Section I, Next Section
Chapter 1
"First day of the semester," thought Elizabeth Bennet, taking a deep breath and mentally squaring her shoulders as she faced Meryton Hall. "I hope that my students will be as wonderful as last semester's." She began climbing the outside concrete stairs to the second floor.
"Hi Miss Bennet," chorused a small group just inside the large entrance doors.
"Hi guys! Are you taking French II this semester?"
"Yeah, we found out your line number and we all transferred in. Don't tell Prof Dineen, though. We went through a lot just to find out and he hates having people try to pick their own Grad student teacher!" offered one of the group, a vivacious brunette named Tamar.
"We couldn't break in another Grad student, ya know," continued another as they walked with her to the classroom.
"That's great!" Elizabeth beamed. "I won't have to 'break in' many second semester students, then! Did you all have a good holiday break? Or maybe I should ask that en francais?" She deposited her armload of books on her desk as the group groaned collectively.
"Already? Can't we just warm up slowly?"
"Slowly? That's beginner's stuff! Let me set up and we'll start in 5 minutes." Elizabeth turned her attention to writing assignments on the chalkboard and checking the number of handouts against the roster. After taking attendance and doing basic introductions, she launched smoothly into the day's teaching plan and was surprised when the end of class bell rang.
"See you all tomorrow...a demain," she smiled, "and don't forget to review your passe compose for oral drills tomorrow!" Several made faces at the announcement and left, loudly proclaiming her their favorite slave driver. Elizabeth good-naturedly waved good-bye and re-collected her books, heading for her small office in the basement.
"Oh, hi Jane!" she exclaimed, almost colliding with her oldest sister who suddenly rounded the corner. "What are you doing in Meryton Hall? Isn't the Psych Dept. still in Lion Hall?"
"Hi Lizzy!" Jane replied as Elizabeth winced. "Sorry, Elizabeth. I can't help it...I called you Lizzy all our growing up years. It's not easy to change overnight."
"Overnight? Jane, it's been a whole semester since I asked you. Maybe I should call you Janie again!"
"No, that's okay. I'll remember, I promise! Want to get some lunch?"
"You came over just to eat...here?" Elizabeth looked at Jane sceptically.
"Well, that and give you some great news I just heard. Remember that article that I read to you on new techniques for family therapy?"
"Vaguely," Elizabeth replied, stifling a yawn. Jane shot her a dirty look.
"Anyway, the author, Charles Bingley has transferred here to work with Prof Lucas!"
"To work with Bill? Why?"
"Because he's renowned in the field, Li-Elizabeth. Anyway, I'll get to meet him at a get-together the Department is having Friday night."
"Sounds terrif. Hope you have fun."
"I hope you will, too."
"I'm not in the Psych Dept, Jane."
"I'm inviting you. Don't look at me that way. Please, for moral support???"
"Oh, all right, but you owe me one. Dept parties are always the most dull, useless..." her voice trailed off as her eyes while sweeping the main floor cafeteria room, happened upon a dark-haired, muscular Adonis engrossed in reading. "Hmm, too mature and studious for your normal undergrad, unless he is pre-med...gorgeous, simply gorgeous. What do you say, Janie?"
Jane was furiously yanking on her arm and was hissing, "Let's get out of here!"
"Where's the fire, sis?"
"That guy with the one that you were scoping out--that's Charles Bingley. I recognize his face from a photo I saw." Elizabeth stole a quick look behind her to the sandy-haired companion of the dark Adonis and noticed that the former had obviously seen Jane as evidenced by the same glazed-over, open-mouthed looks that Jane usually attracted. He noticed Elizabeth's glance and smiled a wide, friendly smile before saying something to his friend. The Adonis slowly looked up from his book, coolly assessed the blue jeaned, nondescript sweater-wearing Elizabeth and Jane's departing back briefly before returning, uninterested, to his book. His friend smiled sheepishly, and slightly raised his hand from the table in a clandestine wave. Elizabeth grinned, rolled her eyes at Adonis' head and followed Jane into the food line.
Chapter 2
"So, you're interested in Charles Bingley?" Elizabeth enquired as they walked toward her office.
"In his work, yes," Jane replied, blushing as she spoke, "after all, I don't know him personally, at all."
"It didn't seem like he was against making your acquaintance..."
"Why do you say that?"
"Because while your back was turned, I made eye contact with your Mr. Bingley."
"He's not my Mr. Bingley..." Jane said emphatically, struggling not to smile. "Let's go see if Charlotte is in your office. I'll bet she's hungry, too."
"Nice segue, Jane. Don't think that I'm done with the Bingley topic yet!"
"As far as I'm concerned, there's not much else to say." Jane said blithely as they entered Elizabeth's cramped office that she shared with Charlotte Lucas.
"Hey Charlotte, what's up?"
"Same ol', same ol' squared," Charlotte smiled wearily at them from behind a mound of papers and books piled up on her desk.
"Don't tell me that you gave them homework already, Charls!" Jane said in mock horror. "Why, think of all the psychological damage..."
"Yeah, to me when I grade them!!" Charlotte retorted. "Actually, I'm getting my thesis research in order...or making a feeble attempt, anyway."
"What's it on?"
"Not quite sure. Something on Marcel Pagnol and childhood psychology." She gave Jane a lopsided smile. "Got anyone you'd suggest that I include in my research?"
"How about Charles Bingley?" Elizabeth suggested sweetly, casting a sly look at Jane who stuck her tongue out at her sister.
"Charles Bingley? Now, why is that name familiar? Oh, yeah, he's going to be working with my Dad. Why Jane, you're all red! Is he that much of a studmuffin?"
"I wouldn't know," Jane protested, turning a deeper shade of scarlet. "I barely saw him in the snack bar, but his work is wonderful!"
"Hmmm," Charlotte seemed loath to respond. "It's not my area, really. Dad was really put out when I didn't follow in his footsteps and took up this 'unprofitable course of study'. But I'm sure that he must be good if he was able to work with Dad. Hopefully his stuff is slightly more interesting than Dad's!"
"Are you going to the do on Friday?" Elizabeth asked.
"I suppose. I hope that you'll be there, Elizabeth or I'll be forced to actually listen to all that drivel and be exposed to pseudo-psychologists...no offense, Jane."
"None taken."
"Yes, Jane is making me go with her."
"Well, gotta run." Jane stood up to leave. "My first class is in ten minutes and your Dad hates it if anyone is late."
"Tell me," muttered Charlotte. "Bye Jane, see you on Friday."
"Bye!" Once Jane had gone, Charlotte watched Elizabeth settle into her desk before asking:
"So, what's the 411 on Charles?"
"Normal-appearing.."
"That's a plus!"
"As I was saying...nice smile, pleasant."
"Sounds boring."
"But his friend...yowza!"
"He has a friend?"
"Saw them in the cafe. He's quite the gorgeous man-of-the-year type. But, sniff, sniff, I don't think that he's into women."
"Why's that?"
"'Cause he barely noticed Jane."
"So, he's blind?"
"Yeah, whatever."
"How are your sisters doing this year?"
"Mary's still in Philosophy. Graduates this year, and acts like she discovered Kant. Catherine, well, Kitty is in a sorority and Lydia is a wannabe Little Sister."
"Little Sister?"
"Meaning that she follows Frat guys around to get noticed so that she can hopefully pledge a sorority next year. Duh. How's Mariah?
"Same as ever. Not quite as hyper as Lydia about boys, but progressing that way rapidly. I suspect that she's sneaking out at night to go to the Jazzhaus, though."
"Fake I.D.?"
"So it would seem. Well, gotta go research. Want to come with?"
"Can't. My first seminar with Prof. de Bourgh is on and I better go now. Ancien Provencal...I wish that I could just take 20th century and skip the old stuff."
"I think that the Beckett class has gone to your brain!"
"It's early in the semester, so I at least still have one! I think. See ya." They parted and Elizabeth went upstairs to her first class. Upon entering the room, she was startled to notice that Adonis was also seated at the long table with the other students, most of whom she had known for quite awhile. He looked at her without apparent recognition or interest and looked at the Professor who came in after Elizabeth.
"Oh, William, there you are," said Prof. de Bourgh. "Have you met everyone yet? I think that everyone else knows each other already."
"No, I haven't."
"Well, let's all get acquainted, shall we?" asked de Bourgh but it sounded more like a command. They all did as she requested and told about their level. William Darcy, the Adonis was a Phd student, working with Professor Gardiner on his dissertation on Marcel Proust.
William, in turn, discovered that Elizabeth was doing her thesis with Professor Eliot on Beckett and modern theoretical physics. His eyes widened in respect on hearing her topic and he began to watch her a little more closely as she spoke in class.
During the class, Elizabeth felt the strength of his gaze upon her, but she studiously ignored him until at the very end of class when she stubbornly widened her eyes at him in annoyance and stared him down. He refused to look away and their impasse was broken only by the siren ringing class dismissal. Elizabeth rose and almost sprinted for the door, colliding with William who seemed almost as in a hurry as herself.
"Ow. Sorry. I have to go teach now."
"Sorry, Elizabeth is it?"
"Yes. If you could let me by..."
"Oh, of course." She pushed past him impatiently and was surprised that the slight body contact gave her a jolt. She looked back at him, to see that he was still staring at her, with an unreadable expression on his face. She shrugged and took off at a dead run. William watched her disappear around the corner, and leaned against the door jamb as if for support.
"All that and a brain, too! I think that I'm going to like this University." He smiled to himself and went off to his own office.
Chapter 3
The week passed slowly for Jane, but normally for everyone else. Jane managed to talk Elizabeth out of her ever-present blue jean ensemble and into a long slim skirt and matching blouse. Although Elizabeth knew that she was no match for Jane and her drop-dead looks, she was still very satisfied at her image in the mirror.
"Hey Janie, what do you think?"
"You actually look normal, kind of like a Professor, if Profs ever wore slit skirts!"
"Maybe I'll start a new trend, once I get my Phd, in about ten years!"
"Is that why they call it tenure?" Jane felt Elizabeth's purse hit her in the arm. "Ow, it was just a joke…"
"A very bad one at that! Where is this shindig anyway?"
"It's at Prof Lucas's house. Didn't Charl tell you?"
"Nah. She doesn't care about the party that much. Well, if it gets really boring, then Charl and I will go up to her room and listen to CDs."
"I guarantee that it won't be boring."
"I suppose that's because Charles Bingley will be there, humm?"
"Stop it, Elizabeth. You are so maddening."
"Especially when I'm right!" They pulled up in front of the restored Victorian mansion that belonged to the Lucas family and got out, Elizabeth with much reluctance and Jane with many different emotions racing through her. They were met at the door by Charlotte, who had been looking out the window for their arrival.
"Gee, took you long enough!" Charlotte said. "I almost had to make small talk with some of Dad's gradual students."
"Not nearly punishment enough for the likes of you," Jane said in a teasing voice, while Charlotte looked at her in astonishment as Jane walked past her into the great room.
"What's with her? I could almost swear that she was teasing me…so unlike Jane," Charlotte watched her disappear into the room.
"Charles Bingley, in a word," replied Elizabeth.
"Oh, the man of the hour. Well, he hasn't shown up yet. Fashionably late, I presume. He's supposed to be bringing some people along, a friend and some family. I guess torturing us wasn't bad enough, he wanted to torture his family and friends, too."
"Charl, you are too much!" said Elizabeth with glee. "Better keep those thoughts to yourself or you'll be entertaining them with things to analyze!"
"Yeah, yeah. I wanted to listen to some real good background music, but Dad insisted on this weird Lori Anderson crap. Sorry. We can always go listen to our stuff in my room."
"I think that I'll hang for awhile, just so that I can show Jane that I'm keeping my promise."
"Okay, suit yourself. I'll stay with you for awhile, but when it gets too painful, I'm out of here!"
"Deal!" They both began to circulate around the room together, making small talk with the students and faculty present. Finally, after about 10 minutes, Charlotte changed the music to a less cacaphonic CD and smiled wryly at her father, who didn't even seem to notice, as he was engrossed in conversation.
All conversation in the room ceased and every eye turned toward the door when Charles Bingley entered the room, followed closely by two women in their early 30's, one slightly pudgy, bored looking man and William Darcy from Elizabeth's Provencal class. Professor Lucas hurried to their side to make them more comfortable and Elizabeth noticed with amusement how the two women swept the room with obvious disdain.
"Hey Charl, get a load of those two."
"Charles' sisters, no doubt. The redhead is married to the stubby one. Their name is Hurst. The other one is still single and very actively seeking marital status. I think that she's seeking it with William Darcy, there, Bingley's best friend. What a gorgeous man, that one!"
"I guess, if you like that kind."
"Well, I don't know of anyone who wouldn't, quite frankly!"
"He's not my kind."
"Since when is tall, dark, and extremely handsome not your type?"
"He's rude, arrogant and thinks very highly of himself."
"Too bad. Well, we can still look at him….you know, like art."
"He might notice and get an even more inflated ego."
"So we'll just be subtle, as always!" They both snickered together and started to mingle with the other party-goers, making derisive faces at each other from across the room. William missed none of their interplay and, although it helped him to pass a rather boring evening in the company of people that he cared very little for, he began to think of Elizabeth as rather childish, and not at all like his idea of a grad student. He continued to watch them, occasionally being struck by the animation in Elizabeth's eyes, but overcame those thoughts as he focused on her 'immature behavior.' He was thus ruminating when he was accosted by Caroline, Charles' single sister.
"Delightful party, n'est-ce pas?" she commented, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Is it?" William replied in a bored voice.
"Why don't we just leave Charles here and go find something more…exciting to do," she slipped her arm through his suggestively.
"Actually, I doubt very much that there is anything very exciting to do in this town," he responded coolly, disengaging his arm from hers pointedly. Elizabeth and Charlotte took in this interaction as they were standing only a few feet from them and they both burst into laughter, which caused William's placid expression to become irritated.
"Hey Charl," Elizabeth whispered to her friend, "Let's go find something 'exciting' to do!"
"I thought that you'd never ask!" They linked arms and went to sit outside on the large porch swing, whispering as they went. William watched them leave, with some reluctance, as they had at the least provided some entertainment. He turned his attention to Charles who was across the room, talking to a very beautiful blonde who seemed to be hanging on his every word.
"Odd," he thought to himself. "Charles doesn't usually get that kind of reaction." Out of curiosity, he edged over to Charles' part of the room to try to hear their conversation, and was surprised to find that they were only discussing Charles' most recent research on family therapy. William was surprised because, although the conversation was riddled with what he deemed psychological jargon, both people seemed almost to have a second level of understanding and both were obviously admirative of the other.
"Blah, blah, blah," he thought. "Now where did Elizabeth go? Oh, yeah the porch. Maybe I'll just nonchalantly wander out there, to get some fresh air. Yes, that's a good excuse." He opened the door and was astonished to see the two friends, comfortably seated, and rocking back and forth on the swing, conversing easily in French. They stopped when they saw him, and gave him the 'yes, what is it?' look.
"Pardon me for intruding."
"That's okay. You're not really intruding," Elizabeth replied flatly with a look that indicated the contrary.
"May I?" he asked, gesturing to the unoccupied portion of the swing. Charlotte flashed an amused glance at Elizabeth before answering:
"Sure, go ahead."
"What were you two talking about?"
"Nothing," said Elizabeth at the same time that Charlotte said "the summer institute program in Paris." Elizabeth shot Charlotte a warning look that Charlotte chose to ignore.
"Yes, I've heard about that. Prof de Bourgh is in charge of it, isn't she?"
"Yes, I believe that she is this year. It seems that you already know Prof de Bourgh," Elizabeth stated.
"Yes, she's my aunt." William replied as both women looked at him, Elizabeth's mouth slightly hanging open.
"You must get along really well, then, if you're taking a class from her."
"Sort of. It's a love-hate relationship, actually. Anyway, I need to take the Provencal class to fulfill a requirement."
"Me, too." Said Elizabeth with a sigh. "It's actually not that bad, though. I looked through the text and it's doable."
"So, you're working on Samuel Beckett. I thought that he's an Irish writer."
"He is, but he wrote a lot in French, so it is included in the curriculum. I love some of his stuff, it's so…"
"Vague, blurry? Incompressible?" offered Charlotte.
William hid a grin. "Well, his work is rather, um, interesting, to say the least."
"The very least," retorted Charlotte. "I prefer to understand what I read. That's why I like Marcel Pagnol so much. His style is so much more accessible."
"I must speak in defense of my Beckett," Elizabeth interjected.
"Someone obviously should, before we all lose interest," said Charlotte with a huge smile.
"That's not fair, Charl, I don't bad-talk Pagnol."
"That's because he is impossible to bad-mouth…such an exquisite writer…"
"If you like that type," Elizabeth replied with a meaningful look at her friend. "Some might find that style too…pretty."
William looked at them both with a puzzled expression on his face. "Something tells me that you're speaking in code."
"And smart to boot!" Charlotte laughed. "So, William, why do like Proust so much? I know that he's a great author and all, but why specifically?"
"I like how he expresses himself…"
"In such few words!" Elizabeth chortled but was silenced by a withering look from William. "Sorry, couldn't help it. Please go on."
"He's very descriptive and truly captures the essence of the moment. I'm fascinated by his sentence structure."
"Yes," Elizabeth said merrily, "all five of them!" William looked offended and she hastened to add, "I'm sorry, William. I do like Proust, but you have to admit that his sentences are infernally long. Why, by the time I get to the end of one, I've completely lost the original train of thought!"
"His writing is very elegant," William said stiffly and looked as if he would prefer to be elsewhere.
Charlotte took pity on him and changed the subject. "Have you ever been to France, William?"
"Yes, I studied for awhile at the Sorbonne. You?"
"Not yet, unfortunately. Elizabeth has, though."
"Where did you study, Elizabeth?" he asked in a formal tone.
"Grenoble. Very pretty spot, but a little too cold in the winter for my taste. I prefer the climate of the Cote d'Azur."
"Who doesn't?" William was beginning to say when the door swung open, and Caroline stood there, hands on her hips.
"So here you are. I've been looking all over for you." Her voice was tinged in irritation. "Charles thought that you'd left, but I volunteered to find you."
"I'll bet you did," he muttered as Elizabeth and Charlotte exchanged amused looks. He got up from the swing slowly and said "Please excuse me, I must return to my group, apparently." He looked behind him at the two who smiled their good-byes and reluctantly went in the house. Caroline shot them a triumphant look and followed him in. The rest of the evening was spent in the same manner, the two women in private conversation and the rest of the household milling about, with one rather put-out male studying the group and not seeming that happy with what he observed. Finally, the guests started to leave, and Charles' group managed to pry him away from Jane, with a promise to call her soon, and they all left.
"Whew, that torture is over for another year!" Charlotte exclaimed.
"Only once a year?"
"At least here in our house. There are others, but they usually spread them out to the other faculty members, you know, so everyone can be equally tortured."
"You're such a social person, Charl. How did you ever get to be daughter to Prof Lucas?"
"Luck of the draw, I guess. Why were you so hard on William Darcy?"
"He deserves it, pseudo-intellectual."
"Are you sure that you're not secretly attracted to him? I saw him staring at you all night."
"As if. He's about as interesting to me as a bowl of mush. Proust, yeah."
"I think that he's kind of nice, once he loosens up. You ought to try to be nicer or I might just snag him up."
"I think that you'd have to wrestle Caroline for that right!" They both laughed loudly and hugged good-bye.
"See you tomorrow, Charl!"
"Bye Elizabeth. Sweet dreams…of William!"
"Nightmares, you mean!" she called back over her shoulder as Jane looked at her quizzically.
"What's that about William?"
"Nothing, absolutely nothing at all."
Jane smiled to herself in the dark and said nothing.
Chapter 4
"Hi class, is everyone ready to drill?" she asked and then noticed a new male student slumped in his chair, who straightened up when she looked at him and flashed her a brilliant smile.
"Wow!" she thought. "I thought that faces like that only came in magazines!!" She picked up her roster from behind her on the desk and tried to calm herself down by pretending to scan the contents.
"Monsieur…" she began.
"Wickham, Georges Wickham," he replied with a perfect accent. "Je vous demande pardon mais, …sorry, I had this whole thing memorized, but for some reason I've forgotten the rest. I just got back from Europe, there was a plane strike and so here I am, finally."
"But you're not on my roster. Are you sure that you're supposed to be in this class?"
"Most definitely this class." He smiled at her again, this time with meaning and Elizabeth could feel her face starting to get warm.
"Well, okay. I'll check with enrollment later. Do you have your admission slip to this class?"
"Right here!" He brought it to her and his fingers brushed hers purposefully. She took the paper from him and said,
"Thanks. We were just getting to the oral drills of the future tenses: the irregular ones. You can follow along on page 50."
"Thanks, Miss Bennet," George replied, emphasizing the 'Miss'.
Elizabeth tried to ignore him during class except when she had to call on him to make it seem fair, but whenever she did, he looked at her with such an intense look that she couldn't call on him again for 10 minutes. Finally the class was over and George insisted on staying after to help her erase the chalk board and to straighten up the chairs.
"So, you been teaching long?"
"This is my second semester."
"You're great. I heard some good things about you from my Frat buddies, so I got into your class even though everyone said that it was closed. You must be popular."
"Hardly. Everyone's sections are full."
"But especially yours. I checked."
"So, what were you doing in Europe?"
"Things. How long have you been interested in French?"
"As long as I can remember, even as a little girl, I was always fascinated by it. My mom bought some learn-French-at-home records and I used to listen to them and pretend that I was the one speaking."
"That's cool. Say, would you like to get some lunch together? I know this great place…"
"Look, George, it would be really nice to go have some lunch with you, but I do have to tell you straight up that I can not date my students. It's against the code. I hope that this doesn't come off sounding weird, but I want to make things clear from the get-go."
"That's fine. I would have liked to have taken you out, but professional relationship it is, then," he smiled and mock-bowed to her. "Then, Madame, I will trouble you no further. I must make a feeble attempt to get to my next class, no matter how late."
"You had a class to go to and were standing around talking?" she asked incredulously.
"It was worth it, definitely worth it!" George smiled at her. "See you tomorrow, teach."
Elizabeth watched him leave with a sigh inside. "Well, they are either students or stuck-up or unavailable. Just my luck." She walked downstairs to tell Charlotte all about her newest undergrad.
Chapter 5
"Ugh. That smoky old bar? Why do you guys like to hang out there?"
"I don't know. It sounds like fun though. There is this one lead singer, a woman named Kim who does Aretha and Bette. She gives me goosebumps when she hits those high notes. She also does Janis Joplin…"
"Low blow, Janie. What time are you guys leaving?"
"In about an hour and a half. Say you'll come."
"Oh, all right. But I'm not going to wear a dress this time!"
"Fine, me neither."
"Next time, can we go to the Jazzhaus? I like the atmosphere much better."
"Okay. Maybe I can talk Charles into going there tomorrow night."
"You seeing a lot of him, or something? When do you have time to study?"
"We study together every day at the library, for your information."
"Somehow, I get the feeling that you're probably not making much progress on scholastics!"
"Actually, we get a lot accomplished." Jane blushed furiously.
"I'll bet," countered Elizabeth. "Well, I'm first in the shower, unless you need to go first…"
"Go ahead, I'll just watch some CNN while you do," Jane picked up the remote and switched on the TV, flopping into the nearby couch.
They were just putting on the last touches of make-up when the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it!" Jane cried as she ran to the door. "Oh, hi Charles, you look nice. And William, so nice that you could come, too. Is that Caroline behind you? Hi Caroline."
"Hello, Jane. Is this where you live?" she took in the poor college student apartment and sat gingerly down on the edge of a chair as if afraid of contracting a disease from it.
"Isn't it great?" Charles said enthusiastically. "Why this place is practically rent-free. Their father owns it and they don't have to worry about getting evicted or anything."
"Yeah, like I wouldn't want to get evicted from a place like this," mumbled Caroline under her breath. Charles shot her a quick look telling her to behave.
"That's the best part about it, other than being so close to campus," Elizabeth added, coming out of her bedroom. She smiled at everyone, but her smile lost some of its luster as it passed over William and Caroline. "Oh man!" she thought to herself. "If I'd known that they were coming, I never would have agreed to this. I'm going to kill Jane."
They all crowded into William's 4x4 and Elizabeth sat in the back as far away from him and Caroline as possible, but that didn't keep her from having to make conversation with them as Caroline insisted on talking to Elizabeth over her shoulder from the front seat.
"So, Elizabeth," she drawled. "You study French. Have you ever even been to France?"
"Once."
"Did you study there?"
"Yes."
"Where did you study?"
"Grenoble." Caroline was beginning to tire of her one word answers and determined to take up a different tact.
"How many students do you have this semester?"
"30."
"Are they all pretty good?"
"For the most part, I'd say," Caroline had finally hit on a topic that Elizabeth was willing to discuss. "Teaching is just the best thing in the world. There's nothing like sharing the knowledge that you have and having someone else get interested in it, too!"
William had been looking into his rear-view mirror occasionally and was watching her face animate as she spoke of her class and teaching. He was drawn so much to her observation, that the vehicle started to drift into oncoming traffic.
"Hey, William, are you trying to get us all killed?" Charles yelled. "I know that you didn't want to come out tonight, but that's no reason to kill us…"
"What? Oh, sorry, I was thinking about something else."
"Better think about your driving," Caroline said sharply, for she had noticed the origination of his inattentive driving. Soon they had passed over the bridge and turned into the parking lot of Johnny's where the loud music of Motown was blasting from inside.
"Sounds like a party!" Jane said and she and Charles beamed at each other, while the rest piled out of the vehicle, more stony-faced than before. They entered the smoke-filled bar just as the band's lead shouted,
"How many of you want to shout?" The crowd roared in anticipation as the opening bars of the Isley Brothers' famous 'Shout' came from the loudspeakers. "Oh, you make me want to shout, kick my heels back and shout…"
"Jane, let's dance!" Charles grabbed her arm and began to drag her through the throng already crowding the small dance floor.
"Do you ever dance, William?" Elizabeth asked politely, but without interest, just in case he thought that she was hinting.
"To this kind of music? Are you kidding?" Caroline replied for him. "William wouldn't be caught dead in this middle of this rabble." Elizabeth raised her eyebrows at him and he looked as if he was going to respond when a loud voice proclaimed:
"Miss Bennet, you're here! When did you get here!" A small group of undergrads practically surrounded Elizabeth as she turned to answer the main questioner.
"Hey there! Just got here. Is the band any good?"
"They rock!! Will you dance with me later?" came another.
"Sure Jon! I guess that we can maintain a teacher-student relationship if it is a fast dance!!"
"Hey, I won't put the moves on you…I'd hate to flunk!"
"Well, I'll just have to drill you in verbs while we dance so that it's legit!" Elizabeth teased.
"As long as I don't have to be tested on tonight!" he retorted. "Well, we have to get back to our seats before someone claims them. I'll be back to get you later!"
"Great!" Elizabeth responded and happened to notice that William had a disapproving look on his face. "It's all in good fun, William. Besides, it's not like a date or anything. Very proper."
"I didn't say that it wasn't." he answered formally.
"You didn't have to," she said in a defensive tone. "Your expression said it all. Excuse me, I'm going to get me a drink." She swiftly left and bought a small drink and caught sight of a pay phone in the corner. She smiled and hurried over to call Charlotte who arrived within minutes.
"Hey Charl, I'm dying here!" she moaned in mock agony.
"What's up?"
"William. He's such a party poop. Some of my students want to dance with me and he makes it sound like we were going to do the Lambada or something."
"I'll dance with him."
"Good luck. He apparently doesn't dance to this kind of music, too vulgar or something."
"Hey Miss Bennet, I'm claiming our dance now!"
"Thanks Jon, I really like this one." They wandered off and Charlotte occupied herself with watching those around her as she normally did, taking in William's apparent fascination with Elizabeth's dancing style. She couldn't quite tell if he was enjoying it or not, as his expression was unreadable. She had almost determined to ask him to dance when another grad student from their department accosted her.
"Hi, Charlotte," he said hesitantly.
"Hi Bill," she responded flatly. "What brings you to Johnny's?"
"Well, a grad student needs entertainment as much as the undergrads, don't you think?"
"Actually, I don't give that much thought to undergrads."
"Do you dance, Charlotte?"
"Sometimes. If I feel like it."
"Would you like to dance with me?" his eyes pleaded with her to say yes.
"Okay." Charlotte followed him reluctantly to the dance floor. She didn't really want to dance with Bill Collins, the kiss-up of the department, but she didn't want to stand around all night either. After she had danced with Bill for a few minutes, she began to see the wisdom in standing around all night, as he flailed about wildly and stomped on her foot several times until she was almost ready to cry or belt him one. He managed to worm his way next to Elizabeth and attempted to crowd into her dance space but Elizabeth's partner frowned at him menacingly and he moved quickly away. William, watching all this from a short distance found himself tolerably amused, even in that setting.
"Don't you want to dance, William?" Caroline purred into his ear, as he jerked away, startled out of his thoughts.
"Not really. Why don't you find someone to dance with, Caroline?"
"Hey, I'll dance with you!" said a rough-hewn looking man standing near them. "Cmon honey, let's dance!" She looked back at William in horror as the man pulled her forcibly into the dance area just as a slow song was beginning. He smiled back at her and nodded as she gave him a drop-dead look of hatred. He noticed that Elizabeth had stopped dancing and was leaving the dance floor so he headed straight for her.
"Would you like to dance, Elizabeth?"
"What?" she answered in a shocked voice.
"I said, would you care to dance?"
"Are you asking?" she questioned, stalling to come up with a good answer.
"Yes."
"Well…"
"If you don't, that's okay." He seemed a little put out.
"Oh, okay. I don't usually dance slow with guys that I don't know very well."
"Me neither."
"So you normally dance with guys."
"You know what I mean," he said in an almost angry tone before he realized that she was teasing him, and his lips started to curve into a smile. He noticed that her touch was light and hesitant and very distant. He pulled her closer and felt the curves of her body against his own. From his vantage point, he could smell the scent of her shampoo and inhaled softly. He felt her body relax slightly as she began to sing along with the lead singer:
Everybody wants somebody to be their own piece of clay…
"Do you usually sing while you dance?" William asked.
"Yes, usually. It helps me to relax in tense situations."
"Is this tense for you?"
"Yes, but this Marvin Gaye song is helping. Just listen to the words and move to the music." He took her advice but mostly because she relaxed back into him and their bodies were swaying together in a way that he found to be almost like coming home. He looked at her face and she had a slight, dreamy expression on it that almost made him catch his breath. The song ended and he felt her pull away from him with regret.
"Another one?"
"Okay, I like this song, too." She noticed that he could move very well on faster dances and caught herself several times more than admiring the way that his jeans fit his muscular frame. She also noticed that he had started to sing along with the band:
You are my brown-eyed girl
"You like Van Morrison!"
"Reminds me of summertime." He smiled but then a most serious look came across his face and erased all traces of happiness. "I always loved summertime."
"You don't still?"
"No, not since my parents died. But, I don't want to talk about it. Not here, not now." He danced, but with listless steps until the song ended and he quickly left the dance floor, with Elizabeth trailing behind him, a saddened expression on her face.
"Hey, the music's not that bad!" the lead singer stopped them as she was going on break.
"It wasn't the music, really," Elizabeth said. "You guys are fantastic!"
"Thanks, we try," she answered modestly. "Well, I'd better let you get back to your gorgeous boyfriend."
"He's not my boyfriend."
"He sure looked like he wanted to be!" she replied as she walked away.
"yeah, sure," thought Elizabeth. "Although tonight he didn't seem quite so stuck-up as usual. Maybe there's something human in there after all."
"Hey Elizabeth, I'm glad that we found you so fast. William wants to go home, and since it is his vehicle…"
"Okay, I'm coming. Let me say good-bye to Charl." She found her friend chatting with some attractive guys with a rare look of contentment on her face, and since Charl was loath to also leave, they said their good-byes with a promise to get together the next day.
Elizabeth climbed into William's 4x4, as Caroline had been saying "…been so glad to leave a place in all my life. It will take me forever to get this nasty smell out of my clothes."
"Uh, I think that it comes out if you just wash them," Elizabeth offered in her best trying to be helpful voice.
"Really?" Caroline replied snottily and turned back to the front of the vehicle. They were silent all the way back to Jane and Elizabeth's apartment. Once there, Charles offered to walk them to the door, and held Jane's hand the whole way. Elizabeth left them at the doorstep and immediately went to her room and shut her door.
"It is still pretty early for a Friday night," she thought. "Maybe I'll be able to get up early and get to the library for some research." She shut out the light and promptly fell asleep.
Chapter 6
Elizabeth woke up early the next morning, determined to spend a greater part of the day at the University library. She quickly found the main books that she needed and procured a comfortable place to read them. After a few hours of continuous reading, her eyes began to have a slight burning sensation, and she decided to take a break by looking at some of the archived books in the stacks. She noticed that the stack area was practically deserted and went back for her books so as to study there. As she placed her books on an available desk, she noticed that she had chosen an area next to the Proust collections, which made her immediately think of William.
"Wonder how William got started on Proust?" she wondered out loud.
"My father and mother used to read him to each other in the evening," came a very familiar voice from a corner not far away.
"I didn't know that you were here," Elizabeth said.
"Yes, I'm sure that you didn't," replied William, walking toward her.
"How long have you known that I was here?"
"When you first walked into the stacks."
"Why didn't you say anything?"
"You looked like you wanted to be alone to study. I like my solitude, I figured that you must too, to pick such an isolated area."
"It is very secluded down here."
"Quite. So, are you studying Provencal or something a little more in depth?" He looked over her books piled on the desk.
"My thesis research. I'm trying to get as much done as early as possible. I crammed in my undergrad days, but I don't think that this is something that I could cram for at the last minute. But, then, you look like you never crammed a day in your life."
"There's a lot about me that would surprise you, I'm sure."
"Like what, for instance?"
"Let's see, like the real reason that I like the stacks so much."
"So, you don't just come here for the books and the solitude?"
"No, not entirely."
"Well, what then?" She noticed that he had moved a little bit closer to her and was looking intensely into her eyes.
"I have this fantasy…"
"About librarians?" she interrupted.
"If I could continue…"
"Please do. Sorry to interrupt!"
"Anyway, I have this fantasy that a gorgeous girl will wander down to the stacks, kind of lost, sort of, and she would come to me for directions, and our eyes would meet…" his voice trailed off as he locked eyes with Elizabeth and she began to be drawn into their intensity.
"Go on…" she said, hoping that she didn't sound as breathless as she felt.
"And then I would lean forward like this…" he leaned toward her to demonstrate and she leaned toward him as if in a trance as their lips softly met and his arms pulled her into a sensual embrace as he backed her slightly into the large metal bookshelf. His mouth explored hers slowly at first then with more passion until resounding footsteps caused them to break apart abruptly. Elizabeth swallowed hard, looking at his lips, wishing for more, but the person coming into the stacks seemed determined to stay in their area, searching for a book and mumbling loudly about the horrible catalog system.
The spell broken, William smiled wistfully at Elizabeth and picked up the book that she had left fall on the floor during the kiss.
"I believe that this is yours, Miss," he handed it to her.
"Thank you Sir," she murmured. "Remind me to thank you properly for its return sometime," and smiled such a beguiling smile at William that he would have grabbed her there and then in front of the intruder but for the look of warning in her eyes. The intruder wandered off down another row of books and Elizabeth reached her hand out for the book.
"My book, please."
"As you wish," he handed it to her, but kept his hand on it and on hers.
"William, that person might come back…"
"Hey, this is my fantasy. He wouldn't dare!" and with that he covered her lips with his again and again until she felt quite breathless with passion and the excitement of possibly being discovered. She was about to suggest to William that they go somewhere a little more comfortable when a buzzing sound rang throughout the building.
"What is that incessant noise?" she complained. "And why are you being so rough?" because William had started to tug and pull on her shoulder. "Stop that! Why are you doing that?"
"Well, are you going to sleep all day or what?" came Jane's voice into her consciousness. "I thought that you were getting up early to go to the library."
"I'm up!" she shouted. "Stop shaking me and go away!" she heard Jane leave the room and sighed. "A dream? It seemed so real. I can almost taste his lips still…" Elizabeth reluctantly got out of bed and headed for the shower. "At least I have a social life in my dreams!" She began to get ready for a long day at the library.
Chapter 7
Elizabeth spent the greater part of her Saturday in the library, studying in the stacks. She prolonged going home as long as possible, but realized the ridiculousness of the situation when she could no longer keep her eyes open and the words on the page refused to register in her tired brain.
"Okay, time to go home," she thought with reluctance. "Nothing left to be gained by staying here." She went to her apartment and threw herself onto her bed, ready to take a much-needed nap when voices from Jane's room made her sit up with a start.
"Oh, no! It's Mom," she groaned. "And I'll bet that she heard me come in with those sonar ears of hers. Maybe I can just sneak back out…" She tiptoed softly to the front door and placed her hand on the door as her mother's strident voice was berating Jane about dating and men:
"…and if you were more open and friendly and smiled more, you'd have as many dates as Lydia and Catherine. Of course, poor Mary can't help it that she's….Elizabeth, Elizabeth is that you? Come here this instant!"
"Yes Mom," came the dutiful reply. "I didn't know that you were here." She kissed her mother on the cheek and raised her eyebrows at Jane as she did.
"I was just telling Jane that she needs to get out more."
"Well, I don't think that you really need to worry about Jane's social life, Mom," responded Elizabeth, seeing Jane's frantic 'No' a little too belatedly.
"What's this?" Mrs. Bennet's eyes gleamed in excitement. "A new beau? Oh Jane, you're a sly one to keep these things from your mother."
"It's not like an engagement or anything," protested Jane. "I've gone out with him once or twice. Nothing to get bent out of shape about…don't go ordering the invitations or anything."
"So, what's he like? Handsome, rich? At least rich, I would hope."
"I don't know, Mom. He's very nice." Jane sounded tired and waited for Elizabeth to come to her rescue.
"I was really just teasing Jane," Elizabeth said. "I doubt that it's serious. They are both in the same department and enjoy talking about the same psych things. No biggie."
"Humph." Mrs. Bennet looked like a deflated balloon. "Well, you can't blame me for trying. I would hate to see any of my girls end up old maids, alone like a dog."
"I don't foresee myself ending up that way…" Elizabeth retorted. "But if it will make you feel better, then I will go out and buy a dog collar, just in case."
Her mother glared at her and said coldly: "Go ahead, mock me. I was just trying to help motivate you girls. Well, I see that my advice is falling on deaf ears. Elizabeth, your father expects to see you at Sunday dinner."
"We'll be there." Jane said, hugging her mother good-bye.
"Well, see you tomorrow then," Mrs. Bennet said, opening the door and casting a last baneful look at her daughters. As the door closed on her retreating figure, Elizabeth and Jane stifled the laughter that was welling up inside them.
"Great save, Lizzy! Although the dog collar remark might have been a little much!!"
"I just had the image of her trying to match us up like we were some of those pedigree breeders that she raises and the thought was out before I could stop it!"
"You're too much! How was the library?"
"It was the library. Books, people studying, you know, the usual."
"See anyone interesting?"
"You mean Charles?"
"No, for yourself."
"Not a soul. The stacks were pretty barren."
"You studied in the stacks?"
"Yes," she said with a sigh. "Long story. I think that I'm going to crash for awhile."
"Okay, I'm going to go study at the library now, but I think that I'll sit a little closer to the door, just in case…well, the stacks are just too claustrophobic for me."
"Yes, there is a better view of the door at the first tables!"
"Oh, wicked Wanda!" Jane retorted. "You make it sound like I'm scoping out the guys or something."
"You mean that you aren't?! Do you want to end up with a dog collar?"
Jane laughed and slung her backpack over one shoulder. "I'll be back in time for dinner, but if, for some reason I'm late, I'll give you a call."
The next day, the two sisters passed the whole of it at their parents who lived in the same town. Their three younger sisters were also in attendance, the younger two apparently with much reluctance, as they complained that it cut into their social lives. For Elizabeth, it was more of the same at her Mom and Dad's: her mother's incessant health issues, imaginary and otherwise, and her father's support of herself and Jane all the while distancing himself from the others in his library retreat.
"Small wonder that I didn't go into Psych instead of Jane," she mused to herself. The visit was finally over, with a promise by the two youngest, Catherine and Lydia, to come and see them that week at their apartment. Elizabeth and Jane left, both breathing a collective sigh of relief once safely in Elizabeth's old Chevy Impala.
"What a beginning to our week!" Elizabeth said with mirth as she and Jane sped off, leaving the Bennet residence far behind them.
Chapter 8
On the other hand, Elizabeth noticed that George Wickham seemed to be determined to wait after class for her and to walk her wherever she happened to go, or to show up at places that she had slightly mentioned that she would be. As always, she maintained a professional relationship with him, at all costs, she was beginning to think, because he was so very attractive and her night 'life' was starting to make her see romance in the most unusual campus spots. One Friday, as she was preparing to lock up her office at a time of day when most the building's occupants were already long gone, she heard a sound outside her door. Peering around the corner, she noticed a long-stemmed yellow rose near the door, with a tag that had her name on it. She picked up the rose, smiling and smelled it before turning over the card.
"What is he thinking?" she asked herself out loud incredulously. "He knows that this can't be!" Still, in spite of all her better judgment, she had to admit that it was a romantic touch. She heard footsteps in the hall and hurried back to her office. A minute later, she was amazed to see William Darcy knock at her open door. He started to speak, his eyes fell on the rose, and then said in a cool voice:
"Charles and Jane would like for us to join them tonight at the Jazzhaus. I thought that I see if you needed a ride to your apartment. My car is outside."
"Thank you, that would be nice." She hesitated before gathering up her books nervously and stuffing them into her backpack.
"Aren't you forgetting something?" he asked looking pointedly at the rose laying on her desk.
"What? Oh, yes. I almost did forget it. By Monday, it would have been toast."
"A secret admirer?" he asked in a colder voice.
"No, not really." She replied defensively. "More like a student run amok." His eyes narrowed at this revelation.
"A student?" The words were like icicles. "You are allowing the interest of a student?"
"No, I'm not," she retorted, equally icy. "He had taken it quite upon himself, I assure you, though why I have to defend my honor to you is beyond me!" He started at this outburst, then his features took on an unreadable and unapproachable look.
"Shall we go, then?"
"Yes, let's." She followed him out to his car parked in the short-term lot and her eyes widened when she saw the Lotus parked sideways, taking up two lots. "That's quite a car," she remarked dryly.
He looked at her quickly, trying to understand her tone, "It was a graduation gift from my parents a few years back."
"Oh." He disarmed the car and opened the door for her and she stepped in and sat down. Very far down, she thought, wondering how she would ever be able to get back out of the seat gracefully. They rode in silence to her apartment, with Elizabeth plotting ways to escape the impending torture of a night with such a pompous, judgmental man. Her apartment building finally came into view although the ride took less than 5 minutes and she would have gladly climbed out of the car quickly, but for its low-slung chassis. She waited for him to come around and extract her from the car.
"Madam," he said, holding out his hand in a mock-gallant pose.
"Sir, I thank you. That is very chivalrous." The humor returned to her eyes and William visibly relaxed. He bowed to her and watched her walk toward her door for a moment before slowly following her, taking in her lithe, graceful moves, a small smile appearing on his lips.
Once inside, he looked around the apartment, wondering what could have been keeping Charles and Jane. He heard the sound of running water and looked at Elizabeth questioningly when she re-entered the living room area.
"I'm running a bath, but I won't be long. There's cable on the TV, if you're interested. If you'd rather read, there are some good books on the shelves." She pointed toward the wall. "I won't be long, I promise." She left and he immediately went to the bookshelf to read the titles displayed.
"Hmmm, quite the selection. Freud, Skinner, Camus, there's even Sartre. Hey, some Proust. I didn't think that she had ever read it!" He picked up a very dog-eared paperback copy of 'A la recherche du temps perdu' and the book fell open to an apparently favorite spot. He lost himself in the description of Proust's childhood evoked through the act of dipping a madeleine in his tilleul (lime leaf herbal tea) and it was thus that Elizabeth found him when she emerged from her room, smelling faintly of spring flowers. He slowly looked up at her with an glazed-over expression of intense reading as she came over to take the book from his hand and turn it over.
"Proust, I might have known!" she said teasingly. "Don't you get enough of that in your research?"
"I'm not working on the first part of his series, actually," he smiled back at her, enjoying her tone of voice. "What do you read when you aren't researching? Poetry, psychology?"
"The psych books are obviously Jane's. The poetry: Baudelaire, etc. are from classes. It has been so long since I really read just for pleasure. But I do like Jane Austen, and Dickens. Mostly historical-set romances."
"A romantic?" he began to take on a teasing voice.
"Yes, a romantic. Don't make it sound like a disease!"
"I wouldn't dare. Actually I do enjoy Jane Austen myself."
"You do?" she sat down on the couch next to him in disbelief. "I thought that you never got out of the French intense authors."
"There is a lot about me that you don't know," he began to say when he noticed her expression. "What is wrong? Did I say something weird?"
"No, I just had the strangest feeling of deja vu just now. So what is it about you that you think that I don't know?"
"Have you ever spent much time in the stacks?" he asked as her mouth dropped open.
"Yes, actually I have. Why?"
"I have to admit that…" the door opened and Elizabeth glared at the intruders, who turned out only to be Charles and Jane, who dropped hands when they saw both Elizabeth and William sitting together on the couch staring at them.
"Did we interrupt anything?" Jane asked innocently, wondering why her sister's eyes were full of daggers.
"Nothing at all," Elizabeth said glumly.
"Let's go, then!" Charles led the way out of the apartment. Elizabeth followed Jane out but then turned suddenly to William who was pulling their door closed.
"You will tell me later what you were about to say?" she pleaded.
"Not in mixed company!" he replied grinning at her obvious curiosity. "I'll tell you later tonight if we're ever alone."
"Then I will make sure of it!" she said archly as his eyebrows waggled at her comically. "I didn't mean it that way, so get that look off your face."
"Darn!" he said emphatically. "There go all my best laid plans."
"Yeah, right!" she retorted, marveling at the change in what she had previously thought his personality to be. He could certainly be stiff and formal, but in the past hour had become, in her opinion, quite interesting.
At the Jazzhaus, they crammed around a small table near the dance floor and Charles and Jane left the two to go to the bar for their drinks, not waiting for the besieged waitstaff to make its way to them. The band began its first set with a some bluesy jazz and William seemed to momentarily retreat into his own world.
"So, you were going to tell me about the stacks…?" Elizabeth began hesitantly.
"Let's dance first," he said abruptly and pulled her up from her chair without waiting for her answer.
"Okay."
"Sorry, I didn't mean to be so rough. I was thinking about something else. What did you want to know?"
"Well, what were you going to say about the stacks?"
"I don't know if I should really tell you."
"You big tease! You better tell me!" she said, thumping him on the shoulder.
"Okay, if you're going to beat me up and all…hmm the stacks, the stacks, what was I going to say about the stacks? Oh, all right," he said as she gave him a warning look. "I just find the stacks to be so stimulating. Intellectually speaking, of course."
"Of course." Elizabeth tried to keep the disappointment out of her voice, but it crept out anyway.
"Were you expecting something else? Something a little more…risqué?"
"No!"
"Well, actually, I have to admit, although why I'm telling you is a mystery, that I also find the stacks stimulating in other ways, too." He pulled her a little closer until she could feel his muscles against her body.
"In what ways?" she said, her mouth going dry.
"For instance, to me intellectual stimulation is also emotionally stimulating." He began to move one hand up and down the small of her back.
"MmmHmm," she managed. "And is that all?"
"No, to tell the truth, I actually have a fantasy about the stacks that I've never told anyone about. I'm in the stacks, alone, when this…"
"Woman wanders up, kind of lost…" Elizabeth interrupted as their eyes locked.
"How did you know?" he asked.
"I kind of have that same fantasy, except that it is a guy that comes around!"
He lowered his lips to her ear and whispered:
"I think that the library is still open, if you'd rather be there."
"What would Jane and Charles think?"
"Who cares?"
"We really shouldn't run off. It might actually ruin the mood."
"I doubt it. Not for me, anyway. Will you meet me then, in the stacks, sometime?
"And if I do?"
"We could see if we have the same fantasy!"
"Sounds like we do already."
"We could make sure of it."
"You make it sound so tempting."
"I'm trying. Will you meet me there tomorrow night?"
"Well, I do have a lot of studying to do…"
"Say yes, Elizabeth," he began to nuzzle her ears as parts of her became warmer.
"Yes, about 7 p.m. I think that I could get away then." The song ended and a more energetic one took its place so they sat down, bumping legs as they did. She felt his hand slip underneath her thigh and his thumb began to stroke her thigh in a way that made her even warmer.
"Where have Charles and Jane gotten to?" she asked, although in her heart, they could have fallen off the face of the planet and she wouldn't have given two straws about it.
"Let's get out of here." William said. "I'm not comfortable being around all these people. Can we go back to your place?"
"Sure, let's find Jane and tell her."
They rose at the same time to search for her sister when Elizabeth turned her head at a familiar voice.
"George, what are you doing here?"
"I heard that you'd be here and…"His voice trailed off as he looked past her into the steely gaze of her companion.
"Oh, where are my manners…George, this is William Darcy. William, this is George Wickham."
"Yes, we've met before." They both said at the same time, one glaring the other turning red. Elizabeth looked from one to the other in astonishment.
"George is one of my students this semester," she added lamely, feeling like a dark cloud had altered the atmosphere of the evening.
"Is that so?" William said as a look of comprehension came over his face. "I think that I am leaving now. Elizabeth, are you coming with me?"
"Sure." She waved good-bye at George who had recovered from his initial discomfort and was smiling widely at her. She had to hurry to catch up with William's long strides as he left the room and practically ran down the stairs, leaning against the outside wall once he had left the establishment.
"Who is George to you?"
"Long story. And not one that I'm willing to go into right now."
"Okay. So, where to?"
"Your place?"
"Let's walk around for a bit. I need to clear my head, I think." They walked together somberly and finally William reached for Elizabeth's hand. "I'm sorry. George is someone from my past that I'd just as soon forget ever existed. Forgive me?"
"Of course." They continued to walk until they arrived at Elizabeth's apartment.
"Can I come in?"
"Sure. I'll fix you a tilleul. I don't know if I have any madeleines around, though." With her remark, she noticed a wan smile cross his face.
"I think that I like this arrangement all ready!" he remarked as Elizabeth opened the door.
She smirked back at him and headed straight for the tiny kitchen, dumping her purse and coat on the nearest couch.
"What do you like in your tisane?"
"Honey."
"I think that I have some here. That's how I take it, too. Why don't you make yourself comfortable and I'll bring it in when it's ready."
"Okay." He sat down on the slipcovered couch, looking over their collection of framed posters of famous artwork. "Looks like you like impressionism."
"Yeah, I picked some stuff up in Paris, things from the 'Jeu de Paume'. My favorite though, is this Renoir one. Can't you just feel the heat of the afternoon light on that sleeping cat?"
"It's quite good. Oh, thanks."
"Careful, it's still pretty hot. And I wasn't kidding about the madeleines. I made them yesterday in a fit of baking madness."
"They are tasty." He looked at her intensely, so much so that she was forced to look away, her face becoming warm. "Did I embarrass you?"
"A little. Sometimes it seems that you say one thing and mean another."
"Yes. I guess that I do that. A lot of people aren't that perceptive."
"Do you need any more honey? I didn't know how much you would take."
"This is sweet enough." He put down his cup and moved closer to her. This made her put down her cup in anticipation. "I wish that I could tell you about George, but I think that I'll wait until I know you a little better. It is a rather personal story."
"That's okay."
"Just one thing, though. We aren't on the best of terms and I would advise you to take anything that he might say with a grain of salt."
"I trust you, William." He saw the truth of it in her eyes, and leaned forward to kiss her, pulling her face closer to his with gentle hands.
"That means a lot to me," he whispered and traced the outline of her face, her eyebrows, her nose and her lips as she sat there, eyes closed in contentment. "When I'm with you, it feels like coming home…but to a home that I've never known before." He took her into his arms, holding her and feeling her snuggle into him.
"I feel the same way, just now," she said, a small sigh escaping her. She looked up at him dreamily. "This isn't a dream or anything? Pinch me hard, because if I wake up this time, I'm gonna be peeved."
"This time?" he asked. "What did you mean, this time?"
"Nothing," she said, sitting up.
"That didn't sound like nothing."
"Okay, since we're doing the true confessions thing here, let's just say that I've had some…um interesting dreams about you."
"Well, this is no dream," he said and pinched her hard on the arm.
"Ow! I guess that this isn't a dream or my arm wouldn't hurt so bad!"
"I'm sorry that I did that so hard. Here, let me…" He picked up her arm and began to plant slow, soft kisses on the reddened spot, then moved to her inner elbow, down to her wrist and fingers and then worked his way back up slowly to her shoulder and neck. By the time that he got to her waiting lips, she grabbed his face and pulled it to hers, her lips parting and seeking his own. He was surprised that in her passion, she was rubbing his back and pulling his body closer and closer to his. It was with great reluctance that he heard her say:
"William, you have to go. I really am a good girl and you are driving me crazy. What is with my face? It's starting to kind of burn."
"Offhand, I'd have to say that you got some stubble burn. Sorry, I thought that I had shaved better than that. Here, let me kiss it better." He started to kiss all over her face until she could feel her resolve crumble.
"Sorry, you must go now! I mean it. Say goodnight, Gracie!"
"Only if you walk me to the door." She looked at him warily. "I'll behave."
"Okay, then." She walked him to the door and he grabbed her and pulled her to him.
"Hey, you promised to behave."
"I had my fingers crossed!" They kissed deeply one last time before he said softly, "See you tomorrow, Elizabeth."
"Bonne nuit, William. Fais de bons reves."
"Si je reve de toi…" He smiled at her and watched as she gestured, closing the door. He headed back toward his house, his heart lighter than it had been in many years.