Beginning, Previous Section, Section VII, Next Section
"Cousin Richard?" his six-year old namesake asked as Richard led him downstairs. "How come you don't have any children?"
"I'm not married, yet, Ricky."
"Why aren't you married yet?" the smaller of the Richards persisted.
"Yes, Richard, do tell!" Richard's sister Corrine taunted.
"Yeah! I'd love to hear you talk your way out of this one!" Caitlin piped in. Richard sighed.
"Ah, the evil twins have arrived," Richard retorted to his sisters. "I should have guessed that you were here when I caught the scent of brimstone in the air." He took Ricky past his sisters and entered the living room, where the Fitzwilliam clan was beginning to assemble. His sisters followed, eavesdropping on the conversation.
"Why aren't you married?" Ricky repeated, as the pair crossed the living room and went into the front hall. Richard refused to answer. He reached his destination, the den, and deposited Ricky on the long couch with a handful of other small children.
"Stay here, will you sport? We don't want you upsetting your grandmother again, all right?" The boy nodded, and Richard turned to leave, but rather than becoming absorbed in the Disney film blaring from the wide screen television, Ricky called out after his older cousin.
"Cou-sin Richard! Why aren't you mar-ried?" Richard clamped down on the retort that lay on the tip of his tongue. He slowly turned around and went back to the child.
"I'm not married because when women get married they turn into people like them," he whispered, pointing at his sisters. "Scary, huh? You wouldn't want to marry someone like them, would you?" Richard grimaced and Ricky laughed. Satisfied, the boy turned his attention to The Little Mermaid. Richard rose and walked out of the room. His sisters remained on his tail.
"So now tell us," Corrine grinned. "Why aren't you married?
"Your continued bachelorhood doesn't happen to have anything to do with that fiasco you got yourself into over the summer, does it?" Caitlin teased. Richard stopped in his tracks and turned around.
"What fiasco?" he asked suspiciously.
"Well," Caitlin said. "One day we hear that you met the woman of your dreams..."
"...And the next thing you know, we hear that she's the woman of Will's dreams." Richard turned beet-red. Not only did he hate it when his sisters finished each other's sentences--the identical twins often did that--but they were giving a very public airing to a situation he'd just as soon keep from his garrulous family. Richard didn't know how the sisters had found out about the whole situation (he had faith in his mother's discretion) but he was one hundred percent certain that before the evening was out, everyone in the house (and a considerable distance outside of it) would know of Richard's aborted romance. To make matters worse, as he ruminated on the full potentiality of the disaster to come, the front door opened to admit William, Lizzy, Olivia, and Georgiana.
If I were born female, I could get out of this by fainting. As it stands, the only thing that will save me from this horror show would be fratricide. Richard took a deep breath and walked into the front hall. Caitlin and Corrine caught sight of William and his party and, gasping in unison, followed.
"Will!" Corrine and Caitlin shrieked and ran past Richard to hug their cousin. Corrine looked back and stuck out her tongue at Richard, who stood silently fuming as he watched them fawn over William as a means of gaining an early introduction to the woman who had broken their brother's heart. Richard rolled his eyes, and as he did so, he noticed that Olivia was standing a short distance away from the others, gazing at him. Richard managed to smile, and Olivia took it as a cue to saunter over. Richard guided her out of hearing distance.
"Hi," Olivia said softly. She turned and glanced back at the group, where William was introducing Lizzy to the Fitzwilliam sisters. "Little sisters?"
"Big sisters," Richard groaned. "The kind that make you wish that you were an only child."
"I only have a big brother--step brother, actually--and he always treated me like a saint," Olivia said as a servant came and claimed her coat.
"Lucky you. My sisters have always made a martyr out of me," Olivia laughed as Richard shook his head.
"And who might this be?" Richard heard behind him. Olivia turned around and Richard was forced to introduce Corrine and Caitlin. The sisters bore the now familiar Fitzwilliam features: they were tall and athletic, and had the same blue eyes and fair coloring as their mother and brother. They both smiled impishly and Olivia instinctively knew that they were up to something.
"Why Richard, you didn't tell us that you were bringing a date for Thanksgiving!" Caitlin teased.
"What? Didn't either of you get my e-mail?" Olivia replied innocently before Richard could speak. The twins exchanged a glance and then looked at Olivia. She smiled at them benignly and they smiled back and walked away giggling to themselves.
"That was brave," he smiled.
"And foolish? What did I just let myself in for?" Olivia asked.
"I'm afraid that they've somehow got wind of the whole Fitz/Fitz situation," Richard frowned. "I take it that you have been fully apprised of the sordid details?" Olivia nodded mutely. "My sisters are two of the most accomplished gossips on the planet. If they ask you any questions, just stick to your name, rank, and serial number." As he spoke, William and Lizzy approached. "Newsflash, cuz. The evil twins are about to sing."
"What's the scoop?" William replied, as Olivia and Lizzy exchanged a confused glance.
"Us," Richard said cryptically, and William furrowed his brows in confusion. Richard nodded toward Lizzy and William rolled his eyes. Both cousins turned to watch Corrine and Caitlin.
"Do you have any idea what they're talking about?" Lizzy quizzed Olivia. She opened her mouth and closed it again.
"Not a clue." William glared at the twins who were chatting with Georgiana. It didn't take a genius to figure out what was happening there. All three were looking rather pointedly in their direction.
"Gee! That rat! I never liked her, you know," Richard growled. William snorted.
"Can we stop the bleeding?"
"Perhaps...if we leave now," Richard smirked. Lizzy and Olivia exchanged another glance. William was about to say something to Lizzy when his aunt came out of the living room and into the hall.
"What are you all doing out here?" Kathleen greeted William with a warm hug. She pulled away and looked at the two women behind him.
"Olivia, you look lovely. I love what you did with your hair." She turned her attention to Lizzy, and as William introduced her, a series of expressions flitted across her face in the span of an instant: welcome, recognition, motherly outrage, forced calm, acceptance, and then welcome again. When Kathleen spoke her voice gave no hint of the range of emotions that welled up inside her. She made the usual small talk, and then led the two women off toward a few of her other guests. William and Richard stood and watched for a moment, and then William's protective instincts kicked in, and he rushed to catch up with his aunt. He latched onto Lizzy, determined to protect her from whatever the evening brought. Kathleen was introducing Lizzy and Olivia to members of the Fitzwilliam family. When she turned to the last person in the room, William paled slightly. Sitting before him was one of his own relatives, the one he least expected to see at a Thanksgiving gathering.
"Fitzwilliam," she declared, not waiting for Kathleen's introduction. "Who is this girl draped upon your arm?" Lizzy felt William's body tense. Kathleen tactfully left William to deal with his aunt alone.
"Aunt Catherine, may I present Lizzy Bennet and her friend Olivia Crenshaw. Lizzy, Olivia, this is my great aunt, Lady Catherine DeBourgh." Both women expressed their pleasure at meeting Lady Catherine, but William's aunt completely ignored Olivia and began to scrutinize Lizzy.
"Where are you from, child?" Lizzy forced herself to remain calm, and resisted the urge to enlighten Lady Catherine as to her age and the century in which she was currently residing.
"I am from Elverson, Pennsylvania originally, Lady Catherine, but I--."
"I've never heard of it!" she declared imperiously. "Who ever heard of Elverson, Pennsylvania? William where on earth did you manage to find a girl from Elverson, Pennsylvania?" she asked disdainfully. William squeezed Lizzy's hand and glanced at Olivia, who was trying to hide the smile that played along her lips.
"I found her in New York, Aunt Catherine. But believe me, it wasn't easy. I found at least ten from Philadelphia with little difficulty; and six from Pittsburgh, and even one from Scranton, but--." Lady Catherine was not amused.
"Impertinent whelp!" His words had the desired effect. She turned away dismissively, and William led the others away.
"I have to apologize for my aunt," William laughed. "Her attitude is a bit medieval. She is 'to the manor born,' and she tends to look down upon all Americans as pretentious upstarts."
"Including you?" Lizzy smirked.
"She somehow manages to forget that I am an American."
"Something to do with that accent, I'll bet," Olivia smiled. William surveyed the room to see what the twins were up to. Richard was standing not far from them, also observing their behavior. He heard Corrine tell his Aunt Mary, "That one's his ex, and the other is his current." Richard cringed visibly. He looked up and locked eyes with William. They communicated silently.
"Lizzy," William said quietly, "May I have a word with you? Excuse us, Olivia." He took Lizzy back into the hall. "I think I should warn you. Apparently word has gotten out about what happened between the three of us.
"The three of us?" Lizzy looked her confusion.
"You know, the whole thing between you, Richard and me." Lizzy shrugged.
"Why should that matter?" William explained that it wasn't simply a matter of how three people met and accidentally got confused.
"As far as we can tell, Gee told Fitz's sisters about the more personal aspects of the matter--that you started out seeing him...this could prove rather awkward for the two of you," he concluded.
"And not you?"
"I'm sure I'll be implicated in whatever tale they're telling, but the story's more likely to focus on what happened--or didn't--between you and Fitz." Lizzy grew slightly annoyed.
"It's no one's business...if the three of us settled matters, who..." William pulled Lizzy close and smiled.
"Calm yourself, Lizzy. If you want to survive this evening, you'd better not let any of this get to you. Trust me on this." William held Lizzy for a moment before taking her back into the living room. Knowing her temper, he knew it was destined to be a long and trying night. Dinner was announced, and all the children were carted off to take their meal in the morning room. Kathleen and Hugh led their adult guests to the dining room. Lady Catherine was unfortunately placed near William and Lizzy, and they were forced to put up with her glare through all five courses. The twins were separated at the table--one near William and one near Richard--another unfortunate circumstance, for each of them was intent on gleaning as much information as she could for later comparison.
Corrine peppered William with questions from the moment she sat down beside him. How long had he been dating Lizzy? Did Lizzy date both men at once? Was it true that William and Richard had come to blows over her? How long had Richard been seeing Olivia? Was it serious? Had William ever dated Olivia? William bore the interrogation with grim dignity, glaring across the table at his remorseful sister the entire time. Beside Georgiana, Corrine's husband, Evan, was equally inquisitive: Is it true that William and Richard had fallen in love with the same woman? "I could understand it, she's really hot!" Do you think he's serious about her, or is he just trying to lord it over Richard?
At the other end of the table, Olivia was entertained by Richard's maternal grandmother, who insisted that she be called Bess since Olivia was not a member of the family. She regaled Olivia with stories of the penniless young man who had come to America to attend college on a scholarship and fell in love with the daughter of a wealthy banker, and how he was made to prove himself worthy of marrying into the family. Young Hugh Fitzwilliam worked hard and earned $500,000 before he was allowed to marry Kathleen.
"Well, you'll be a lot luckier child; your Richard already has his millions," she chuckled. Richard sighed audibly in spite of the fact that he'd been pretending not to hear. "When do you plan to marry?" Olivia nearly choked on her soup.
"We aren't getting married...Bess. Richard and I are just friends."
"Oh, but you should get married. You're such a nice little thing. And poor Richard is in need of a wife. Just look at the poor dear!" Olivia couldn't bring herself to meet Richard's eyes when, involuntarily, they turned to each other blushing furiously.
"You're engaged?" Caitlin asked loudly when Richard turned back around.
"No! No," he repeated, struggling to control his voice.
"How long have you been involved with her? I thought that you were still in--."
"Could you speak a little louder Caitlin? I'm sure someone in Detroit can't hear you," Richard hissed.
"Touchy, huh? Well, if you still have the hots for--.' Richard dropped his fork. His mother looked up, as did everyone at his end of the long table. Richard lowered his head, retrieved his fork, and continued to eat. He wanted to say something to Olivia...anything...but he could not trust himself to speak.
"Do they know each other?" Richard turned to Caitlin.
"What?"
"Lizzy and Olivia...if I were Olivia, I wouldn't be too happy about being in the same room with your ex," Caitlin said in a stage whisper.
"Richard got a divorce? When was he married?" cried Richard's Uncle Stewart, whose voice carried the full length of the table. Everyone stopped eating, except Richard, who continued to stuff his mouth to keep from saying anything to make matters worse.
"Richard was never married, Stewart," Kathleen said calmly to her older brother. Naturally, Stewart demanded an explanation, which everyone at the table was more than willing to hear.
"I was just talking about his old girlfriend, Lizzy," Caitlin replied nonchalantly, and joined her brother in continuing to eat. Everyone looked toward the other end of the table in Lizzy's direction. William exchanged a painful glance with Lizzy, whose heart went out to Richard. She looked up at Georgiana reproachfully. Georgiana looked down the table and her eyes met Olivia's. Olivia in turn looked at Richard, who was in no humor to look at anything. Olivia consolingly placed her hand on Richard's free hand. Richard started and looked up, directly into the eyes of his Aunt Majorie, opposite.
"Bess's right, Richard; you should get married. Sometimes it's the best cure for a broken heart," she said with a meaningful glance at Olivia, who abruptly pulled her hand from Richard's. He turned his head and looked at her blankly, then closed his eyes for a moment. He felt the world caving in.
"What is your background, girl?" Lady Catherine demanded of Olivia.
"I'm afraid I'm also from Elverson, Lady Catherine," Olivia smiled smugly.
"You're a pair, are you? Out to find rich husbands, I gather. Well, don't expect to succeed with these you. They know far better than to allow themselves to be duped into--."
"Catherine!" Hugh Fitzwilliam was perhaps the only person in the household who Lady Catherine considered her equal, and even if she didn't, Old Fitz's tone was not to be ignored. He spoke calmly, but commandingly, as the CEO of a prosperous multinational corporation was wont to do. "Would you kindly refrain from insulting my guests while you are in my home?"
"I'm only trying to protect my family and yours, Hugh," she replied meekly, but she said no more to either woman. William breathed a sigh of relief, and he reached out and squeezed Lizzy's hand. Lady Catherine noticed the gesture and turned her glare upon him. He just smiled at her and resumed eating. The table grew quieter for a while, and Richard began to think that the worst of it was over. The waiters came and removed the dinner plates, which were instantly replaced by the next course. Richard groaned. He had lost his appetite the moment he sat down, and he was beginning to think that the meal would never end.
"Do you work for a living, dear?" Bess asked Olivia. Richard smiled. Finally, a safe question. Olivia explained that she was a freelance web page designer and editor, and then patiently defined her work to the woman who had apparently knew nothing of the Internet.
"Oh, well, dear, if you need a job you should speak with Richard. He does something or the other with the Internet." Olivia and Richard smiled at her ignorance, and Richard explained that his company provided tech support, which was a related field, but distinctly different from web design.
"Oh, but I'm sure you can teach her, Richard. She looks very bright." Down the table, William's other aunt spoke up.
"You ought to send her to William, shouldn't she Edward?" Aunt Agnes said to her husband. "William's company has thousands of positions. I'm sure you can find something she's qualified for." William cringed.
"Thank you, ma'am, but I don't need a job. I do quite well freelancing," Olivia answered in spite of her better judgment.
"What kind of job is that for a girl?" Bess cried. "Freelancing sounds so...vulgar. Richard won't want you freelancing once you're married, dear. Perhaps you should consider getting a real job at William's company." Richard looked at his mother helplessly, but Kathleen knew better than to gainsay her mother.
"If she marries Richard she won't have to work at all," Stewart bellowed.
"Who is getting married?" asked Edward, a bit hard of hearing.
"Olivia and Richard, dear," Agnes replied. Lizzy couldn't take it anymore. She began to laugh, earning an imperious glare from Lady Catherine. William smiled, but squeezed Lizzy's hand to urge her to control herself.
"I thought you said that Richard and Olivia were just friends," Caitlin said to Georgiana. Georgiana averted her eyes, and Evan piped up.
"She's really cute, but if I were him, I would have held out for the other one." William overheard the comment and glared at his cousin. Corrine glared at her husband and Georgiana slouched in her seat.
"But he blew it with the other one," his neighbor, Stewart's son David, reminded him. Richard looked at Olivia, who would not look back. Richard turned his eyes to his mother, who had also heard enough.
"Sit up straight, Georgiana," Agnes demanded. "You'll never get a husband if you don't sit up like a proper lady. Look at your cousin, Corrine, dear. She isn't slouching and neither is Olivia. That's the way to get your man, sit up and he'll take notice." Lizzy nearly laughed again, and she looked into Georgiana's eyes and straightened up in her seat. Georgiana began to giggle.
"Yes, I'm sure the technique works so well that it got Lizzy two men," Caitlin murmured to no one in particular, as she began to giggle.
"I will not tolerate all this giggling at the table. Really! Your manners are as vulgar as..." Lady Catherine ceased when she caught a glimpse of Hugh's bellicose expression.
"Why don't we all stretch our legs and adjourn to the living room?" he said rising from the table. Richard threw down his napkin and leapt to his feet. He pulled out Olivia's chair for her and was about to make good his escape when his eldest relation, his great uncle, touched his arm.
"I just want to congratulate the two of you," he said. "I admit that when I learned about your disastrous love affair with William's wife I was very worried for you," he said slowly in his raspy, soft voice. "But I'm glad to see that you've mended your ways. Good lad, good lad." He patted Richard's arm and walked away, leaning heavily on his cane. Richard just stood stock still as everyone moved around him and out into the living room. Olivia looked at him for a moment, and then she, too, left him. William stayed behind.
"That wasn't so bad, was it?" he deadpanned.
"Compared to what: vivisection by a blind man with dull tools?" He strode out of the dining room and into the front hall headed directly toward the front door. William let him go. Lizzy came up behind William.
"Shouldn't someone go after him?"
"I'm not sure he'd appreciate it," He said, as he watched Olivia open the door and look out after him. William gave a thought to preventing her, but Olivia slipped out before he could move. Olivia found Richard sitting on the front steps. She sat down beside him, but thought he was oblivious to her presence.
He said nothing for a full two minutes, and Olivia was about to go inside to get out of the cold when he turned to her.
"I'm sorry about all that."
"You're the last person who should apologize. There was no way you could have known that would happen." Richard removed his blazer and placed it over Olivia's shoulders.
"I've been a member of this family for thirty years," he replied. "That ought to have taught me something. You do realize that they'll all be looking for invitations in a few weeks?" he smiled. Olivia shrugged. They sat in companionable silence for a moment. "Will you have dinner with me tomorrow in New York? I believe I still owe you a meal."
"You fed me yesterday," Olivia replied.
"Read your coupon, lady. It specifically entitled you to a dinner in New York," Richard countered. Olivia pretended to draw a coupon from the pocket of Richard's blazer and read it.
"So it does," she responded. "You're on." Richard smiled and helped her up. They went back inside and bore with all the comments and congratulations in considerably better humor. To the extent possible, Richard avoided his nosy relations for the remainder of the evening. He disappeared for a while into the den and roughhoused with his cousins and nephews. Later, he wandered into his father's study where a few of the guests were watching football. When he was finally forced to rejoin the fray, he commandeered Caitlin's two year-old and used her to divert attention from himself. He wasn't always successful, but she held his attention and kept him sane amid the madness.
Much to William's relief, his paternal relations left early. Edward and Agnes Darcy, who lived in the States, were facing the long drive back to New York and decided to try and beat the traffic. Lady Catherine was to leave with them and return to her hotel in the city. Agnes hugged William warmly. Next to Kathleen, she was his favorite relation.
"Perhaps you should take a page out of Richard's book and consider settling down," she said with a sparkling smile for Lizzy. "You aren't getting any younger you know." William shook his head and started to correct her misapprehension, but she kept on talking and he eventually gave up. Edward kissed Lizzy on .her cheek and smiled as though he had done something terribly wicked. When he moved away from her to shake William's hand, Lizzy found herself face to face with Lady Catherine. She looked down her nose at Lizzy.
"You are determined to have my nephew, are you, Miss Lizzy Bennet of Elverson, Pennsylvania? Well, know this: William is my primary beneficiary and I will do everything in my power to see that you never spend a single penny of my money! What have you to say to that?" she cried triumphantly. Lizzy glanced at William, who was absorbed in conversation with Edward and Agnes. She leaned forward and spoke softly.
"Quite frankly, Lady Catherine, I wouldn't touch anything of yours with a ten-foot pole!" Lady Catherine turned and stormed away without another word.
When Caitlin came and claimed her daughter, Ricky took her place in Richard's lap and demanded a story. Richard acceded to his request and told him a story of a young man who was forced to have Thanksgiving dinner with a bunch of witches, dragons, and all manner of bizarre demons. He was nearly done when his Uncle Stewart approached to take his leave. Richard rose to shake his hand and had a business card pressed into it by the owner of one of New York's largest real estate brokerages.
"Call me when you and the little woman are ready to start looking for a place. I've got an apartment on my lists that's ideal for a couple just starting out. Eight rooms right on Park." Richard smiled blankly and sat down. Olivia chose that unfortunate moment to pass by and was reeled into Stewart's suffocating bear hug. "Welcome to the family, Olivia," he cried, squeezing her even more tightly. Olivia felt the air being squeezed out of every cell of her body and thought to herself that being crushed to death by a man who was laboring under the mistaken impression that she was about to marry his nephew was a very strange initiation to the family, indeed. Stewart released Olivia and she was so drained that she fell right into Richard's lap. She took a deep breath and pushed herself up to her feet, walking away without so much as acknowledging Richard's presence. Richard covered his eyes with both hands and leaned his head against the cushions until he felt a tugging at his sleeve. He removed his hands and opened one eye.
"Richard, is Alibya going to turn into a twin after you're married?" The bubble burst and Richard began to laugh and cry simultaneously. Heads turned to gape at him, but he was too hysterical to notice. His head throbbed something fierce. Richard wiped his eyes with the napkin his concerned mother offered, and when he had regained control he went in search of Olivia to see if she was all right. He caught up with her in the front hall, where she was putting on her coat. He saw that Lizzy and Georgiana were already in their coats and waiting by the door. He walked over to Olivia and tapped her on the shoulder. She turned around and looked into his haggard face.
"Do you still want to see me tomorrow after all this?" he smiled beseechingly.
"Not unless you promise to come alone," Olivia smiled. "Why don't you call me early tomorrow?" Richard nodded as they walked toward the others.
"Where's Fitz?" Richard asked Lizzy.
"I think he went looking for you," Lizzy replied, as William came back into the hall.
"Let's talk tomorrow," William said to Richard when they had closed the distance.
"It's a plan," Richard replied, as his mother and father came out into the hall and performed their hosting duties. Richard followed his father in saying farewell. He kissed Lizzy's cheek and then Olivia's, and then he turned to Gee.
"You, my former confidant, are out of my will," he said in mock seriousness. Georgiana bowed her head in shame, and Richard kissed it tenderly and walked away. William took her arm and led her to the car. In minutes his party was back in the relatively peace and serenity of the Darcy house. Olivia immediately pleaded fatigue and retired. Lizzy went upstairs to change her clothes and Georgiana made to follow, but William stayed her with a firm grip on her arm. He led her into the living room.
"What on earth were you thinking, telling Caitlin and Corrine about Richard's situation? Have you any idea what he, what all of us were subjected to tonight because of your indiscretion?"
"Of course I know, I was there," Georgiana replied sulkily.
"Is that all you have to say?"
"I'm sorry, William, all right? I never meant for anything like this to happen, and you can't hold me responsible for Grandma thinking that Richard is getting married to Olivia," she said crossing her arms defiantly.
"The heck I can't! She probably wouldn't have even thought of such a thing if a seed hadn't been planted in her head!" William pulled off his coat and threw in down on a chair.
"Well, I didn't plant it there!" Georgiana shouted. "Look, I'm sorry for what happened! I can't undo any of it, so why don't you get off my back!" She turned and ran from the room, leaving William feeling both guilt and anger. Georgiana ran upstairs and past Lizzy in the hall. She entered her room and slammed the door shut behind her. Olivia's door opened and she poked her head out.
"What was that?"
"Gee's upset about something," Lizzy shrugged. "Maybe I should go and speak with her."
"Maybe not. Give her a few minutes to cool off," Olivia suggested. "In the meanwhile, I'd like to have a word with you. Come in for a moment." Lizzy entered the room and took a seat near the mantle, where Olivia had put on the gas-fed fireplace. Olivia slid into the other seat. She had slipped off her shoes but she was otherwise still fully dressed, while Lizzy had traded her dinner clothes for a pair of sweats.
"Are you all right, Livy? That was quite an evening."
"Tell me about it!" Olivia said, resting her head against the chair back.
"William warned me that it was going to be a rough night." Olivia laughed.
"I wish he had thought to warn me as well."
"Look, I'm sorry about all this, Livy. I feel responsible; I'm the one who talked you into coming up here. Had I known what the day held in store I would have insisted on us staying in Brooklyn with our pies," Lizzy laughed.
"You know," Olivia mused. "It would almost seem funny in retrospect, except for poor Richard. He looked rather shell shocked when he left us."
"I know," Lizzy sighed. "He didn't deserve that. And to make matters worse, at least six members of the family are going to be staying through the weekend, Kathleen said. Maybe we should invite him to stay over here."
"If he values his sanity, he'll probably go back to the city tomorrow," Olivia said. She paused for a moment. "Lizzy, I'm going to tell you something about Richard, now, and I would appreciate it if you didn't overreact." Lizzy was all ears, but she tried to maintain her composure. "I'm going out with him tomorrow. We're going to have that dinner he owes me."
"Really?" Lizzy unconsciously sat forward in her seat. Olivia shook her head.
"Don't get excited, Lizzy. It's just dinner."
"I 'just had dinner' with Richard once. It--."
"Please don't. I really would rather not know." Olivia sighed and stared into the fire.
"You're falling for him, aren't you?" Olivia considered a number of ways to answer Lizzy's inquiry.
"It's not going to happen, Lizzy," she said finally.
"Why not? Richard had eyes only for you all evening." Olivia laughed.
"Lizzy, he wasn't speaking to half his family, you and William were off by yourselves cooing at each other, and Richard probably was afraid I'd run out of the house screaming if he didn't keep an eye on me." Lizzy laughed.
"It wasn't at all like that, Livy. You didn't see him the way I did."
"Precisely. I saw things for what they were. You have a vested interest in seeing them differently. You want to see his heart mended. You want to see him falling head over heels in love with me. You want to see him happy with someone else so that you can be happy with William, guilt-free. I think you're being a bit selfish."
"Selfish?" Lizzy cried.
"Has it occurred to you, Lizzy, that this is probably the worst time for you to be encouraging him to become involved with someone else? Or better, that you shouldn't be encouraging him at all? Gee was wrong to try to keep you away from Richard, but she had a valid point."
"What are you talking about?"
"Lizzy..." Olivia shook his head. She stood up and began to change her clothes. She shrugged out of her top and slipped off her skirt while Lizzy stared into the fire for a minute before she spoke.
"He needs someone." Olivia didn't pull any punches.
"He wants you." Lizzy started.
"Don't be ridiculous, Livy! Richard and I are old history!" Lizzy said rising to her feet.
"It's old history to you, Lizzy! Richard is still dealing with it. Tonight was a nightmare for him not just because he was embarrassed. He had to deal with his own flesh and blood second-guessing his decision to give you up! How do you think that made him feel?"
"He has told me time and again--."
"Look, Lizzy. I won't pretend to know Richard as well as you do, but I do know this: the man still has feelings for you and no amount of throwing me at him is going to change that." Olivia paused to choose her words carefully. "Yes, I like him a lot. And if he were free to give his heart, I'd be angling for the perfect position from which to catch it. But he isn't free--not yet anyway. Give him time, Lizzy; let him go and give him some room."
Lizzy came downstairs and found William staring into the fireplace. He was seated on a large leather armchair, a glass of something forgotten in his hands. Lizzy went to him and raised his arms so she could slip into his lap. Lizzy got comfortable and looked into William's eyes, but his were still fixed on the fire. She waited for him to speak. He heaved a large sigh and blinked. When he looked down, he seemed surprised to find Lizzy nestled in his arms.
"Where'd you come from?"
"Elverson, Pennsylvania; I believe we had that discussion earlier this evening," Lizzy smiled. William smiled back, but only briefly. He stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head.
"Will, what's the matter?" William snorted.
"You have to ask? Tonight...you saw it for yourself."
"Are all your family's gatherings like that?"
"Mercifully, no," William smiled. "Is Olivia all right?" Lizzy's eyes clouded for a moment as she recalled her discussion upstairs.
"She's none the worse for wear, I think. She was more worried about Richard."
"Me, too. You know, ever since we've been together I've been feeling a little guilty about...and now tonight..." Lizzy shifted from her position so that she could look him squarely in the eye.
"What?"
"Everything that he was put through over there tonight...I can't help feeling...it was all my fault. If this whole mix-up had never happened..." William shook his head.
"William, it wasn't the mix-up between you two that led to what happened tonight. And as for what happened after the mix-up, I'm sure that Richard would disagree with you about who's responsible," Lizzy cautioned.
"I'm sure he will, and that's part of what is so frustrating. He has this way of deflecting things from everyone else and taking the world upon himself. Always has, and I..." William put the glass down on the side table and pulled Lizzy a little closer. He told her about his discussion with Richard a few nights earlier, and about their sometimes-contentious relationship. Lizzy just listened, allowing William to talk about Richard and to vent his annoyance about Gee's part in the evening's fiasco.
Shortly after 7:00 a.m. Friday morning, Richard let himself into William's house. A quick reconnaissance told him that no one was up yet. He pulled off his old prep school varsity jacket and hung it on the newel post of the stairway on his way to the sofa in the den. In minutes, he was fast asleep.
Upstairs, Lizzy opened her eyes and looked at the clock. It read 8:23 a.m. She closed her eyes again and thought she heard a tapping sound. She opened her eyes again and sat up. William was already out of bed and tying his bathrobe on his way to the door.
"Forgive the intrusion, William," Olivia said softly. "I was on my way down to start breakfast when I remembered from my visit to the kitchen yesterday that your cupboards are pretty bare. I was wondering if you or Lizzy would lend me a set of car keys and point me in the direction of the nearest supermarket." It took William a few seconds to comprehend her message, but he rallied his wits and told her where to find his keys to the Mercedes and told her where to find a mall within ten miles of the house. Olivia thanked him and headed downstairs. She caught sight of the jacket and, peeking into the den, spied Richard sprawled over the couch. Olivia smiled and tiptoed past him and out of the house. Richard awoke a short time later and followed his ears to the kitchen. He entertained a small hope of finding Olivia there, but instead he spied Georgiana pouring a scoop of coffee beans into a coffee grinder. At the sound of her name, Georgiana started, spilling coffee beans across the floor. Georgiana flew into a panic and began trying to recapture the beans as they rolled off in every direction. Richard quickly went over and attempted to help her.
"Where does Mrs. R keep the broom?" Richard asked as he went into the pantry. He came out with a whiskbroom and dustpan. He went over to where Georgiana had spilled the beans and found her crying as she frantically tried to pick them up one by one. Richard dropped the broom and knelt down to take Georgiana in his arms.
"Shhh, pet. I didn't want coffee anyway." Georgiana shook her head. She sobbed in his arms for a minute then pulled away and tried to explain her tears.
"I'm sorry, Richard. Everything that happened to you yesterday was my fault. I didn't think that I had done anything wrong and I certainly didn't mean to cause you all that embarrassment in front of everyone. Will gave me a hard time last night and blamed me for everything, but how was I to know that things would turn out that way? I'm so sorry." Richard pulled her to her feet and led her to the table. He sat her down and handed her a napkin to dry her eyes.
"You know, when you were about twelve or thirteen, you occasionally did things that got you into trouble with your Aunt Kathleen and Uncle Hugh. They were usually pretty lenient with you, because they knew you didn't mean it. Well, you're not a little girl anymore, Gee. You're twenty--almost twenty-one--and people are going to expect you to accept responsibility for your actions, even if they are unintentional," Richard said softly. Lizzy slipped out of William's bedroom and headed down the backstairs to the kitchen in anticipation of a good breakfast. As she descended, she heard voices, one of which she immediately identified as Richard's. But she froze on the steps when she heard a sob. The voice that spoke next was not Olivia's, but Georgiana's. Lizzy thought she should head back upstairs to leave the two to their private conversation, but when she heard her own name spoken she found herself riveted to the spot.
"It happened the night that you and William came to blows over Lizzy. I was really upset. First, I was angry with William for goading you into attacking him, and then I was upset about what you were going through. After you went home," Georgiana sniffed, "The phone rang and it was Caitlin. She could tell something was wrong, and the next thing I knew, I was telling her the whole story about you and William and Lizzy. I didn't think she would tell anyone else, except maybe Corrine..."
"That was your first mistake, Gee. If you mean to keep something a secret, you have to keep it a secret and not tell anyone. Look," he sighed. "What's done is done. There's no use crying over it anymore."
"William is still angry with me," Georgiana sniffed. Richard smiled and rose to make coffee.
"I tell you what. I'll discuss a trade with him later. I'll take you as my sister and offer him the evil twins, the Jag, my trust fund, the castle--no....no. Nope, that won't be enough. Aw heck! I don't think I have enough to make him give you up. Sorry, you're stuck with him." He forced a smile from Georgiana, who got up and helped Richard clean the floor.
"Poor Olivia! I felt even worse for her than I did for you last night," she said, just as Lizzy was about to come down the stairs. She decided to wait for Richard's response and found herself eavesdropping on another dialogue.
"Thanks a lot! And here I thought all those tears were for me!"
"Well, they are your family," Georgiana reasoned. "Do you think she's mad?" she asked.
"She's not mad," Richard stated confidently.
"Good. I like her a lot, don't you?"
"Yes, Gee. I like her."
"She's very pretty."
"Yes, she is."
"I think she likes you, too."
"I hope so, although my kin has given her at least a million reasons not to," Richard replied as he went to the refrigerator for milk.
"Why don't you ask her out?" Georgiana suggested coyly. Richard shook his head. He had seen this coming.
"I have." Georgiana's excitement was palpable.
"Really? Did she say yes? I hope you asked her before all this nonsense happened."
"Actually, I asked her in the middle of all the nonsense, and she still said yes, surprisingly enough."
"She's a smart girl," Georgiana gleamed.
"Very smart," Richard deadpanned.
"It's a shame she lives so far away, though. You'll have to convince her to move to New York." Richard didn't have an answer for that. "I'll bet she's lots of fun to be with."
"So far, I'd have to agree with you."
"And she won't break your heart the way Lizzy did."
"Gee, Lizzy is not responsible for what happened to me--."
"The heck she isn't! Didn't you just tell me that an adult should take responsibility for her actions even if they were unintentional?" In the stairwell, Lizzy sat down on a step, struck by Georgiana's impassioned remark.
"Gee! Let's not revisit this argument; we settled this matter a week ago. It's over," Richard said firmly.
"Well, I just hope that one day Lizzy realizes what she's missing, giving you up for William!" Richard laughed heartily. "What? If I weren't a relative, and I had to make a choice, I would never pick him over you!" It took Richard a moment to collect himself.
"I'm very touched, sweetheart, but don't ever repeat that in front of your brother. He'd be crushed," Richard smiled. A car was heard pulling into the driveway and Richard went out to help Olivia bring in her groceries. Lizzy stood and took a deep breath before she went down the last few steps into the kitchen, timing her entrance with Olivia's.
"Good morning," Richard said as he came into the kitchen with his arms full. Lizzy said good morning to him and to everyone else.
"Lizzy, you're just in time to help me cook. Crack open and beat all those eggs," Olivia commanded. Eager for breakfast, Lizzy took the carton from her and obeyed.
"May I be of assistance?" Richard asked. Olivia asked him to slice challah bread for French toast. Georgiana began to put away the groceries that were not being used, and Olivia put on the griddle to make sausages and bacon. Lizzy glanced at Georgiana, who looked back at her sheepishly, but soon everyone was absorbed in his or her task and all awkwardness was forgotten. Richard took over griddle duty while Lizzy and Georgiana, under Olivia's supervision, peeled and sliced pears, apples, and figs and heated them in simple syrup to serve with the meal. Olivia stood beside Richard at the stove and produced slice after slice of perfectly browned French toast. When William appeared, showered, shaved and well rested, Georgiana was placing bottles of maple and boysenberry syrup on the table. Olivia went outside and came back in with a few branches of berries and placed an arrangement on the table as a decoration while Lizzy poured orange juice into a pitcher. Everyone sat down at the dining room table and admired the spread.
"Do you do this every morning?" William asked as he poured himself a cup of coffee.
"Yes," Lizzy laughingly answered for Olivia. "That's why she can't take a regular job."
"You could always have a job feeding me," Richard offered. "What's for lunch?"
"I thought that Lizzy and I would make chili," Olivia laughed. Richard glanced at Lizzy dubiously before returning his attention to his plate.
"Seriously, Olivia--have you ever considered catering as a career? From what Lizzy tells me, you've dabbled in catering in the past," William asked, as his businessman's instincts--along with his palate--suggested that a unique opportunity was sitting across from him.
"Cooking is my first love, but there isn't much call for it in my neck of the woods."
"Maybe you ought to consider relocating," Georgiana suggested, but Olivia shook her head.
"I love my home. It isn't much, but it would take an awful lot to get me to leave it." She bent her head to her plate and so did not notice the three pairs of eyes that turned instinctively to Richard. He noticed them, however he chose to ignore them. When everyone was done, there wasn't a crumb remaining. Lizzy insisted that William should do the dishes, since he hadn't helped with the meal. William took on the task bravely and everyone pitched in good-naturedly. William offered to reimburse Olivia for the groceries but she insisted on his considering them as her gift in return for his hospitality.
When the kitchen was restored to pristine condition, William suggested that the houseguests be shown something of the neighborhood, and so everyone piled into the vintage Land Rover that Richard had driven over and went on a tour. William described the architecture and some of the history of Greenwich and Old Greenwich, as they toured the countryside. On the way back to the house, William made Richard follow a series of handmade signs to where a tag sale was being held. Everyone got out and ambled through the big old barn looking for something to buy except Richard, who simply followed the others. William kept an eye on him as he purchased a fine mahogany tea chest and Georgiana bought a vase for her bedroom. Lizzy and Olivia found vintage jewelry and kitchenware. The five made another stop at the supermarket and loaded up on groceries before heading back to the house. When they had unpacked all the groceries and put them away, Olivia, Lizzy, and Georgiana began to assemble ingredients for the chili. William came into the kitchen and called for their attention.
"Would you mind if we postponed the chili until dinner?" William began.
"Of course not, but why?" Olivia asked.
"I..." William glanced at Lizzy. "I was wondering if you would mind if Richard and I took off for a little while to do a little male bonding." The three women looked at each other.
"Sure. Go ahead. Livy and Richard won't be here for dinner, but we can have something else for lunch and make the chili later," Lizzy suggested.
Thanks," William smiled, and he and Richard left the house and headed to Harpy's.
"Is Lizzy mad at you?" Richard asked as he drove.
'No,' William replied, "Why should she be?"
"She looked at you oddly," Richard said as he reached over and fiddled with the radio.
"She was just wondering what I was up to," William remarked.
"That makes two of us." Richard took his eyes off the road. "What are you up to?"
"Nothing. I just thought that you needed to get away for a while, that's all." There was silence in the Range Rover for a few minutes. Phoebe was on duty at the door when they pulled up outside Harpy's and she hugged each of the cousins as they headed to their favorite booth. She didn't bring menus; she simply put a root beer in front of Richard and a cola in front of William and walked away.
"So how are you, really?" William asked as Agnes, who came out of the back expressly to see her beloved William, served their hamburgers. Richard bit into his "cheeseburger, rare, with onions, tomato, no lettuce, and extra pickle."
"I've been worse," he mumbled. "Not much worse, but then, I chose to be sober through the whole ordeal. I rather pride myself on that; another man might have succumbed."
"Another man would have been completely justified," William smiled. Richard picked up a French fry and studied it for a second before popping it into his mouth.
"Thanks, Fitz. This was a good idea."
"No problem. We were overdue for a little quality time. We missed our squash game this week."
"Speak for yourself! You missed our game," Richard joked. "I never miss losing."
"You don't always, lose, Fitz," William reasoned.
"No. Sometimes we don't play," he said as he poured out a puddle of ketchup.
"So, how were things at the house after we left last night?" William asked as Agnes came over and put bowls of homemade chocolate pudding on the table. William flashed his dimples at her and she giggled as she went away.
"I couldn't tell you. As soon as you left, mother suggested that I go and lie down and I was only too happy to obey. When I left the house this morning, only Corrine and Evan were up, along with Grandma Bess and dad. Corrie and Evan were so quiet I knew that some sort of divine intervention had taken place." William looked confused and Richard explained. "I think dad had a few words with them. As for Grandma Bess...well, she's still Grandma Bess. She offered me twelve place settings of Olivia's china pattern as a wedding gift. I'm tempted to take her up on it," Richard smirked. William smiled.
"I understand you're seeing Olivia tonight," William assayed. Richard lifted his glass, signaling Phoebe that he was in need of a second root beer. Phoebe brought the root beer, and a cola for William, just in case.
"I'm taking her to dinner," Richard swallowed half the soda in one try.
"I didn't realize you were dating again."
"What? Is there some sort of rule about how long I'm supposed to wait between women?" William chuckled.
"If there is, neither of us has ever paid any attention to it." He grew serious. "Are you interested in her?" Richard squinted at him.
"Who are you supposed to be, her father?"
"I'm just curious."
"All right, I'll satisfy your curiosity. When I was in Pennsylvania I enjoyed a great meal at Livy's house and I told her that if she ever came to New York, I'd take her to dinner. When she arrived in town on Tuesday she called me and tonight I'm taking her out. Is that all right with you?"
"It's fine with me, Fitz. What are you so testy about?" Richard ran a hand through his hair.
"I'm feeling a bit of pressure, is all," he said cryptically.
"What? Surely, you don't think you have to marry her in order to live up to everyone's expectations?" William laughed. Richard spared him a withering look before he turned his attention to his pudding. "Really, Fitz, what is it?"
"Olivia is a very special lady. I like her a lot," Richard said evenly.
"And..."
"And my mother likes her a lot, my father likes her a lot, Lizzy likes her a lot, Gee likes her a lot, Grandma Bess is crazy about her..."
"I get the picture. So what?" Richard drained his glass.
"I don't know...I think that everyone is anxious to see me paired off with her."
"Including you?" Richard sighed.
"I'm not sure...I don't know if I'm ready to..."
"Then don't! You're under no obligation for anything other than a dinner."
"I know. But I really like Olivia and I... What if we go out tonight and don't hit it off? What if the date is an unmitigated disaster?" Richard frowned.
"Has that ever happened to you?" William smirked.
"There's a first time for everything, cuz. If my date with Olivia bombs, I'll never hear the end of it."
"Why not?"
"Why not? Because there'll be repercussions from Lizzy, there'll be repercussions from mom and dad; remember how everyone reacted when Corrine and Frank broke off their engagement last year? She suddenly became the target of a hundred blind date set ups." William laughed.
"Don't you think you're overreacting a bit? No one who knows you would think you're in need of a blind date."
"Trust me, pal. If Olivia and I don't click tonight, Lizzy will drag every woman she knows out of the woodwork and line them all up at my door," Richard said distastefully.
"Why should she do that?" William asked out of curiosity. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he agreed with Richard, but couldn't exactly say why.
"Because she wants to see me live happily ever after, just like the two of you. You two are on your way to a 'happily ever after,' aren't you?" William nodded as Richard accepted a third root beer. William reluctantly accepted Phoebe's offered cola.
"I think that both of us are uncomfortable with seeing you as the loser in this whole deal. You can't blame either of us for wanting you to be happy as we are," William reasoned.
"What if I'm not ready to be happy, just yet?" William eyed his cousin carefully.
"What do you mean? Why wouldn't you want happiness as soon as you could achieve it?"
"I do want to be happy, Fitz. I just need to be happy on my own terms. I just don't think that either you or Lizzy is totally comfortable with them." William couldn't disagree with that, so he turned his attention to his cola and poked at the ice with the straw, which he then discarded before raising the glass to his lips.
"I guess what I'm trying to say is that this time--I would call it 'between relationships,' if Lizzy and I had actually been in a relationship--is usually given over to 'practice' dates. You know, mindless social and physical activity to pass the time until something more significant comes along. Olivia is definitely not the sort of woman I'd categorize as 'practice.' She's definitely in the 'happily ever after' class. And if my mind is in practice mode and she's in keeper mode...well, things could be irreparably damaged," Richard concluded.
"You really like her, don't you?" William's question was rhetorical. He didn't bother listening to Richard's response. He began to think about Richard's dilemma: A man with a bruised heart meets a woman with potential staying power and he's still on the rebound...
After a lunch of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, nostalgically consumed with glasses of milk and an exchange of childhood experiences, Georgiana suggested that the women go shopping. She drove William's car to the mall, and Lizzy, Olivia and Georgiana began to peruse the aisles of a large department store for early Christmas buys. But in short order, Lizzy and Georgiana had shifted their focus from Christmas to Olivia's date with Richard. They tried again and again to convince Olivia to buy something special to wear on her big date.
"I will say this one more time, ladies: It is not a big date. It's just dinner," Olivia insisted. "Dinner between two friends, and that is all. I have something back at the house I can wear, thank you very much and I do not need to buy anything new."
Lizzy and Georgiana giggled as Olivia strode away and began to look at jeans. Lizzy selected a leather mini skirt and wondered if she could convince Olivia to "borrow" it if Lizzy bought it. Georgiana began to look for suitable tops that Olivia might also be persuaded to "borrow." Olivia pointedly ignored them when they asked her bra size in the lingerie department, and walked away from them once more when they began to look at evening dresses.
"So where's Richard taking you?" Georgiana asked casually when they stopped for a break in the atrium.
"He didn't say," Olivia replied curtly. Georgiana and Lizzy exchanged meaningful glances and Lizzy dragged Olivia into a music store while Georgiana dialed Richard's cell phone number.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Richard. I was just wondering when you guys would be back at the house," Georgiana began innocently.
"We're headed back now, Gee. What's up?" he asked as he and William headed for the Range Rover. They had just walked off their big meal, stopped in a few shops along the way and were headed home.
"Richard, where are you taking Olivia tonight?" Richard pulled the phone away from his ear and looked at it before he answered.
"Why do you ask?"
"Well, Olivia has to figure out what to wear," Georgiana said as though speaking to a three year-old. Richard smirked.
"Anything she wears will be fine by me." He glanced at William with a look that said, "I told you so," and rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, but should she be casual, or sporty, or dressy, or--."
"Gee, did Olivia ask you to call me?" His question was met with silence. "I didn't think so. Put her on, will you?"
"She's not here. We're at the mall and she went into a store with Lizzy. I was just trying to help her out."
"Well, I appreciate your concern, and I'm sure that Livy does, too. Do me a favor. Tell her that I said she can wear whatever she wants, and ask her to be ready at six. I'll pick her up at the house, okay?"
"Okay," Georgiana sulked. She turned off her phone and stowed it in her bag. She waited until Lizzy and Olivia came out of the music store and positioned herself for a private confab with Lizzy.
"What did he say?"
"He said she could wear whatever she wants," Georgiana said somewhat dejectedly. Olivia overheard her and smiled.
"Really? When I went out with Richard for the first time, he called me and insisted on knowing what I was wearing," Lizzy said, somewhat disappointed at what she considered a lack of enthusiasm on his part. She was even more determined that Olivia should knock Richard's socks off when he met her at William's later that day.
When they got back to the house, Olivia orchestrated the preparation of the chili. William returned alone, and he joined in with the preparations, much to Lizzy's amusement. When the chili was well under way, Olivia went upstairs for a brief nap. Much to Lizzy's horror, when she went upstairs to check on her, Olivia had locked the door and refused to come out until she was ready. Lizzy paced back and forth outside, carrying the leather skirt and top that she and Georgiana had decided upon as Olivia's perfect outfit. William came up the stairs and watched Lizzy for a moment. When he said her name, she nearly jumped out of her skin.
"Good lord, William! Don't sneak up on me like that!"
"I didn't sneak up on you. You were just fixated on whatever you're--exactly what are you doing?" he asked, although he already suspected her answer.
"Gee and I thought...well, we were going to suggest that Livy wear this tonight on her date," Lizzy said somewhat sheepishly. William leaned against the banister and smiled.
"What's wrong with the outfit she has on?" he asked, looking past Lizzy. She turned around and saw Olivia, dressed in a short embroidered chiffon over silk skirt and a silk knit sweater set. Her hair was once more straight and framing her face in soft spikes. Her jewelry was simple, as always, and she looked wonderful, except for the fact that she was wearing her wire-rimmed glasses.
"Livy, you aren't going to wear those, are you?" was all Lizzy could say. William came forward and complimented Livy's outfit.
"You look terrific, Olivia," he said gallantly, ignoring Lizzy's frown.
"Thank you, William." Olivia smiled smugly and walked past Lizzy toward the stairs.
"Yeah, you look terrific for a woman in glasses. Where are your contacts?" Lizzy asked impatiently.
"My right eye is irritated and I needed to give it a break," she said as she started down the stairs. Lizzy followed, offering her the use of her eye drops. William, forgetting what he had gone upstairs for, followed them, amused by the conversation.
"Well, Richard won't be here for another twenty minutes or so. He's very punctual, so maybe your eye will be better before he gets here and you can put your contacts back in." Olivia turned and looked at her friend.
"What difference does it make to you whether I wear my contacts or not?" William stifled a laugh as Lizzy fought to come up with a plausible excuse that wasn't too obvious. Finally, she lamely told Olivia that she looked better without glasses.
"Yes, but I see better with them, Lizzy!" Lizzy looked to William for assistance, but he offered none. Olivia went into the kitchen to check on the chili leaving William and Lizzy alone in the living room.
"Thanks a lot for nothing, Will!" Lizzy pouted, pelting William with pillows from the sofa.
"What did I do?" William cried, trying to feign innocence.
"You might have tried to help me convince her to put in her contacts! Richard will be here soon--you can't let her go out like that!" Lizzy retorted, dodging the pillows that came flying back in her direction. Lizzy picked up a pillow and aimed it at William, but she was distracted by a sound at the door and William took advantage of the opportunity to blindside her with a large pillow. Richard entered the living room in time to see Lizzy fall on the sofa opposite William's.
"Am I interrupting something important?" Richard asked, as Lizzy tried to get up despite the pillows being hurled at her. Richard offered Lizzy a hand and received a pillow in the middle of his back for his efforts.
"Hi, Richard. You're early," Lizzy said breathlessly. She looked at his attire and was a bit disappointed. He was wearing a charcoal gray suit with a turtleneck. He looked very handsome, but his outfit was clearly not calculated to take one's breath away, not the way he did on his first date with Lizzy. She began to suspect a small conspiracy and plopped down on the sofa a bit irritated at both parties to the date; neither was being very cooperative.
"Hi, Fitz," Richard said to William, perplexed at Lizzy's behavior. He raised his eyebrows and William shrugged. Richard picked up a pillow and tossed it at Lizzy. "Something smells good in the kitchen. I think I'll go investigate," Richard smiled. He strode out of the room oblivious to the pillow she threw back at him. He walked purposefully into the kitchen where he found Olivia slicing bread. "I thought you were excused from KP tonight, Cinderella," Richard smiled. Olivia looked up and Richard was surprised to see her in glasses, but not unpleasantly so. He reached out and pushed the glasses, which had slipped down her nose, back a bit.
"Hello, Richard," Olivia smiled.
"Are you ready to go, or are you still chained to the stove?" Olivia put down the knife and took off the apron that she had put on over her outfit and Richard whistled. "You clean up very well, Cinderella. "
"So glad you're impressed, your highness," Olivia played along. Richard gestured toward the door.
"Your carriage awaits." He led Olivia to the entrance hall, where he helped her into her coat. "One moment; I need to have a word with your fairy godmother." He walked into the living room and over to Lizzy, who was now sitting at William's side. They had apparently continued their fight, because they both stopped whatever it was they were doing when they heard Richard approach and both wore innocent expressions. Richard bent over so that only William and Lizzy could hear what was said
"I think the glasses are kind of cute, don't you? It sort of brings back that whole schoolboy fantasy thing," Richard said with an expressive waggle of his brows. He smiled disarmingly and escorted Olivia out of the house. William smiled at Lizzy, who resumed punching at him as soon as the door was shut.
Olivia expressed her disappointment upon seeing that Richard had exchanged the vintage Land Rover for his Jaguar. Richard laughed aloud.
"That's got to be the first time a woman has ever told me that! They're generally horrified at the sight of the old girl," he chuckled. Olivia raised an eyebrow at the reference to the vehicle as an "old girl." Richard caught it. "Don't get mad at me! It's my dad's Rover and he's always called it that." Olivia was about to enlighten him and his father when his cell phone rang. Richard apologized before switching on the speakerphone.
"Hello?"
"Fitz, it's Charles. Are you sitting down?" Richard glanced at Olivia.
"Yes, Bingley, I'm in the Jag. Is what you're about to say for my ears only? I'm not alone at present."
"Really? Who's with you?" Olivia smiled and said hello to Charles.
"I take it you two know each other," Richard said when he was able to get a word in edgewise.
"Yes, I've done quite a bit of work for Cherry Blossom as a freelancer," Olivia explained.
"What are you doing in a car with Richard?" Charles queried.
"I'm giving her a ride, if you must know. So what's the big news?"
"Oh! I almost forgot; Jane and I are engaged!" Richard exchanged another glance with Olivia, who immediately offered her congratulations to the happy couple.
"You call that news? It was a forgone conclusion ages ago," Richard remarked casually. "Tell me something really interesting."
"I think your engagement is very interesting," Olivia interjected with a good-natured glare at Richard.
"Thank you, Livy," Charles said with wounded dignity.
"So when's the big event?" Richard smiled.
"Very soon, I hope. You'll come up for the festivities, won't you Livy?"
"I wouldn't miss it for the world," she laughed in reply.
"So what exactly are you doing with Livy?" Charles asked.
"Don't worry, I'll have her home before the coachmen turn back into mice." Richard winked at Olivia. "I love a theme, don't you?"
"What on earth are you talking about?" Charles asked. Richard and Olivia smiled but didn't answer. "Where are you?" he added as he heard the sound of an air horn blaring from a passing truck.
"We've just entered New York State. Hey Charles! Has Jane called her sister yet?"
"She's on the other phone as we speak. Entered New York State; from where?" Charles persisted.
"Lizzy and I went up to Connecticut to spend Thanksgiving with the Fitzwilliams and the Darcys. We're driving into the city for dinner from there."
"To dinner, eh?" Richard and Olivia could almost hear Charles's smile.
"She looked hungry," Richard explained with a smile for Olivia. She quickly averted her eyes as she felt something akin to lust stirring in her breast.
"Well, you must tell me all about this later, Fitz," Charles said. "Look, I have to go. Jane wants me on the other phone."
"Give Jane my condolences," Richard quipped before he hung up. Richard smiled at Olivia.
"What?" she asked out of curiosity.
"I love a happy ending, don't you?" Olivia smiled, but her mind immediately strayed to the happy ending Richard was determined to create for William and Lizzy. She silently reminded herself that Richard was not yet free, no matter how appealing he might seem. Olivia conjured up an image of Lizzy in her mind to ward off any instincts her heart may have had to yield to his charm. She would eventually be forced to carry Lizzy's image for the remainder of the evening like a talisman, as Richard's appeal grew with every hour she spent in his company.
When they reached the city, Richard took her to a French restaurant she had once read about in a magazine. Olivia was fascinated as they were shown to a table that was set up within an enclosed space right inside the restaurant's kitchen, and the executive chef himself served the couple from his degustation menu. Olivia was treated to tiny tastes of things she had never heard of before, and the chef indulged her dozens of questions. He even sat down with the couple for a while and, at Richard's insistence, took down Olivia's recipe for her hearty and rustic vegetable soup. Olivia loved being in the center of the action and watching the chef and his staff at work. The chef took Olivia on a tour of all the stations in the kitchen and invited her to come in again some time to explore further.
"How did you ever think of this?" Olivia asked Richard, as he offered her the last raspberry on his plate.
"Well, I tried to think of somewhere to take you that would be a totally new experience, and that would be interesting for someone with your culinary talents. I remembered that last year my mother bought a meal here at a charity auction and she and dad raved about it for months afterwards. I called in a favor and the room just happened to be available tonight. I'm very glad you liked it," Richard smiled charmingly. Olivia blushed under his gaze. She closed her eyes and thought of Lizzy. When she opened them a moment later, Richard was looking at her strangely. They left the restaurant and strolled down Fifth Avenue looking at the Christmas decorations that were already up. Richard took Olivia's arm to keep from being separated from her and she found herself wishing he'd wrap both of his arms around her...No, no, no! Lizzy! Lizzy! Lizzy! Olivia told herself over and over. She opened her eyes, which had been squeezed shut as she recited to herself, and Richard was smiling at her. "Are you all right, Livy?" Olivia nodded as she squeezed her eyes shut again. He was too close. Richard laughed. "Are you sure? I hope nothing disagreed with you back at the restaurant," he said with concern.
Everything is agreeing with me a little too well. "I'm fine," Olivia popping her eyes open and pulling away slightly. "When do they light the tree?"
"Some time next week," Richard replied, watching her carefully. "We can see the lighting ceremony from my dad's office, if you'd like to witness it firsthand. His offices are here in Rockefeller Center." Olivia thought that she would like that, but felt that she should not commit to anything.
"Hadn't we better be heading north?" She asked suddenly. Richard checked his watch. He thought that it was still fairly early, but he nonetheless headed back toward the garage where he'd left his car. When they were on the road, Richard looked over at Olivia, whose eyes were closed. She had removed her glasses, and for a moment, Richard thought she had fallen asleep. But Olivia opened her eyes and looked out the window to see where they were.
"Are you certain you're all right?" Richard asked yet again. "You don't have a headache or something?" Richard had seen Olivia shut and open her eyes at least a half dozen times in the previous hour and he was becoming worried. But Olivia laughed.
"I'm sorry, Richard. I've just been thinking." Richard was dubious.
"It must be really interesting."
"Indeed!" she smiled with what would have been an unmistakable meaning, if Richard had been willing to believe it. Olivia abruptly changed her expression and blushed. Richard, eyeing her with peripheral vision, was truly intrigued. But he recalled his earlier conversation with William, and tried to reign in his thoughts. He drove on, and Olivia closed her eyes once more. She began to feel drowsy, and was on the verge of falling asleep when she felt the car come to a stop. She opened her eyes and looked out the window, where she saw nothing but trees and road. Richard had pulled over in the middle of nowhere and Olivia's fight or flight instincts were immediately aroused. She glanced at Richard, who still had both hands on the wheel. He appeared to be thinking. Olivia's heart began to race as she realized that (1) she had no idea where she was or where to go to find civilization, (2) that her fight or flight instincts would abandon her the minute Richard turned on his charm, (3) she would be completely defenseless, since for the life of her, she couldn't remember Lizzy's name much less her face at the moment, and (4) she was probably grossly overreacting.
"I thought we should talk before we reached the house, Richard said, as he sat back and rested his hands in his lap.
"Where is it?" Olivia managed weakly.
"The house? Just beyond those trees up ahead; probably less than 200 yards away," he smiled. Olivia suddenly felt very foolish and relaxed a bit.
"What did you want to talk about?"
"Did you have a nice time tonight?" Olivia was taken aback by the earnestness of his tone. "I really wanted to try and atone for my family's treatment of you yesterday."
"I had a wonderful time, and you don't have to make up for your family. I don't at all hold you responsible for their...behavior," she said tactfully.
"They really mean well..." Richard assayed.
"They always do," Olivia agreed knowingly.
"So do Lizzy and Gee. I suspect that they've been on your case as well."
"Oh, yes," Olivia laughed. "I just wish that they'd listen to me, though." Richard turned to look at Olivia. "I know that they've been worried that you haven't happy lately. I tried to explain to them that they can't rush you into being happy, no matter how much they want it for you. And the worse thing they could probably do for you is to rush you into dating again, especially if their chosen dream date is Lizzy's best friend." Richard's mouth fell open slightly. He turned back toward the windshield and took in her words.
"Does that mean that you wouldn't be willing to see me again?" He asked finally. It was Olivia's turn to think.
"No...no, but I think it might be a little dangerous for us to see each other right now; too much pressure from the peanut gallery. And besides, what you need to do right now is to forget and that would be impossible if you see me. You should go out and have some fun," Olivia said with a pang of regret.
"I thought we did have fun," Richard said defensively.
"We did, but I'm not a "fun" date. You need some pressure-free, superficial, purely distraction-type dates for a while." Olivia glanced down at her chest. "I'm underqualified." Richard laughed, but he felt somewhat dejected. He had been worried about hurting Olivia and now she was rejecting him.
"For a while, you said. When will I be ready for the pressure-laden, deeply significant, completely undistracted sort of date that you definitely do qualify for?" he asked hopefully. Olivia looked into his eyes and quickly looked away before she lost her courage.
"Why don't you call me after Christmas?" she said softly. Richard reached into his pocket and pulled out an appointment book. He turned on the courtesy light and wrote Olivia's name and number down on the 23rd.
"I said after Christmas!" Olivia protested, but Richard explained that a gentleman never calls at the last minute.
"You will allow me to keep in touch?" he asked, and Olivia was in no humor to refuse him. Richard felt better. He truly wanted to see more of Olivia and he knew that he would have a better chance with her once he put some more distance between himself and his residual feelings for Lizzy. He started the car and drove about 100 feet then stopped again. Olivia looked at him. Richard turned to her and kissed her, a long, slow, yet innocent kiss that left Olivia breathless. Richard, however, calmly turned back to his appointment book and crossed out what he'd written on the 23rd and moved it to the 15th. Olivia recovered herself and laughed at his entry. Richard replaced the book and drove the short distance to the house. As they walked up to the door, Richard apologized.
"I know I probably shouldn't have done that, but I wanted to have something to look forward to." Before Olivia could form a reply, Lizzy opened the door and the spell that Richard had cast over her was broken.