not prevent the assessment that had already begun in her head. William's kiss had completely taken her by surprise and could scarcely be categorized with Richard's kisses, which had inevitably come after hours of hopeful anticipation. Lizzy tried to focus on William's kiss--she put her fingers to her lips momentarily--but like a beautiful, tiny butterfly, it was too ethereal and eluded her grasp.

"Not everything, Bright Eyes. You undoubtedly know by now that I have no intention of competing with William for you." Richard looked into Lizzy's eyes and she couldn't cope with what she saw in his. She turned away.

"I should probably be insulted," she said dully. Richard turned her back around to him and lifted her chin.

"Don't say that, Lizzy. I only want what is best for you." Lizzy squirmed out of his grasp.

"Suppose I don't want what's best for me...I mean--." She stopped helplessly, caught in Richard's verbal trap. Richard laughed softly and Lizzy wanted to beat at his chest and demand to know why he didn't love her enough to want to fight for her, but deep inside she knew that it was too late.

"Just give him a chance. That's all I ask."

"Why should I?" Lizzy demanded perversely. A part of her rebelled at Richard's attempt to set her up with William, while most of her was still trying to recall the sensation of her brief contact with William's lips.

"Please don't be mad at me, Lizzy. I have my reasons. You see, the night we first went out together, I happened to overhear William describing his ideal woman and a couple of hours later I realized that I had spent the evening sitting across from her. And to make matters worse, the more time I spent with you, the more I became convinced that you would be as happy with him as he would be with you."

"Why didn't you tell me then? Why did you wait until I was..." Lizzy suddenly didn't trust herself to speak.

"I was planning to introduce you to William as soon as we returned from Japan. I probably should have done it even before then, but I'm afraid I underestimated your appeal and--." It was Richard's turn to lapse into awkward silence for a moment. "When I found out about your correspondence, I thought that you two had gotten a good head start and that it would be fairly easy to bring the two of you together. But then I had to confront a number of...complications."

"Complications?"

"Well, to begin with, you seemed to run from William rather than toward him, as if the whole mix-up had been his fault. And--."

"And?" Lizzy pressed, but Richard volunteered no more on that subject.

"You two are made for each other," was all he said in a voice barely above a whisper.

"Who are you to decide?" The pain that was evident in Richard's eyes made her regret her sharp remark. "And what if it turns out to be a disastrous mistake?" she said more gently

"I lie awake nights dreaming of such an eventuality. But it won't happen." Lizzy felt tears beginning to sting her eyes.

"But what if it does?" . Richard reached out and stroked Lizzy's cheek. "I'll still be here, miserable, lonely, and awaiting you with open arms." Richard sighed dramatically, but Lizzy couldn't like the joke. She clutched his fleece jacket and began to cry openly. Richard cradled her in his arms and let her cry for several minutes until she seemed to run out of tears.

"I think this is where one of us is supposed to say something about staying friends," Richard said presently. Lizzy looked up and managed a wry smile.

"I always say that, but I've never been able to be friendly with any of my former boyfriends," she said as Richard dabbed at her eyes with the cuff of his jacket.

"Well, here's your chance to start being a better person. I may be crazy to let William have you, but I expect to be allowed at least one phone call a week, and one lunch a month, minimum, as compensation." Lizzy smiled.

"I'll settle for nothing less than two lunches. I can't expect to become a better person without at least that much time with you."

"But will Fitz accept these terms?" Richard mused. Lizzy drew away from him and walked around to the driver's side of the car.

"It's not for him to accept or reject," she said seriously. "If he objects to my friendship with you he isn't worth your sacrifice," she said. Lizzy accepted that Richard didn't want to see her anymore, but she still wasn't completely sold on his plan. She begrudgingly admitted to herself that William's appeal was rapidly growing, but she could not be comfortable with the present arrangements. "Get in," Lizzy said. "Olivia's making a killer soup and there's more than enough for three." Richard hesitated, but Lizzy assured him that Olivia would not mind an unexpected guest.

"In that case, let me drive," Richard insisted. He ran around to the driver's side of the car and got in. He spent some time adjusting the seat and mirrors, and then another half minute was devoted to choosing the ideal radio station. Lizzy smiled indulgently through it all. Finally, the car made its way to the Knightley farmhouse, where Richard informed his hosts of his plans for the evening. As she waited in the car, Lizzy noted three female faces in the window. Georgiana waved, while the Knightley sisters glowered at the woman who would deprive them of Richard's company.

When he reached New York, William thought he should give Jane a call. However, on impulse, he asked Bates to go by her shop, since it was still relatively early. The minute he entered the shop, however, he regretted his decision. Charles and Caroline were in the gallery waiting for Jane to close up. William took a deep breath.

"Hello Jane, Charles...Caroline," William said as he tried to conceal his disappointment.

"William, this is a pleasant surprise!" Jane and Caroline said simultaneously. "What brings you here?" Caroline added as Jane looked at her oddly.

"I came by to see Jane," William said, stating the obvious. Caroline blushed slightly as William shook hands with Charles. He leaned over and kissed Jane's cheek as Caroline glared at him.

"I brought you this," William said, handing Jane a large pumpkin, "And bring you tidings of your sister." Three sets of eyes lit up, but Charles spoke first.

"You've seen Lizzy?"

"So, that was your 'date' in Pennsylvania?" Caroline sneered.

"Pennsylvania? Lizzy's in Elverson!" Jane smacked her forehead. "Gee, I never even thought about Olivia. I should have guessed."

"I went down to Pennsylvania to have lunch with Richard and George Knightley, his host for the weekend. Turns out, Lizzy is staying on the adjacent property," William explained with a pointed look at Caroline.

"How convenient for Richard," Caroline retorted. William ignored her remark, but Jane's curiosity was piqued.

"You mean Richard knew where she was all this time?" Jane asked.

"Isn't that obvious? She apparently let Richard know where she was. Why else would Richard suddenly want to see George Knightley?" Caroline said snidely. "And she didn't even tell her own sister," she scoffed. William rolled his eyes.

"Actually, Richard and Georgiana went down to Elverson at the invitation of George's daughter, Sophia. Richard and Gee found out that Lizzy was there completely by accident. I had lunch with the Knightleys and then I stopped by and saw Lizzy before I flew back."

"How is she?" Jane asked.

"She seems to be well, enjoying the peace and quiet. She's apparently determined to stay down there another two weeks, but I hope to convince to return by week's end," William said to Jane with a knowing smile.

"Whatever for?" Caroline said, mostly to herself.

"So, has Lizzy being seeing Richard down there?" Charles asked hopefully.

"No. When I spoke with Richard, he had only seen her once, and then only in passing." Caroline snorted in disbelief.

"Really, William! You're far too gullible. Surely you don't believe that Richard went down to the boonies for any reason other than to see Lizzy?" Jane went to take care of a customer, leaving Charles and William to deal with Caroline. William just shook his head and turned away, but Caroline pursued him. "William, don't tell me that still you harbor some desperate hope of winning that girl? She's got dollar signs on the brain and, as far as she's concerned, you don't add up. Of course, she's overlooking your obvious superiority in other areas," Caroline cooed. Disgusted, William walked purposely away from her. Charles grabbed Caroline's arm as she made to follow him.

"What are you trying to do?" he hissed.

"Just stating the obvious, Charles. You know as well as I do that Lizzy is out to get as much money as she can. We've both heard her say it on more than one occasion," Caroline replied.

"Lizzy said that in the context of a business meeting, Caroline," Charles snarled.

"Yes, but apparently she's found a faster way to acquire wealth," Caroline sneered.

"By taking a page out of your book?" Charles retorted, releasing her arm.

"What are you so angry about? I thought you were all for Lizzy and Richard getting it on," Caroline hissed back, loud enough for both William and Jane, at opposite ends of the store, to hear. Charles reddened.

"Yes, if that's what the two of them want. But it's no business of mine and it certainly is no business of yours, so just stay out of it!" Charles cried in a loud stage whisper. William walked over to where Jane was totaling up the day's take in the register. Their eyes met and each looked at the other apologetically.

"How did it go between you and Lizzy?" Jane asked, quietly. William leaned on the counter and fidgeted with a folk art whirligig as he answered.

"We had a cup of cocoa and talked for about a half hour. It was pleasant. I asked her out on a date. She hasn't given me an answer yet, though."

"And what about Richard?" Jane asked.

"To my knowledge, he's intent on steering clear of her. When he found out she was in the neighborhood, he very nearly left, according to Gee."

"And how is Lizzy taking that?"

"We didn't discuss it. Look, do you guys have plans for the evening?" William asked, realizing that if he wanted to spend any time with Jane and Charles, he'd have to spend time with Caroline as well.

"The three of us are going out to eat at the South Street Seaport. You're welcome to join us," Jane said encouragingly.

"No thanks," William smiled. "I think you'll understand if I beg off." He went over to Charles, who was standing some distance from his sister. "When do you want those keys?" Charles brightened.

"I was thinking of Thanksgiving weekend..." Charles began.

"What about your family?"

"Caroline is spending Thanksgiving in Santa Monica with Louisa and John and I don't want to fly all the way out there for a weekend. As for Jane, well, it's just her and Lizzy."

"So what's Lizzy going to do for Thanksgiving while you're spending a romantic weekend in Vermont?"

"I was kind of hoping that one of you Fitzwilliams would look after her," Charles said sheepishly. "Look, Fitz, I admit that I have been kind of rooting for Richard in all this, but if you manage to win Lizzy's heart, I'm all for it. I just want everyone to be happy in the end."

"That's what I'm worried about, Charles. I don't think Richard's very happy at all."

Olivia was setting the table for dinner when Lizzy arrived home with Richard in tow. Olivia was surprised, to say the least, to see one cousin swapped for the other in rapid succession. She nonetheless welcomed Richard to her table and set an extra place while Richard opened a bottle of wine he had purloined from the Knightley cellar. The trio dined on a salad of spinach, bacon, and pine nuts, followed by a hearty soup accompanied by pumpernickel bread and butter. As they ate, Richard learned the history of Olivia and Lizzy's friendship and he, in turn, regaled them with tales of how he'd been stalked by Marisa Knightley since his arrival at the farm. Throughout the meal, Lizzy watched Richard carefully. He was as witty and as charming as she'd ever seen him, but there was something missing. The man who sat beside her was not the same Richard she had come to know and admire. There was a hint of sadness behind his laughter, and neither Lizzy nor Olivia was blind to it. But Richard put on a brave front, and his company was loath to betray him.

They lingered at the table for a long time, discussing everything from Penn State football to their mutual interest in exploiting the potential of the Internet. When Olivia brought in her freshly baked pumpkin pie, Richard's eyes lit up and he was cajoled into eating a quarter of the pie before he convinced his host that he could eat no more. He then surprised her by insisting on washing the dishes. Lizzy dried them while Olivia tidied up the dining room. When the cleanup was done, the trio repaired to the living room where the conversation continued well past eleven o'clock. Richard noticed the time and rose to leave.

"While I'm very tempted to stick around and find out what you'll cook for breakfast, my mother taught me to leave before I wear out my welcome. Therefore, with great reluctance, I must bid good night to my charming and gifted hostess," and with this, he bowed to Olivia and kissed her hand. Richard followed Lizzy out to the car, and once again, drove himself to the farm. When the car came to a stop, Lizzy jumped out and came around to the driver's side, but Richard remained in the car staring out over the wheel for a minute before he shook off his reverie and got out of the car.

"Good night, Lizzy," Richard said softly as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. Lizzy understood the gesture and backed away slightly.

"Good night. I guess I'll see you back in New York." They looked at each other awkwardly. Finally, Richard laughed at his own fear and reached out and hugged Lizzy. Somewhat relieved and somewhat afraid, she hugged him back. But as quickly as he'd reached out for her, Richard let her go. He quickly kissed her on her forehead and turned away.

"Good night, Lizzy," he said softly. He turned and went into the house without looking back. A brief eternity passed before Lizzy was able to tear her eyes from the closed door. She got into the car, and feeling fairly miserable, drove back to the house, a sad love song playing in the radio station that Richard had left on.

William chose to dine alone. He had Bates drop him off at a small restaurant in walking distance of the house and released him for the evening before repairing to a cozy corner table. As he had done since the moment he left her, William thought about Lizzy.

Our little visit went well, William thought to himself. He snorted aloud. Well? She didn't say no and she didn't beat me senseless when I kissed her. I guess that could be construed as progress, under the circumstances. William toyed with his appetizer as he acknowledged that there was probably a better than fifty percent chance that Lizzy would agree to the date. William knew her well enough to know that if she meant to refuse him, she would have done so immediately. William also had to admit to himself that he was more than halfway toward falling in love with Lizzy, and then laughed at his sudden penchant for understatement. After all, why had he gone to Pennsylvania in the first place? Had he no prior knowledge of Lizzy's location in the area, wild horses couldn't have dragged him to Elverson.

William barely tasted his entrée of roasted duck as he savored anew the kiss he had stolen from Lizzy. He laughed at his recklessness, but the risk had paid off. The warmth of Lizzy's lips, the faint taste of chocolate, and the scent of her perfume were all etched on his consciousness forever. William finished his meal and sat back with a cup of coffee, content. If only he could stop that nagging sense of guilt that kept gnawing at him. Richard had made his choice, and of his own free will. So why couldn't William just accept his gift and be happy with it?

At breakfast Sunday morning, Richard expressed his desire to return to New York as early as possible. Sophia, who was to ride north with Richard and Georgiana, objected, but after Georgiana took her aside and spoke to her briefly, Sophia assented and the BMW set out well before noon. Down the road at Olivia's house, Lizzy awoke to the aroma of pancakes. She made her way downstairs, where she found Olivia putting the last touches on the breakfast table.

"Perfect timing, Lizzy," Olivia said, without looking up. Lizzy slid into a chair and Olivia placed a cup of coffee before her.

"Actually, I really don't think I'm hungry," Lizzy said timidly. Olivia was horrified.

"You've been here less than a week! Don't tell me that you're already worried about the size of your thighs!"

"You know, some day you'll have to tell me how you manage to stay so thin eating your own cooking, Livy," Lizzy teased. "But that's not it." Olivia sat down across from Lizzy.

"Okay, which one?"

"Both of them," Lizzy admitted. "William asked me out, and I think I'm actually beginning to look forward to it. But every time I try to think about William, Richard's eyes creep into the picture, like he's haunting me or something."

"Lizzy," Olivia said patiently, "Richard made his choice and you have to respect it, like it or not."

"I do respect his decision, but still..." Lizzy broke off wistfully, and Olivia braced herself for another one of Lizzy's rhapsodies on Richard's merits. But to her astonishment, Lizzy's thoughts turned in another direction. "Maybe what Richard needs is a diversion." Olivia looked at Lizzy blankly for a moment. Then the light dawned.

"Oh, no! Don't even look in my direction, Lizzy. I saw for myself yesterday that Richard is a real prize, and under other circumstances, I might happily stab you in the back for a chance at him. But the last thing the poor guy wants right now is a woman who isn't Lizzy Bennet, and the last thing I need is to try and build a relationship with a wonderful man by pretending to be something I could never be." Olivia paused and smiled wickedly. "Now if in a month or two he managed to wean himself from this sick obsession he seems to have with you..."

"Thanks a lot," Lizzy deadpanned.

"You're welcome," Olivia said as she rose to retrieve the pancakes from the warming oven of her antique stove. "Where was I? Oh yes...when Richard has completed his recovery, I want to reserve a spot at the top of his 'to do' list." Lizzy couldn't resist the laughter or the pancakes. She ate far more than she wanted to, and made up for it afterwards by accompanying Olivia on a hike in the brisk October weather.

Continued In Next Section