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Posted on Sunday, 29 February 2004
In most parts of the country, Independence Day is the most celebrated holiday of the summer months. And while the Fourth of July was certainly venerated in Lambton, Texas, as the birthday of their nation and something worth commemorating, it was the Cattlemen's Barbecue that most people looked forward to with eagerness. Those who were invited and came to enjoy what Pemberley Ranch had to offer at the Cattlemen's Barbecue often joked that the Darcy family must have an in with Mother Nature, for not once since its inception had the annual event ever been marred by intemperate weather.
Today was no exception.
The sun shone brightly and the sky was aqua blue. Not a single cloud was in sight, just a nice, cool breeze to keep the heat off the skin. Though it was early yet, the ranch was already in full swing. The minute the morning light had lit, they'd arrived in droves, eager for a full day off from work in exchange for one filled with fun and games. Food and company. Business, it was understood, would not be discussed while at the Cattlemen's Barbecue.
The Cattlemen's Barbecue was like a cross between a private party and a town event. Everyone who came to it had been especially invited, but all the neighboring ranches and townspeople were invited. And, although it was held and hosted by Pemberley Ranch each year, the Barbecue had grown to such a size that all the other neighboring ranches pitched in somehow. Whether it was by volunteering manpower, or by providing some other form of contribution, every person had a part in making the day a special one.
For entertainment, there was always an assortment of contests in which the men especially delighted. And while some of the women might have enjoyed having a go at the games, most of the womenfolk came, toting their bowls of potato salads to enjoy the company of other women and the gossip that was always guaranteed at these kinds of events. Not to be left out were the children, who romped around with their friends and enjoyed the freedom of being outside without being nagged by their parents to go and take care of some chore.
Food and drink also flowed freely, with Pemberley providing most of the grub. Once lunch rounds began, the barbecue pit wouldn't slow down again until late into the night. All the men took turns cooking and watching over the hamburgers and hot dogs, all the while making fun of anyone who had the misfortune to burn a piece of meat. The women, relieved of guard duty for the day, brought with them their family heirloom recipes of salads and Jell-O molds, casseroles, and other sweet delights.
If anyone left the Barbecue with a growling stomach that night, they'd only themselves to blame.
With his curly dark hair still damp from his shower, Will stepped out of the house and onto the porch, rolling up his faded blue sleeves. He'd spent the better part of the morning working out his anger and frustrations by helping to finish putting together the bandstand. Not soon after they'd finished, the band had arrived. From where he stood, he could see Lizzy's pert brunette head calling out directions as she helped them set up. In a few more minutes, the band would be raring to go and once they began, the music would not stop.
At the Cattlemen's Barbecue, music and food flowed freely.
Will frowned in Lizzy's direction, but before he could give her any more thought, he was already being called from the left. "There you are, Will!"
Will turned and broke out into a grin. It was always good to see his cousin, Richard. "Hey," they greeted one another, shaking hands and thumping each other's backs in that manly way of theirs.
"How are things over at Rosings?" Will asked.
"Pretty good, pretty good. And you?"
"Everything's pretty much the same. Not much changes 'round here," Will said.
"That's true," Richard agreed, stepping in alongside his cousin as they began to meander their way through the front yard to join the crowd. "By the way," he lowered his voice, "I thought you might be interested to know that Billy Collins has left the area."
"Oh, really?" Will raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah. When we let him go, he had no place to go. Nobody wanted to hire him."
"He didn't try and stick around?" Will was somewhat surprised. As far as he knew, Billy Collins didn't have any other family and he'd always lived around the area. He wondered briefly where the man was; he hoped for Lizzy's sake that wherever he was, it was far, far away.
Richard shrugged. "Though Lizzy never officially pressed charges against him, word of his arrest and what he did must have still gotten around. Can't say that anyone felt inclined to be friendly to the man after that."
"Well, I can't help but be thankful, all the same. Good riddance, I say."
Richard didn't disagree and the cousins moved on to talk of other things. They joined the crowd and were immediately swallowed up. It seemed to Will that he couldn't take a step without being stopped by someone who wanted to shake his hand or have a word.
Charlotte Lucas arrived amidst a flurry that was her family. Spilling out the truck with the rest of her five siblings, she immediately headed for Lizzy, whom she'd seen checking out the refreshment table as they'd driven past. "Hey!" she called out by way of greeting. "How's everything going?"
"Char!" Lizzy brightened considerably at the sight of a friendly face. With her clipboard still in one hand, she reached with her other to give her friend a hug. "You finally arrived. I've been keeping an eye out for you. I think I saw the Rocking Rosings truck pull up a little while ago. That means Richard's probably around somewhere," she added slyly.
"Oh yeah?" Charlotte winked and smiled. "It took a while to get everyone ready and then packed into the car," she explained and rolled her eyes. "I swear, I think I spent half my morning, on my knees, crawling around the bedroom floor trying to find my little sister's shoe. I ended up finding it downstairs. In the refrigerator! Don't ask."
Lizzy laughed.
"But, here I am at last! Hey, you look great. New clothes?" she asked admiringly. She took Lizzy's hands in her own and held them out to the side so that she could get a good gander at her friend's new clothes.
"Yeah. These are the clothes Jane bought when she went shopping with you a couple of weeks back."
"Twirl around." Lizzy complied. "I thought they looked familiar," Charlotte nodded thoughtfully once Lizzy had completed her circuit. "Well, they look absolutely fantastic on you. Hey, the food looks great too!" she exclaimed, her attention having already moved onto the next thing.
"Doesn't it though? I think there should be plenty of grub to feed everything," Lizzy announced satisfactorily as she checked "food" off on her clipboard.
Charlotte nipped a tortilla chip from the earthenware bowl and dipped it into their neighbor Mrs. Phillips's famous guacamole dip. "Mmm, yum! Gosh, I love this stuff!
"Oh, look! There's Jane!" Charlotte hastened to swallow the rest of her chip as she wiped her salted fingers on the edge of her jeans. She then rushed forward and caught her other best friend in a big hug.
"So what's good?" Jane asked, peering at the assortment of food.
"Can't go wrong with the guacamole," Charlotte gestured with another chip as she dove in and then swallowed another large bite of the dip.
"Mmm, that does look good," Jane said, practically licking her lips as she salivated. "One thing I've noticed ever since this pregnancy is that my appetite has doubled."
"That's because your eating for two now," Lizzy said joining her sister and friend having finally completed her survey of the food-laden tables.
"So quickly? I thought that didn't come until later on in the pregnancy," Charlotte mused. "Aren't you supposed to go through bouts of morning sickness and all that first?"
"Not me," Jane announced cheerfully. "So far so good, I don't feel a thing. It's been great. All I seem to have is a voracious appetite. Knock on wood." She reached out and rapped her sister on the head.
Lizzy protested by sticking out her tongue and moving out of the way. "Enjoy the food. I've got to make sure that the bouquet arrangements are all set out on ice for later. Don't want the flowers to wilt in the meantime."
"Oh no you don't," Jane hurried to catch up to her sister, linking her arms through hers so that Lizzy wouldn't be able to get away. Charlotte, catching on, captured her from the other side. "I've got strict order to make sure that you enjoy yourself. You've done enough work for the Barbecue and now, you just have to watch everything run itself."
"According to whom?" Lizzy wanted to know. "It's my job to see that everything runs smoothly today."
"From the Boss Man himself," Jane returned. "Will says you're to take the rest of the day off."
Lizzy scowled at his name.
"Well that's settled then. We can't have you going against the Boss Man now, can we?" Charlotte plucked the clipboard from Lizzy's hand, in spite of Lizzy's vehement protests, and chucked it in the direction of the porch as they walked past. "I think Jane's got the right of it this time, Lizzy. Now let's go find the men."
The thought of running into Will held absolutely no appeal for Lizzy. She would have dug her heels into the ground, except to do so meant she would've had to explain herself to Jane and Charlotte. She wasn't ready for that yet.
Lizzy was still really irate at the man. In fact, the more she thought about it the more ticked off she got. He had a lot of nerve to suggest such that she'd been down by the stables doing a little hanky panky with George Wickham, especially after she'd practically thrown herself into his arms the night before. It was so degrading! She wished she'd slapped him when she'd left him that morning. She was sorry she'd missed her chance. Why, she wondered, did she never think of these things until the moments had long passed?
Well, there was no way she was going within two feet of that man. Instead of digging her heels in and taking the obvious way out, Lizzy tried a different tack. "You guys go on ahead," she said. "I'll catch up with you later. I see Georgiana over there with her friends and I just remembered that I wanted to ask her a question."
Charlotte and Jane exchanged skeptical glances over Lizzy's head, thinking that Lizzy, left to her own devices, would just go and fetch the clipboard Charlotte had tossed. "Well, all right," Jane said reluctantly. "But if you don't hurry back over, we'll be forced to come back hunting for you," she warned.
"Yes ma'am. Your edict has been duly noted," Lizzy said dryly before running off and making her escape.
It came natural to Charlotte and Jane that they would immediately begin to dissect Lizzy's behavior once the other woman had left. "Do you think Lizzy's acting a little oddly today?" Jane asked her friend. As her sister, she was particularly sensitive to Lizzy's emotions.
"I don't know. She seemed a bit preoccupied, but no more than usual. I mean, I know she was stressed about the Barbecue today. It can't be easy for her to see everything coming together like this; you know she's probably freaking out that everything's going to fall apart at the last minute or something like that."
"That's true. Lizzy does like to worry. You don't think she got extra prickly when we mentioned Will's name though, do you?"
"Lizzy's always prickly where Will is concerned." It was obvious that Charlotte was not as perturbed by Lizzy's actions as Jane was.
"I know, it's just that . . ." from everything Fanny had told her, she'd been under the impression that Lizzy and Will were getting along better than they ever had before. Jane gave up trying to make sense of everything. "Never mind. You're probably right. It's probably the stress that's eating at her today."
"Of course I am!" Charlotte blithely decreed. "And that's why it will be up to us to make sure that she doesn't overwork herself and actually gets to enjoy this year's Barbecue."
"That sounds like an excellent plan!"
With their arms still linked together in unified solidarity, Jane and Charlotte joined the men just as they were discussing what events they would be participating in that afternoon. "So, are you going to sweep the roping contest again this year?" Richard asked his cousin.
"Of course," Will answered with natural confidence.
"Do you think it's really fair that every year the man of the ranch carries away the prize?" Charlie asked, implying that perhaps it would be more charitable for the host of the event to give others a chance to exhibit and perform.
Will shrugged. "Then my men shouldn't keep challenging me year after year, telling me that this is the year they're going to beat me."
"Oh no," Charlotte turned to Jane in feigned horror. "I think that any minute now the men are going to break out yodeling and start beating their chests."
While Jane laughed, the men ganged up on Charlotte, pretending to take her down. "You take that back, Charlotte Lucas!" Richard yelled, pinning her in between his arms and legs.
"No!" she yelled back, struggling to free herself. "Help me, Jane."
Nobody was willing to tackle a pregnant woman so Jane was able to extricate Charlotte without any problems. Sniffing, Charlotte stuck her nose into the air and said very regally, "I think I'll go and find myself another man who won't beat me up."
Richard and the others were still chuckling over their antics when Charlotte started to step away. That's when her words registered in his brain. "The hell you will!" he bellowed, hurtling after her. Charlotte turned and saw him charging after her, screamed, and picked up her pace. Will, Charlie, and Jane were left to laugh and chuckle at Richard's pursuit of Charlotte.
From where Lizzy stood, making animal figures out of balloons for the children, she had a particularly nice view of Will. It wasn't fair, she mused. Even with the way she felt about him right now, she was still attracted to him. Standing against the backdrop of other young men only served to further highlight his power, inner strength, and virility.
It was the way he held himself out, as though he owned the world. Which, at Pemberley Ranch, he did.
Will didn't need new clothes to accentuate his worldly goods, Lizzy mused. Even in his old, faded blue work shirt and equally worn and faded blue jeans, he still looked delectable. It wasn't fair. And, much to her dismay, Lizzy found herself wanting to run her hands across his chest, to feel the soft cotton fabric of his shirt underneath her hands.
She saw him throw his head back in a howl of laughter and, even from a distance, admired the way the corners of his eyes crinkled just so when he laughed. She saw him smile lopsidedly at her sister and knew for the first time what it felt like to be really jealous of her sister. Lizzy frowned. She had to stop being so stupid. She sternly reminded herself that Will didn't deserve such generous thoughts!
Luckily, Eric, the elder son of Mike and Michele's two boys, saved her from any more potentially detrimental thoughts. He dragged behind him his crying, younger brother, Ryan. "Miss Lizzy!" the little boy cried out, "I need help."
Eric tried to push his brother in front of him, but Ryan was having none of that. Sniffling and hiccupping, he tried to hide behind his brother's back. Lizzy crouched until she was eye level with the boys and very gently asked, "Here there, now. What's all this about?" She took a napkin from her back pocket and very gently rubbed Ryan's rosy cheeks.
"He's embarrassed cuz he popped his balloon," Eric explained, holding out the dregs of the popped balloon for Lizzy to see. "And now he ain't got none."
"And now he doesn't have one," Lizzy gently corrected, remembering suddenly the way Will used to correct her grammar when she was younger. She mentally sighed.
"Yeah. Right," Eric agreed. "So, can he have another one?"
"Of course he can! He can have as many as he wants."
In planning the Cattlemen's Barbecue, Lizzy had been determined to make sure that the children had more fun things to do this year. Usually they were left to run around on their own, but Lizzy thought that it might be nice for them to have several things geared towards them directly. As a result, she'd organized miniature versions of the contests in which the adults participated for the children. She also thought they would get a kick out of having more circus and carnival type things, and had ordered a cotton candy machine and, with the help of a self-help book, taught herself how to make animal shapes out of twisted balloons.
Lizzy grabbed a bunch of deflated balloons from her bag and held them out for the two little boys to see. "What color do you like, Ryan?"
With his left hand firmly tucked into his brother's hand, Ryan tentatively reached out with his damp right hand. He fingered the blue one.
"Blue," Lizzy said brightly. "That's a really nice color. Is that your favorite color?" Ryan nodded his head shyly. "I happen to like blue a lot too. See? My shirt is also blue." Ryan shook his head and Lizzy pointed to her shirt and asked, "No?"
"Different color," Ryan croaked, finally getting over his embarrassment and speaking. "It's darker. Navy."
"That's right," Lizzy beamed. "What a smart little boy you are. Now, what kind of an animal do you like best?"
"A horsey!" Ryan yelled.
"Well, a horse is indeed a fine sort of animal," Lizzy agreed. "Do you know what kind of noise a horse make?"
"Neighhhh!"
Lizzy chuckled. "That's right."
She tucked her tongue into her cheek as she concentrated on trying to remember how to twist and turn the balloon so that it would transform itself into a horse. While the boys waited for her to finish, they galloped around her, pretending that they too were wild horses.
"Have you ever ridden a horse before?" she asked them after a while.
Eric nodded. "With our dad."
"Did you like it?" Lizzy asked conversationally.
"Uh-huh. Mr. Will is teaching us how to ride too. Some day, I'm going to have a horse of my own."
"Do you know what kind of a horse you want," Lizzy asked Eric.
"A big, black horse. Like Mr. Will's." Lizzy was amused at how much the little boys emulated Will.
"Mr. Will lets me ride Big Red," Ryan chimed in. "I gets to ride him all by myself."
"Do you?" Lizzy asked.
Ryan nodded his head vigorously. "And I gots to brush him and feed him carrots. Mommy says that I have to eat my carrots because carrots are good for the eyes. Do you think that carrots are good for Big Red's eyes too, Miss Lizzy?"
"I'm sure they are," Lizzy reassured, as she tied off the last of the balloon to create a horse's tail. "There. What do you think of that?" she asked as she leaned down to hand her new creation to the little boy.
"Yay!" Ryan clapped his hands. "I love it!"
Eric nudged his younger brother to remind him to give his proper thanks, and Ryan turned his cherubic face up to Lizzy and said, "Thank you, Miss Lizzy."
"You're very welcome, my dear. And if he should break again, there's no need to cry. You just come find me and I'll make another one for you. In blue." She winked at him and he smiled, suddenly shy again.
"Come on," Eric said to his brother, tugging on his hand. "Let's go play in the sandbox!"
"Okay! Wait for me!" Ryan hurried after his brother.
Lizzy stoop up again and watched the two boys join a group of children down by the sandbox. She sighed and wondered when she'd one day have children of her own.
Once the children left, Will stepped out of the shadows. He'd been hiding from Caroline, who'd been pursuing him relentlessly ever since her arrival that morning, when Lizzy had appeared in front of him followed by the two boys. Trapped, he'd stayed where he was and shamelessly eavesdropped onto their conversation. He admired the way she'd dealt with the boys and thought to himself that she'd make a wonderful mother one day.
Unbidden, an image of two other little boys came to mind. One would have curly hair, hair so dark that it was almost black. The other would be lively of wit and mind with brunette hair and sparkling hazel eyes. He sucked in a stabbing breath and let it out slowly as he eased his way out from the shadows.
Lizzy jerked at the sudden noise and jerked again when she saw who it was. "Do you make a habit out of spying on people, Mr. Darcy?"
He winced at the coldness of her formal tones. He tried to remember that he deserved some of it. But he also couldn't help the last time she'd caught him lurking in the shadows. That had ended in a memorable kiss.
He didn't think he'd be that lucky this time.
"Lizzy," Will began. "I was hoping we could talk."
"I've nothing to say to you."
She made to move around him, but Will stepped into her path, blocking the way. "Please," he asked. "I'd like to apolo - "
"I don't think you'd have anything to say that I'd want to hear," Lizzy cut him off.
"Come on, Lizzy," Will cried out exasperatedly. "Try and be reasonable, will you? How can you possibly know what I want to say unless you give me a chance to talk?"
Lizzy didn't think she could possibly see more red until that moment. "Be reasonable? Be reasonable? You ask me to be reasonable after all that you accused me off this morning? How dare you!"
"I wasn't thinking, Lizzy."
"No," she retorted. "You obviously weren't. How could you?" she asked, her voice breaking out into a whisper.
"I opened up my heart to you last night, Will. I went to bed last night thinking that you felt the same about me, that you cared about me, trusted me. And this morning, you went and threw it all back into my face. How do you expect me to feel?"
Will tried not to flinch at her cutting, but honest, words. "Lizzy, I don't know what to say. There aren't enough words to tell you how sorry I am," he said falteringly.
"No," she agreed in a low, chilling voice. "There aren't."
This time, when Lizzy stepped around him, he didn't try and stop her. She'd made her position known and he was going to have to find another way to make it up to her.
Will spent the remainder of his morning catching up with his friends and neighbors and keeping an eye on Lizzy. The former he did because he knew it was expected of him as the host of the Barbecue, the latter he did because it came naturally to him. Though he'd already been caught once that day for being a voyeur, he couldn't prevent himself from doing it again. He'd finally gotten rid of all the well-wishers and now, as he stood alone and from a distance, he watched Lizzy help a little girl in pigtails walk through the egg race. Once again, he thought about how she looked exceptionally nice today.
She made such a pretty picture in her outfit. He didn't remember ever seeing her in it before. It was probably new, though he vaguely wondered how she'd found the time to go shopping when he kept her so busy on the ranch. She wore a classically cut navy shirt, trimmed in silver. And her jeans, a lighter shade than her shirt, seemed as though they'd been fitted just for her. Though he enjoyed looking at her in them, he would have preferred her in something less form fitting. He had a feeling he wasn't the only person that had looked twice, or thrice as the case may be, when she'd walked past. She'd complemented her outfit with a white hat. He'd seen her wearing it earlier, but now it hung, resting down her back.
"So," Charlie said in a knowing voice. "That's the way the wind blows these days, eh?" He'd come up from behind and peered over Will's shoulder, checking out what had his friend captivated so.
"Huh? What?" Will turned around startled. He saw his friend looking to him and then at Elizabeth. Charlie was grinning even wider than he normally did. "Oh, no! No, no, no, you've got it all wrong," he tried to say.
"Uh-huh, sure. Jane's going to be tickled pink when she finds out!"
Will practically blanched. "What? What are you going to tell Jane?"
"That you're interested in Lizzy!"
"But I'm not," he lied.
"It's all right," Charlie placated in soothing, understanding tones. "We're not the least bit surprised. We've been waiting for this to happen. We could see the attraction, even if you couldn't. Jane will be ecstatic when she finds out that one of you has finally come to his senses."
"What are you talking about? Lizzy and I are just . . . friends, if even that."
"Oh, come on, Will, don't tell me you haven't had your eye on Lizzy all the while. Look at you now, watching her from over here. Are you sure that isn't drool I see at the corner of your mouth?"
Will unconsciously took a swipe at his mouth. "I was just making sure that she had a handle on everything." The excuse sounded weak even to his own ears.
Charlie nodded his response, treating Will no better than a small child. "Of course. And you haven't been staring at her hungrily the rest of the day either. Oh wait, I know. You've just been making sure that everything was all right with her the entire day too. Come on, Will. Face it. You've got it bad."
He felt uncomfortable discussing this with Charlie given everything that had taken place in the past twenty-four hours. "Okay," he conceded, "so maybe there is something there. But, um, my relationship with Lizzy, they're a bit complicated at the moment. So, I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't say anything to anyone at this moment, not even Jane."
Charlie winked knowingly. "Say no more, my good friend, say no more. I understand." And then he backed off. A man was entitled to woo his woman in privacy, after all.
George walked around, his hands in his pockets. He was still spitting nails. He couldn't believe he hadn't been able to persuade Lizzy into helping him out. He'd been counting on her. After all, she'd shown such interest in him. He thought he'd charmed her and had her eating out of his hands. Guess he was wrong. That's what you got for banking on a woman, he thought sneeringly to himself.
Now what was he going to do, he asked himself.
As he walked through the crowds, George was periodically stopped by the occasional person who remembered him from his childhood, or who had heard about all his accolades on the rodeo circuit. For them, he made time. Letting his worries fade to the backdrop for a moment, George would turn up his charm and dazzle them with his bright, white teeth and charismatic manners. It was always nice to have a solid fan base, he believed, especially if they were of the skirt-wearing variety.
Still, the crowd was thick at the Cattlemen's Barbecue and he was able to slip by relatively unnoticed. He was glad for he needed time to think, to regroup, and to plan.
And yet, the pulsing sensation at the base of his neck that wouldn't go away made him feel as though he wasn't alone, that someone was watching him. He wondered if it was Younge, or one of Younge's people. With Younge, you could never tell.
George couldn't help but stop to look behind and around him from time to time.
It was during one of these instances that he caught the eye of Georgiana Darcy. She was standing off to the side with a circle of her female friends and they were glancing his way. When their eyes met, Georgiana's face flushed and she turned away rapidly. He heard the girls giggling amongst themselves.
George quickly put on his pleasant face and redirected his path towards them. "Hello, Georgie. How are you today?"
"Great! How are you? Are you enjoying the Barbecue?" Georgiana couldn't believe that George had stopped to talk to her. This must be what it feels like to ride the clouds, she thought to herself.
In truth, George was hating every minute of the Barbecue; he always had. The one good thing about the Barbecue was that he had the day off. As to the rest, everything the day stood for had always made him want to revolt. It was, to his way of thinking, the Darcy family's way of lording it over the rest of the community that they were bigger and better. Richer.
Still, to the princess of the ranch, he smiled grandly and said, "Very much so. It's been ages since I've been at one of these, and it's great to be back."
"Are you going to participate in any of the events?"
George shrugged. "I haven't decided. I was thinking about entering the roping contest."
"Oh! Will always wins that one."
Though she hadn't issued a challenge, she might as well have. With that bit of information, there was no way George was going to let that opportunity go to waste. Here was his chance to show Will up. And in front of all these people! The more and more he thought about it, the more excited George became. Will always thought he was better than everyone else, George mused. It was time for someone to prove him wrong and he, George Wickham, was just the man to do it. After all, he hadn't ridden the rodeo circuit for nothing!
"That's because it's been years since Will has gone up against me," George said confidently.
"I don't know," Georgiana doubted innocently. "My brother's awfully good."
One of the girls tugged Georgiana's shirt to get her attention. It was obvious that Georgiana was familiar with this older, handsome man and they all wanted an introduction. "Georgie," she whispered.
"What?" Georgiana turned around distractedly and asked.
The girls all gestured meaningfully with their eyes and Georgiana caught the hint. They were envious and she felt smug. "Oh! I'm sorry, where are my manners? George, let me introduce my friends. This one here to my right is Mariah Lucas and next to her is her sister, Jennifer. They're from Lucas Lodge."
George thought them rather plain, but still he doffed his hat and bowed like a real gentleman. "Of course, Lucas Lodge. The dude ranch. I remember your parents and you have an older sister too, I believe. She was closer to my age."
"That would be Charlotte," Mariah managed to say after she'd found her breath. She wondered though that anyone could hear her over her rapidly beating heart.
"Ah yes, Charlotte Lucas. I remember her now." If memory served him correct, she was as plain looking as her younger sisters. "And how is your sister, is she here today?"
Jennifer nodded her head. "She's probably with Jane and Lizzy," she said shyly.
"These," Georgiana turned to the remaining two girls and gestured with her hand, "are the Gardiner twins. Tammy and Bammy. Their aunt and uncle own Cheapside in town."
"Ah yes, of the famed horse chestnut pie."
"That's right," Tammy beamed proudly. "The most famous pie in this part of Texas!"
"It's nice to meet your acquaintances, Tammy and . . . Bammy."
The hesitation over the second name was obvious and Bammy sighed dramatically. "I know. It's short for Bamarra. They're both weird names. I don't know what my parents were thinking," she admitted.
"Parents so rarely do think," George empathized. "And is your name Tamarra then?" he asked the other sister.
"Of course!" she chuckled. "What else?"
"Of course," George agreed.
The girls felt an immediate kinship with this wonderfully friendly man. They all stared at him with such soulful eyes that George felt like he was twelve feet tall.
"And what are five pretty girls like you standing all alone for? Are there no boys here that have caught your fancy?"
The girls burst out into a fit of nervous laughter. "No, boys are pests." Georgiana finally said. "We don't like to associate with them because they're too silly and immature. All they do is play pranks on us and it's stupid," she explained.
"Ah, but that's because it's the only way they know how to express their interest," George said.
"Really?" Bammy brightened considerably at the thought. She remembered how Peter Lucas had stuck a spider down the back of her dress at church last Sunday. Maybe that had meant something more.
"I still prefer the older, more mature type," Tammy said, batting her eyelashes at George as she flicked her hair over her shoulder. She wondered if she'd look older and more desirable if she cocked her hip out to the side and pursed her lips into a pouty look.
"Boys are always so loud and rowdy," Jennifer wrinkled her nose. "I don't think I like them very much."
"That's just because you're still a baby and too little to understand," her older sister told her. "You will one day." More than five years separated Mariah and Jennifer, and normally Mariah would not have allowed her sister to tag along with her and her friends, except that her mother had just that morning bade her to keep an eye out for her youngest sibling at the Barbecue.
"In a few years the boys will have caught up to you. And then you won't find them so annoying or immature," George reassured.
"Do you really think so?" Georgiana asked.
"I know so."
"I hope I find someone like you when I grow up," Mariah said with all the honesty of a star-struck teenager.
Hero worship, George smiled to himself. It really was a wonderful thing. "Well, when that time comes, you look me up. I'll keep an eye out for you."
With an impish wink and an incandescent smile for the girls, George continued on his way. He left behind him five rapturously sighing girls.
Posted on Sunday, 14 March 2004
Caroline Bingley was having a miserable time at the Cattlemen's Barbecue. Though it was only noon, she'd gotten her stiletto-heeled boots stuck in mud five times already. By the fourth time, she'd started shooting daggers at her brother, knowing that Charlie was dying to say, "I told you so." By the fifth time, even he had abandoned her, not willing to risk her wrath anymore, thus leaving her to her own devices.
Worse than getting stuck in mud, Caroline had discovered that the new stiletto heels, the matching ruby and diamond-studded shirt and skirt, and the cherry-colored Stetson were all for naught. Will hadn't so much as glanced her way all day long. Meanwhile, she'd managed to attract the attention of all the other cowboy country bumpkins. Just thinking about them had her gritting her teeth. One had even been so eager that in his haste to bring her some lemonade, he'd tripped and splattered her with his ketchup and mustard laden hot dog. He'd only missed her skirt out of pure luck.
By that point, Caroline had wanted to scream.
She almost did.
Fanny Bennet had immediately come to her aid. "Oh dear," she'd clucked her tongue. "You'd better come along with me, my dear. If we don't get you out of that shirt, the ketchup and mustard will set in and stain. We don't want that to happen."
"My shirt! My new shirt! It's ruined! What am I going to do?" Caroline screeched. "What am I going to wear?"
"I'm sure we can find something similar in Lizzy's closet that you can borrow."
"This is an original Augusta Elton design and totally irreplaceable," Caroline informed Fanny in her most haughty voice, letting her know that nothing would ever be able to come close to comparing to her shirt.
"Of course it is," Fanny said, always aiming to be agreeable and letting nothing or no one trouble her. "If we can't find something comparable, I'm sure Lizzy has something else in her closet that you can borrow."
"Wonderful," Caroline muttered under her breath. "I'm going to look like a farmer."
In the end, Caroline ended up having to borrow something from Fanny instead. Though she and Lizzy were similar in build, the former had a considerably larger bust-size. As a result, none of Lizzy's shirts fitted her. Fanny apologetically held up an old plaid work shirt that she'd outgrown years ago. "I'm so sorry, dear. Everything else is too large for you. It's not very pretty, but at least it's clean and won't hang off of you."
Caroline snatched it from Fanny's hands with not a lot of thanks. "I guess it'll have to do." At least it had some red in it, so it wouldn't totally clash with her skirt.
"Well, I'll leave you to change your shirts then. Just leave the dirtied one at the foot of the bed. I'll come back for it in a minute and give it a nice soak. The condiments should be out of there in no time." For her efforts, she was awarded a harumph of an acknowledgment. Fanny wasn't sorry to see her go.
Caroline dressed with great distaste. The shirt was entirely unflattering and the material was of a decidedly low quality. She hoped she wouldn't break out into a rash by the end of the day. She'd have to remember to give herself an extra special skin treatment that night. One never knew what they would find in other people's clothes. The shirt tucked in made her look like a balloon, so she untucked it and played with the ends a little more. She ended up tying it in a knot underneath her bust. The shirt was still ugly, but the effect was quite nice, she thought to herself. Who wouldn't do a double-take to sneak another peek at her lean abdomen?
Finally satisfied with her new outfit, Caroline went back outside and immediately ran into Lizzy and Charlotte. They did a double take. But not to look at her stomach.
"Isn't that shirt different from the one you were wearing earlier?" Charlotte asked.
"You know, that shirt looks awfully familiar. In fact, now that I think about it, it looks just like an old shirt my mom used to have," Lizzy commented.
"You know, now that you mention it, I think you're right. That does look like your mom's shirt!"
Caroline turned an icy stare on them. "Oh, just leave me alone," she snapped.
Lizzy and Charlotte watched her storm off and then turned to look at each other in bemusement. "Well then," Lizzy said.
"Somebody clearly has issues," Charlotte agreed.
"What's so funny?" Jane asked, coming up from behind, and slipping an arm around her sister's waist.
Lizzy and Charlotte swirled around. "Oh, you just missed it," Lizzy said. In between their fits of giggles, she and Charlotte were able to recount what had just happened for Jane.
"Ah," Jane nodded her head understandingly. "Didn't you see what happened earlier?" The girls shook their head and it was then Jane's turn to describe Caroline's unfortunate hot dog incident to her sister and friend.
"Are you kidding? I can't believe we missed that!" Charlotte lamented with a slap of her forehead. "I would've paid to see her reaction."
"So would I!"
"It was definitely priceless," Jane agreed.
They didn't see Caroline for the rest of the day and nobody missed her.
Lizzy had hoped to avoid Will for the rest of the day, and she'd done all that she could to make sure he was never near her vicinity. A day without Will, however, was not meant to be. First, she'd been dragged to witness the roping contest in which most of the men, it seemed, had signed up to participate. She hadn't wanted to go, knowing that Will would be there, but Jane and Charlotte had insisted upon her going with them to watch, so she'd gone along. Not that she hadn't enjoyed herself in the end.
It was, she had to admit, always lots of fun watching the men compete. The girls stood along the bottom rungs of the fences, leaning over to wave and call out their support for the cowhands that worked on their respective ranches. Lizzy and Charlotte tried to console Jane when Charlie got himself caught in one of his loops, but Jane merely laughed. She knew that her husband could be a bit of a klutz whenever he got over-excited. The contestants continued and pretty soon the pool trickled down to the top contenders: Richard Fitzwilliam, Will Darcy, and George Wickham.
Lizzy watched with avid interest, eager to see how things would come out. She clasped her hands together and secretly wished Will well. It wouldn't do for the others to see how much she wished he would perform well. "Please, please, please, please, please," she kept reciting over and over again in her head. Her hands grew wet and clammy from the nervousness. She dried them on the thighs of her jeans.
From where she stood, Lizzy could see the tension between the men. Richard looked agitated and George nervous. Only Will stood relaxed amongst the three. He was the only one that had nothing to prove; he knew he was the best. Lizzy tried to frown when he caught her eye and gave her a wink, but she couldn't. She stood mesmerized. And she remained furious at her own reaction.
Richard was the first to drop out.
And then there were two.
The crowd was going wild. It seemed as though the entire Barbecue had come to a standstill, gathering by the corral to watch the main event. Everyone knew that Will won this event year after year. But, here was a rodeo champ returned. And as far as everyone was concerned, the roping title was up for grabs.
Will carefully gathered the rope back in a circle. A perfect lasso and a steady hand he knew were the key components in grabbing a calf and roping its feet together in record time. He'd been doing it for years, ever since he was a little boy, and practice made perfect.
Will entered the ring on the back of his horse and the crowd immediately hushed. All eyes were on him. He stood facing the bull's pen and stared into the bull's eyes. They watched each other carefully, recognizing the other to be the foe.
Will wasn't the only one ready to go.
The bell sounded and the gates came flying open with the bull charging out of its pen. Will had a fleeting thought that this must be how matadors felt at the beginning of each round. Without a blink of an eye, he raised the rope and twirled it over his head. He snapped his wrist and the rope went soaring through the air. It landed in a perfect circle around the bull's neck, just as he knew it would. Will jerked his rope expertly, tightening the noose so that the bull was caught with no escape. That completed, he kicked his heels against his horse's side. When he neared the bull, Will jumped off the still-galloping horse and landed on his feet. Two quick strides found him next to the bull, where he proceeded to grab and tie the bull's four legs together.
Will had the bull's legs successfully roped in just a short amount of time. Some would later embellish the story by saying that they'd barely caught the deed, because he'd done it so quickly. However he'd done it, he'd managed to do it in record time. Will exited the ring with whoops and hollering in his ear; the crowd was still cheering when George took his place in the ring.
The pressure was definitely on for George.
He started out well, managing to corner the bull in a faster amount of time than Will. For a minute, everyone was sure that George had Will beat. But, George's over-confidence became his downfall as he relaxed his stand and took the time to add in some theatrical moves guaranteed to wow the crowd. The bull saw his opening and took advantage of it, side-swiping George when tried to step forward with his rope. Caught off guard, George fumbled in his step, lost his hold on his rope, and the lasso came tumbling down. It ended up being the sloppiest roping job of his life.
George still managed to rope the bull in good time though, by quickly picking himself up. And in the end, he came out just a little behind Richard. Third place wasn't good enough for George though. He kicked his boot into the dirt and cursed his luck. Then, he did what he did the best. He blamed Will for his misfortune. The bull had been one of Will's after all. By the end of the night, he would have bet his life's earnings that Will had somehow trained the bull to do as he bid.
Lizzy hadn't stayed around to see Will declared the winner of the roping contest. She'd been much too disgusted at his blatant attempt to get back into her good graces. She didn't have a doubt in her mind that most everyone watching the roping contest had caught him looking at her when he'd finished roping the bull and bowed in her direction. It was so embarrassing.
She wandered over to the lunch table and fixed herself a plate. Everyone else was still hanging around to the roping area, so she'd managed to beat the crowds. The sun was at its mid-afternoon worst and Lizzy found solace in the cool shade. It didn't take long before she was joined by Richard.
"Sneaking table food to the cats again?"
Lizzy looked up from where she'd been feeding the barn cats that had wandered over, and were now rubbing their furry little bodies all over her leg. She was surprised to see Richard, carrying his own food-laden lunch plate, without Charlotte. He read the question on her face. "She went to help her mother feed the kidlets and sent me on my way. I tried to help, but," Richard shrugged. "Apparently I just make things worse."
Lizzy could well imagine that. Richard was like a big child himself. She patted the seat next to her and Richard didn't hesitate. They chatted while they ate.
"You seem happy with Charlotte," Lizzy observed.
"I am," Richard beamed. "Who would have thought, after all this time, that the woman for me was the woman next door?"
Who would have thought, indeed, Lizzy thought, her own thoughts turning to Will.
"She really is the perfect woman for me, though. And it's nice because having grown up with me, she knows me through and through - all my perfections and even my imperfections." Richard ended his musing with such a contented sigh that Lizzy was forced to hide her smile.
"So you do own up to having imperfections!" she teased.
Richard tweaked her nose. "Impertinent pup. No wonder Will calls you a 'brat.'"
"Richard," Lizzy asked after a while, "do you remember why things didn't work between us?"
He watched her nibble on a carrot stick. Was she serious? "Aside from being ten and not really knowing what we wanted at that age?" he asked.
"I was eleven and you were thirteen," Lizzy corrected.
"So we were," Richard smiled. "Lizzy, what is this really about?"
"Well, it just occurs to me that with Charlie and Jane married, you and Charlotte dating, and all of us having grown up together, did it never feel a little . . . incestuous . . . like you were dating your sister?"
Richard had a feeling he knew where this was headed. "Like it did with us, you mean?"
Lizzy sneaked a peek at him. "Yeah."
"When it's right, Lizzy, you just know," he told her. "Charlotte and I, we've been friends forever and at some point, that started to change. It was incredibly awkward, I won't deny. And it took us a while before we could confront the issue, and even longer to decide whether this was something worth pursuing. Because, if it all came to nothing, we didn't want our friendship ruined either. But, in the end, we couldn't deny what we felt for one another. And I can't say I'm sorry that we tried. It might have taken us longer to find one another, but it's also been really nice because since we know one another so well, we never had to go through that 'getting to know each other' stage. We were able to jump to the good stuff, the more meaningful stuff."
"That sounds so nice," Lizzy said enviously. She'd put her paper plate on the grass and crossed her arm over her knee, listening to Richard speak.
"Why all these questions? Hm?" Lizzy didn't answer Richard. "You got your eye on someone?" He leaned over and nudged her shoulder with his. Lizzy looked away.
A thought occurred to Richard. "Someone, like my cousin, perhaps?" A steady stream of blush crept along Lizzy's cheek to her neck. "A-ha!" Richard cried out triumphantly. He knew he'd hit upon the point. "So it is Will."
"Oh, stop it! I don't know what you're talking about." Lizzy tried to push him away, but he caught her hand as she tried to rise and tugged her back down. "No way, you're not leaving now!"
She groaned. "What?"
"What do you mean 'what'? Do you actually think I'm going to let you leave me hanging like that?"
"You're worse than a girl," Lizzy grumbled and complained.
"Ooh, that sounds like a good idea," Richard picked up on her unintentional suggestion and grinned unabashedly. "Let's pretend I'm one of your girlfriends who's come for a good gab fest. Now, tell me all about you and Will. And remember: spare no details!"
He preened and primly placed his hands in his lap, pretending to be a girl. Lizzy had to laugh in spite of herself. "There's nothing to tell," she alleged.
"Right," Richard answered sarcastically. "And that's why you've been sneaking glances at him all day long when you think no one's watching and he's been staring after you with this really long, pathetic face, not even bothering to hide it."
Lizzy's shoulder slumped. "I haven't been sneaking glances at him all day long," she contradicted defiantly.
"Are you kidding me? Want me to demonstrate?" Richard started to put on a one-man show until Lizzy hit him on the arm and made him stop.
"All right, all right. I'll tell you. But you have to promise me you won't laugh."
"Laugh? Why would I laugh at you?"
"I don't know," Lizzy admitted. All she knew was this was unfamiliar territory for her, and for a woman who liked to be in control, she was definitely out of her depths.
Lizzy ended up telling Richard everything. In a way, it was nice to be able to confide in someone, even Richard, who, in spite of his childlike ways, really was a person you could rely on when the chips were down.
"I don't know what happened," Lizzy finished. "It seemed for a moment like everything was perfect, but then he went and ruined it this morning when he practically accused me of having an assignation with George this morning. Oh, I know he didn't say anything explicitly about that, but it was definitely implied through the tone of his voice and his choice of words. I found it to be rather insulting, if you must know."
Richard could see how she would. He could also see his cousin's point of view. He didn't think he'd like it if he peered out of his window and found Charlotte down by the stables with another man early in the morning. He'd have to approach this carefully.
He didn't know why she'd met George early in the morning. She hadn't seen fit to enlighten him to that matter, just as she hadn't seen fit to explain herself to Will. To Richard, it didn't really matter. That was Lizzy's business and her choice to make as to whether she wanted to divulge her business or not. What he could understand though was Will's unease as to who Lizzy was meeting so early in the morning.
"I doubt that Will was mad at you this morning, Lizzy. In fact, I'd even venture to guess that had it been any other person but George, Will would've been okay."
"I don't understand."
Richard knew then that Lizzy was ignorant to everything George had done in his callow youth. Thus, he proceeded to tell her all he knew. "George has always seen himself second to Will, and it's created this unhealthy desire to be on top. If Will wanted something, then George would go out of his way to make sure that it was he who got it, and not Will. Even if it meant having to discredit Will in front of others, making him look bad, and making himself look like the good and the innocent. It's like he purposely wants to hurt Will."
"Who would believe him?" Lizzy wanted to know. "Everyone around these parts knows Will and his reputation."
"Don't underestimate George either, Lizzy. You, yourself, know what a persuasive man he can be. And when George wants something, he rarely stops at anything to get it, especially if he perceives Will to be his opponent for the ultimate prize. I'm not sure why he feels such a healthy dose of revenge against Will. I wonder sometimes if George even knows the reason behind his feelings."
"You think that's what Will was afraid of with George and me? That George might somehow turn me against Will?" Lizzy felt like her eyes had been opened wide. She didn't know what to think, except that she knew Richard spoke the truth. After all, he had no reason to lie.
"I can't say for sure," Richard admitted. "But yeah, probably."
"It would explain a great deal," Lizzy said in soft voice. She traced a pattern on her jeans before giving up and holding her head in a groan. "This is so complicated! I don't know what to do."
Richard looked at her sympathetically. Having recently battled with the complications of falling in love with a childhood friend, he knew all too well the intricacies of such a relationship. Yet, he sincerely hoped things worked out between Lizzy and Will. Everyone else could see that they were meant for one another.
"I know you're hurting and you're still mad at him, but if you can, give him another chance, Lizzy. You're not the only one that has to adjust to things. Will's used to watching out for you, protecting you." And, a man didn't just protect those he considered to be his responsibility. He protected those he loved and considered his own too. But, Richard didn't think she was ready to hear that just yet.
"I don't know if he'll give me another chance," Lizzy speculated miserably. "I treated him pretty horribly earlier. I wouldn't even give him a chance to explain."
"If things are meant to work out, they will," Richard said sagely.
It was inevitable that Lizzy and Will would meet again. Both were signed up to compete in the shooting contest.
Lizzy was one of the best marksmen on the ranch. She'd been taught by the late William Darcy himself and he'd often bragged that other than his son, Lizzy had been his best student yet. Thus, it came as no surprise when they were the only two contestants left competing after the first round.
Lizzy had studiously avoided him ever since she'd arrived at the shooting contest and found Will already there, loading his rifle. She'd purposely chosen to stand at the other end of the line, as far away from him as possible. Still, she couldn't help but watch him every so often from the corner of her eyes.
Will was having the same sort of trouble at his end of the line. He shot off four perfect shots. The fifth one was a little angled to the right, but the sixth one was straight on. He didn't like that she was affecting his concentration this much. He'd almost bungled the roping competition earlier too when he'd caught sight of her watching in the crowds. Thank goodness he hadn't lost his rope like George, at least.
It was getting to be ridiculous, he thought. They couldn't go on avoiding one another. It occurred to him that he was just going to have to make her listen to his explanation whether she wanted to or not. There was only one way to get Lizzy to talk to him again, and that was to get under her skin. She never could resist returning an attack.
The judge called for the shooters to stop. An examination of the targets showed that both Will and Lizzy had tied for five out of six. At the Cattlemen's Barbecue, there were no ties. That meant they'd have to go another round to break the tie.
Lizzy was reloading her rifle when he came up to her. "Did you notice? You're leaning towards to the left. You might want to try readjusting your stance in the next round."
Lizzy practically snarled. She shoved her lock shut and brought her gun up. "I don't need you tell me how to aim and shoot."
"I'm just trying to help, brat."
Lizzy bristled, just as she always did when he called her, "brat." "I didn't ask you for your help."
"Suit yourself." Will backed off with his gun tucked under one arm, his hands held up high.
"Ladies first," the judge called out.
Lizzy stepped up to the plate, so to speak. She raised the rifle and squinted her right eye, trying to make out the target. The only thing she noticed was Will's heavy breathing behind her. She lowered the gun and whipped around. "Do you mind?"
Will, who was standing at least two feet away, looked surprised. "What?"
"You're doing it on purpose," she hissed.
"Doing what?"
"Annoying me!"
"But, I'm not even doing anything."
"Yes, you are."
"What am I doing wrong?"
"You know."
"It would help me if you would tell me what I was doing, since I'm not doing anything wrong."
"Yes, you are," Lizzy repeated.
"By doing what? Standing here?"
By watching her, studying her, taking careful note of everything she was doing, judging her . . . Lizzy wanted to scream. "Just, just . . .."
Will braced his legs apart, crossed his arms, and smiled winsomely. "Why, Lizzy, do I make you nervous?"
She narrowed her eyes and huffed. "Grrr . . ." she muttered under her breath. Lizzy flipped around and returned to the task at hand. She raised her gun, took aim, and shot.
The first one tore straight through the center of the bull's eye. So did the second, third, and fourth. The fifth one barely made it, but it did. By the sixth, the anger she'd felt was beginning to wear off. And she was once again becoming all too conscious of the man who stood behind her. He was whistling, damn the man! She bet he thought this was really funny. Well, she'd show him. She wasn't a crack shot for nothing. Lizzy resumed her position and raised her rifle.
Her sixth shot went way off course.
Will's dog, thinking he was safe from the ricocheting bullets of the shooting contest, lounged underneath a tree, in the shade. He had been dreaming of running through a green pasture, chasing after squirrels, when something ominous whizzed by his ear. He jerked awake and whined loudly, running for his life.
Lizzy was absolutely mortified. She couldn't believe she'd just done that. It didn't help when Will came up behind her to take his position and whispered in her ear, "Try not to kill my dog, Lizzy."
She shot him a deathly glare before stalking off to the side. She stayed long enough to watch him shoot six perfect shots through the center of the bull's eye.
Her sister caught up with her as she walked away from the shooting range. "Lizzy! You were awesome," Jane congratulated her.
"I lost."
"But you were so close! By one shot." Lizzy shrugged. "It really was incredible. You'll beat Will next year." Jane hugged her sister.
Lizzy turned to her sister with an amused smile. "Does anything ever get you down, Jane?"
She thought about if for a minute before breaking out into laughter. "No, I guess not."
"Thank goodness."
The day had begun to take a toll on Lizzy's nerves. The sun, now a blazing brilliance of orange, was just beginning to set in the distance. In a couple of more hours, the sky would be dark. Everyone was ready for the dinner and dancing to begin.
As was the custom each year, with the completion of all the competing events, Will passed out the winners' bouquets right before the opening of dinner. Lizzy, who had still been seething over her own loss, was surprised to hear her named being called over the microphone. When she raised her head, she saw that everyone was clapping. Her own family was patting her on the back and pushing her towards the bandstand. Dazed and somewhat confused, Lizzy complied, only to be surprised with a bouquet of her own. Now, she was really confused. She hadn't won anything; she'd lost the shooting contest. And, she certainly hadn't ordered a bouquet for herself.
What was going on?
Lizzy would learn later that Will had called the florist after her and placed the special order himself. He'd wanted to give her something in acknowledgment for all the hard work she'd put in to bring the Barbecue together. The day had been a success so far, and he owed everything to her.
Lizzy stood on the bandstand blushing as everyone clapped, whistled, and catcalled their approval for a job well done. She hugged the large bouquet tighter, admiring the beautiful arrangement. The winners' bouquets she'd picked herself. This one, Will had picked out for her. It was, she thought fleetingly, not the first time he'd brought her flowers. And she smiled to herself. Maybe she could be a little more forgiving.
Her mother stopped by after the award's ceremony with a plate of food. "You look hungry, dear. Have a hamburger and some of Paula's potato salad. She made it especially for you, you know. She knows how you have a fondness for her potato salad."
Lizzy smiled and took the plate. "Thanks, Momma." She went and joined Jane and Charlotte who'd staked their claim on a picnic table. It didn't take long for them to be joined by the men. Though Will didn't dare sit next to Lizzy, he was careful to choose a seat that afforded him a perfect view of her.
With the others around them, conversation seemed to flow more naturally.
Jane and Charlotte clucked approvingly over the flower arrangement. Lizzy knew she should take it into the house and put it in water, and she would, as soon as she got her fill of looking at it, admiring it. She wasn't ready to let it out of her eyesight just yet.
"It's breathtaking," Jane sighed romantically. "I just love the way the pure white rose petals are contrasted against the backdrop of the blue and lilac-colored hydrangea."
For her own part, Lizzy preferred the pink lilies that had been interspersed in between.
"Richard, how come you never give me flowers?" Charlotte called down the table. "Lizzy and Will aren't even dating and look what kind of flowers he gets her! Maybe the next time we go on a date, you should call your cousin beforehand and get some tips before you come and pick me up."
"Great, now look what you've done," Richard accused his cousin. "Thanks a lot."
"It's been a long time since Charlie's brought me flowers," Jane sighed dejectedly. "I remember when Lizzy used to tease me about opening up a florist shop. I guess it's true what they say: once you're married, the romance is gone."
At the other end of the table, Charlie winced. Richard pierced his cousin with another glare and said, "See?"
"What?!" Will squirmed in his seat. "I was just trying to be nice. I can't help it if you guys suck as husbands and boyfriends."
The men entered into their own little tussle, with Richard and Charlie on one side and Will on the other. The former were relentless in their teasing ribbings of the latter. The women shook their heads and left them to their own devices, moving on from the flowers. At the Cattlemen's Barbecue, there was always new gossip to be heard and shared.
Once everyone had had their third and fourths of dinner, the tables were cleared and the dance floor opened. Dancing, like cattle ranching, was sacred in Texas.
Charlie separated himself from the men and came to stand behind his wife. Leaning over, he whispered into her ear. Whatever he said, it made Jane giggle. And Charlie was forgiven for failing to bring flowers to his wife. She kissed his cheek and held out her hand. Within seconds, Charlie was leading his wife to the dance floor.
Richard and Charlotte were quick to follow. "How about a dance to make up for the lack of flowers," he'd suggested. Charlotte hadn't been one to quibble.
Now, it was just Will and Lizzy left at the dinner table.
He picked up the empty plates and carried them to the trashcan. When he returned, he sat down beside her. Lizzy purposely ignored him, opting to keep her eyes trained on the dance floor while her toes tapped out the music's rhythm.
"Nice night," Will commented.
"Hm."
"Good food."
"Hm."
"Good music."
"Hm."
"You did a good job, Lizzy."
"Thanks."
"How about a dance?"
"I don't think so."
"You know you want to."
"I don't feel much like dancing tonight."
Will put a steadying hand on the leg that was still beating to the time of the music underneath the picnic table. The heat from the palm of his hands shot straight up her thighs. "Really?" Will asked.
"I don't think we should," Lizzy revised. "I don't think it would be wise."
"Well, you may be wise, but I am not. Come on." Will stood up abruptly and grabbed her hand, pulling her along. Before she could utter another word, Will already had her out on the dance floor, tucked neatly within his arms.
"Now this," he murmured, "is much better."
With her head resting comfortably against his chest, Lizzy could hardly disagree. She closed her eyes and let her senses take over. It felt right, dancing with Will and being in his arms.
He looked down at her, looking as content as a kitten after it'd lapped an entire bowl of milk, and smiled. His eyes took on a tender look. "Lizzy?" He gently shook her back awake, wanting to talk to her.
"Hm?"
"I wanted to apologize."
"You already have."
Her answer surprised him, as it did her. "Does that mean you've forgiven me?"
She looked up at him and smiled back. "I guess it does." It took too much energy, staying mad at Will. The flowers had weakened her, but now, dancing in his arms, it cemented everything. She was powerless when it came to his charm.
Will beamed his smug pleasure, and resettled her head against his chest. "Good."
With both of their eyes' closed, lost in the gentle swaying of their body to the music, they missed out on the knowing grins that Jane and Charlie exchanged with Charlotte and Richard.
"You know what we need to do?" Will asked Lizzy after a while.
"What?"
"Go out on a date. A real date. Away from the ranch."
"Really? You want to go out with me?"
He framed her face with his hands. "Yes, I really do."
Lizzy grew warm inside. "I'd like that."