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Chapter 24
"Rich, remember, I do not want it too strong! It is bad for my skin."
Richard winked at William who opened his mouth to explain to Caroline that she just got one of the strongest drinks they had ever experimented with. An understanding smile appeared on Darcy's face. Maybe after all this evening would be bearable. If they could pour sufficient quantity and quality into Caroline, she would keep her mouth shut and stop abusing everybody around.
"William, what a delightful surprise, but why? You are alone, I am shocked indeed! Please do not tell me that you have released this sassy vixen back to the forest where her place is!? I was always saying you are too good to all this vermin around you."
Ugh, what an insufferable woman!! "Charming and witty as usual Caroline. You are an absolute expert in abusing people without calling them names."
Caroline marched away to practice her tongue on Charlotte. Rich looked at Darcy, "What do you want to drink?"
"Preferably nothing. I am just getting over one of the biggest hangovers I have ever had."
"I have this feeling it is somehow connected with Elizabeth."
"Somehow, yes."
"And somehow I guess that it is all I will get from you. Never mind, oh, by the way, David asked me to tell you that you owe me a box of champagne."
"What for?"
"You owed him one for dragging me away from here, and I have had a bet with him that you would come here today without Elizabeth."
"On what did you base your presumptions?"
"I usually score better than you. Even sending me away did not help you."
"It is not a competition between the two of us! It is not about scoring, Fitzwilliam. That is exactly the reason why I sent you away."
"I understand that you are ruining her career with publications in some sleazy magazine, is that what it is all about?"
"Do not tell me you think I did it on purpose!"
"Why not? Isn't it what you have always wanted? To get rid of her?"
"No! And the best proof of that is I am not signing her notice!"
"I am certainly glad to hear that, but I will sign it. It would be too humiliating for her to continue, unless this IS a serious relationship. So, what DID happen? I could sense it coming; man, it was sparkling between the two of you like hell from the very beginning."
"It was sparkling mainly because I was acting like a self-conceited fool."
"Still, if that's how she kisses when she is mad at you, I wonder how she must kiss when she is in the proper mood ...." Fitzwilliam with a dreamy smile poured some weird mixture into his glass.
"That's for me to know, and for you to dream about." Darcy could not stop himself from giving that little allusion to his cousin. It did not matter that he himself could and would dream only about SUCH a kiss. It was his time for a revenge on Richard - to at least pretend that he could win the affections of this pretty, witty, unaffected woman.
From their college days they would clash because of girls. Nobody knew or cared about his money then. Only after the money started to matter did William suddenly find himself surrounded by more women than his cousin. Frankly, he did not quite know what to do with them. What can you talk about if someone always agrees with you? Besides he was conscious what dragged them to him in the first place, and it was not his easy manners or sense of humour. There were some women who gladly greeted his eccentric, silent, and rich figure in their circles. And William was silent and overbearing because he was insecure. Such a figure and insecure? It started many years ago, when he was desperately fighting to earn his father's approbation and praise. Once late Mr. Darcy and his wife were gone, young Darcy noticed there were few people whose opinion mattered to him any longer. Suddenly he was left alone without anybody's guidance or good advice, struggling to keep the foundation his father set up going and maintaining Pemberley in the family's hands. His reserve was only enforced by Aunt Catherine's lectures about his position in the society and similar nonsense. He never sought people's approbation for his views and actions. He was conscious that he was considered to be an extravagant person, stating his opinions loudly and clearly, because of his money, still and all this would be easily forgiven. Thinking about Elizabeth, William realised that there were many things he thought people would let him get away with, that is until he has met her.
The cousins joined the table where Jane with Caroline, Charlotte and Charles were sitting. The group was talking about Puerto Rico and the planned trip. William tried to be very nice to Jane to rehabilitate himself in the eyes of Bingley, but he quickly gave it up. Caroline observed them all the time. She was convinced he was doing it only because of the fact that Jane was Elizabeth's sister, in order to tighten the already existing bonds between himself and Lizzy. As Jane became another aim of Caroline's sarcastic remarks, Richard quickly dragged Bingley's sister to the bar to fix her another one of his "killer" drinks. Darcy indulged himself in the conversation with Charlotte Lucas instead, trying to find out how Elizabeth was. He desperately held to the topic of the Centre and how it functioned, how comfortable it was to live just above it with such nice people, etc. Charlotte was woman with brains. Without beating around the bush she told him how grateful she was to Lizzy for forcing her to come to London, and then she just observed how his eyes escaped on hearing her friend's name.
With Caroline savouring more of the Richard's exotic mixtures the atmosphere became more relaxed. They argued over dictatorships in Latin America. The discussion shredded to pieces over an attempt to prove similarities between Peron's Argentina and Mao's China. There is nothing like politics and history that people get frenzy about. Afterwards Jane and Charles could only speak of Puerto Rico, poverty and child labour. They had a good laugh at William and his theory. The mentioned gent felt deeply offended and claimed he had enough of Puerto Rico for now.
William already took off his jacket, tie and rolled up the selves of his shirt. He was having quite a nice time teasing those people, "There are a couple of much superior places to go on a holiday than this country."
"But William, I am not going there for holidays!" Jane reprimanded him.
"And they were accusing me of being a workaholic!!!! Tell me then, dear angel of goodness, where did you spend your last holidays?"
"Well, we were opening the Centre in Scotland and the construction workers were late with the work, and in the end we had to paint it ourselves to get it ready on time..."
"That's what I am talking about! You need a holiday not another duty. If I hear about Puerto Rico one more time tonight... I will do something and you guys will regret ever learning about this place."
Bingley came to Jane's aid, "But Puerto Rico is such a nice place!"
"OK, you have asked for it!" There was a sparkle in William's eyes. "However in the end I am not sure if it is going to be such a punishment for you..."
"What are you going to do?"
"You will find out, very soon."
Richard's drinks were capable of killing a horse, but they had only a minor effect on Caroline, at the very beginning at least. After the first two she had lost her dignified appearance, the next one made her chat sweetly with every single man in the room, especially those without a partner. With Caroline clutching to his arm William tried to signal Rich that she had enough, but his cousin, engaged in a conversation with Charlotte, pretended he did not notice his desperate signs. Two more drinks and Caroline was ready to dance on the table. Fitzwilliam had his revenge on Darcy for sending him away to Scotland.
"William, why don't you take Caroline home? She does not seem too well, poor thing. I am going to make sure dear Charlotte gets home safe, Miss Lucas is indeed challenging my opinions in too many fields to let her go too easily." Charming Charlotte Lucas was definitely a challenge for Richard Fitzwilliam, who was used to woman of her kind falling for him after the first ten compliments and one drink.
With some difficulty Darcy packed Caroline into his car. Then it took him ten minutes to force her to fasten the seat belt. Every time he fastened it she would undo it guffawing hysterically. The worst thing was that she would not shut up for a single moment.
It was actually the first time that William had seen her in such a state It is even worst than I have thought. If that is what she usually keeps under that facade of a gentle lady, I am grateful she pretends so much.
She was talking about everything and nothing. He pretended he was listening, but finally she said and did something that made him jump up and almost lose control over the car.
"William, kiss me!" she demanded putting her hand high on his thigh. Along with that came a drunkard hiccup.
"Caroline, get real and get your hands of me! I am currently trying not to get killed in a car accident!!"
"You are right, we should wait till we get home, I have a water bed." Her hand was still holding him firmly.
"Stop deluding yourself! I have never had a crush on you." He quickly pulled over at the nearest side street and threw her hands away.
"I know very well you have been wanting me for a long time. I just love those little games of yours. Will, you won't admit it, will you? You want me to ask, to beg?" She was unfastening her seat belt again and tried to climb to him through the gear.
"In your present state I would not touch you even with rubber gloves on." He has lost his patience. He knew he was being cruel, but she was driving him mad for long enough.
Caroline has been too drunk to fully understand what he said, but his face and the way he pushed her away sobered her enough to realise he did not want her. It infuriated her above all the extent.
"I cannot believe you have really fallen for that little slut!!!! Such a zero, with nothing to recommend her except for her 36D!! The article has not been enough I see! I should have never agreed to let the Daily publish it in their version. I wonder if you would still feel such an admiration for her and run to her rescue, if they had used some of the details I fed them with!!!!" She was screaming at his face, and William just sat staring at her, trying to grasp and justify what she had just betrayed to him.
That $*&%^!!!!! It was her!!!!!! I should have known better!! Bingley, I cannot believe this is your sister. He was shocked, but he knew she was not bluffing. She is so drunk she does not even realise what she has said, but I bet she must have realised what she was doing then.
The hiccup prevented Caroline from blurting out more unpleasant calumnies, she opened the door, not to get the dirt on her fancy dress and to get some fresh air. Darcy with disgust listened to the noise that followed. He forced himself to check if she was all right. She pushed him away. A couple of minutes later she raised her head. She looked miserable and she was still drunk like hell.
"Just get me home Fitz', I still have around me people who appreciate my attentions."
Without a word he started the engine and tried to drive as calmly as possible not to make her stomach any worse. When he arrived at her place, he had to pull her from the car, she was not able to stand up on her own. He rang the bell and was not at all surprised when a man in his early twenties opened the door, it was Caroline's new secretary.
"Overtime hours?" William asked raising his eye brow. "I hope you will take care of Miss Bingley. She got sick on our way back from the pub. I am sorry to leave you like this but urgent business calls me, you understand. I am sure Miss Bingley will gratify you for that little favour."
Leaving the secretary to struggle with the limp body of his employer, William turned his back and walked away. A couple of hours later, around one o'clock in the morning he was still sitting in "their" park starring at the sky with a hideously bright moon lighting the clouds so that they seemed like thick lace. It started snowing again, he shivered with cold and finally got up. He was driving around the quarter deep in his thoughts. Unconsciously he choose to drive the road where the Centre building was. He slowed down and looked at it, the lights were still on. The door on the first floor suddenly opened and George Wickham appeared on the steps. It was like another slap on his face. He stepped on the gas and drove off at the top speed.
Chapter 25
It was not the first time Darcy arrived early to the office, but today the reason was different. It was his prime concern that nobody knew of his pursuits, at least for a couple of hours. He called his contact on an island, warned the pilot, arranged the transport and accommodation and finally settled down to write two letters. He hoped that they would not get mad at him and would use the opportunity. He barely managed to finish when Bingley came in.
"Why are you not preparing for your trip? I thought you arranged it with Elizabeth that she would take over your cases?"
"I did, but yesterday night she reminded me I have a final meeting with judge Morrison today. I do not quite know how it could have escaped me?"
"It would certainly escape my notice if I was flying away with someone like Jane, even if it is only a business trip..." Where did he see Elizabeth yesterday, and when?!!
Bingley's ears became slightly red at the ends, he was embarrassed but tried to explain himself as usual, "It is a great opportunity for Jane. She might be getting a grant from "Peace Children" to organise the whole network in the North of England. Because of the money, she would have refused this invitation to come to Puerto Rico and share her experiences with the teachers there. I felt obliged, she did so much good in here."
"But of course Charles, and I am sure that even if she looked like Hyacinth Bucket you would do the same..."
"Oh shut up, it is not a rule that someone dealing with charity has to be old, ugly, toady or a gold digger..."
"...As it has been with the previous two..." Darcy cut in into his friend's tirade on comparative advantages of Jane Bennet.
Bingley whined, "Do not even remind me. I was convinced she really was from The Croatian Red Cross."
"It is a pity though that she did not know how to speak Croatian, she claimed that in the after-war shock, she forgot how to speak her mother tongue." William restlessly teased Charles, "So do not tell me about your better judgment, I could not believe that you actually gave her the money."
"Neither could I, but I hope I rehabilitated myself by making her really fly to Dubrovnik with me."
"I agree, that was a brilliant stroke. She thought you were going to French Riviera?"
"Yes. She looked quite stupid when we entered The Red Cross building to pay the money there. Thanks for nurturing my imagination with that idea."
Both William and Charles laughed quite loudly at their memories. Getting serious Charles said, "It is not like that with Jane, you know?" and expectantly looked at Darcy.
He nodded, "I know, I am sorry for what I said, I was quite frustrated at the time. Did you..." he swallowed I have to know !!! , "Did you drive her home last night?"
"Yes, we left almost right after you did, but I got back home around two o'clock only. Do you want to know why?"
"You want to tell me, which is enough." Darcy answered calmly although he felt his hands go cold and sweaty under the table.
"I drove Jane home, and you will not believe who I met there!"
I wish I would not have to, "Whom?"
"Do you remember our University Hunk, your high school and college friend? The one and only captain of the rugby team, George Wickham?"
"How could I forget? The only guy that justly could claim he had as many girls as he scored points in one season... That just makes me wonder, what was he doing there?"
"Painting actually, he had some business to do with Elizabeth, but during the evening the guys in the Centre started to fight and Lizzy made them go up and renovate her room. As for George, he works in some newspaper, he did not mention the name. He was at the charity ball. Funny we did not notice him then, what a coincidence to meet him like that. We had a chat about old times. I never knew that he refused the scholarship from your father when he died. It did cost him a lot of determination to get in anyway with a sports scholarship."
"It was the only scholarship he was capable of getting, as it did not matter if you make grammar mistakes in your mother tongue! He could also be awarded with another scholarship if they were giving such a one; for man who bagged the greatest number of girls in high school in the country! In that you also don't have to know your mother tongue well. You use your tongue in a slightly different way. Besides he never refused my father's money. It just happened that he was offered the sport scholarship. He was supposed to choose which one he wanted. Do you know what he did? He came to me and told me that he would take the sports one, because they would not drag him so much about studying, and that he wanted me to give him the amount of my father's scholarship. He said that the fact my father wanted him to have the money just shows how attached he was to him, and that if he was alive that is exactly the thing he would do! I did not want to agree, but Aunt Catherine who as the closest relative was nominated my guardian for half a year, decided just to get rid of him that way. And so George was paid off. "
"Oooops! Then I guess it was quite an understatement from his side, although there was so much noise in the room that I could easily misunderstand. We did not talk for a long time, we had to help Elizabeth and Jane."
"It is illegal to use children under your custody to work for you, I could understand if it was redecorating one of the Centre rooms, but renovating her own flat?"
"That's the whole point. I don't know how the fight started but the nurse staying overnight had to drive two of the boys to the hospital. Elizabeth tried to calm them down, but they could start fighting again each and every minute. She knew that it was pointless to make them clean up after the fight in the night, she said it would be no punishment at all. Jane said that you need a really wild imagination to come up with a punishment what would not be too severe on them but would also teach them a lesson. She says Lizzy is really good at it, she never punished them twice the same way. So instead of cleaning, she told them to come upstairs and help her with her room. They were more than happy to do it, because she always pays them for their job."
"That on the other hand could be called bribery."
"I think I was a bit too quick in announcing your full recovery, you are still frustrated quite a lot..."
"Oh come on, from the legal point of view..."
"From the legal point of view how many people do you know who would employ a teenager who had conflicts with law himself, or a teenager that didn't only because he is too young, but comes from a family with quite a long criminal record?"
"All right, I admit defeat; did you take lessons from Elizabeth Bennet? No, sorry if she taught you anything you would take judge Morisson for a beer, make him pay for it and still win your case!" William laughed but he felt more than uneasiness, thinking he would have to face her today. Come on, what kind of woman is she? You virtually pour your soul out to her, tell her about things that maybe two people in England are aware of, and she still prefers that scoundrel!
Nothing happened. He did not know if he should feel relieved or worried. They said good morning and avoided each other as much as they could. The office was big enough to lose your way around, but today it miraculously shrank and they repeatedly bumped into each other. Neither of them said anything except good morning and some small talk when Richard was around. Punctually at five Elizabeth sprang out from the office. "Just twelve more days", she said to herself when she ran to catch a bus. She still needed to buy paint, some wood, and adhesive. Yesterday they had only ripped down the old wallpaper, washed the walls and painted the ceiling. She did not plan to repaint her room but George, Charles and boys got a bit out of control at the end of the evening. Feeling more like a camel Lizzy arrived home dragging with her all the necessary equipment. Jane was already gone and Charlotte was downstairs with the children and the math teacher. Lizzy's headache was back what, a reaction to stress? At least I can always tell him that he makes me sick, she smiled inwardly. She stopped smiling when she listened to the answering machine. George called to tell her he could not help her with painting because he was gone for the next two weeks. Letting out a deep sigh, Lizzy changed her clothes and moved out the leftover furniture from her room. The prospect of covering some 20 square meters of wall with paint was so depressing, that some ten minutes later Charlotte had to drive Elizabeth away from the thought of painting half of the room burgundy, the other half navy blue, with golden stars on both halves. Before going to bed she took some aspirin to relieve her poor head.
....Meanwhile Somewhere In The Latin America....
"Mr. Bingley, I think we have a slight problem." One of the pilots whispered into Charles's ear.
He almost spit out chilled champagne, "What is it?"
"Nothing dangerous. We have taken some cargo on Mr. Darcy's request, it seems that some of the boxes are not fastened well enough and they are "flying" around the lock room. I know these are piece of art, to be handled with care. He is going to kill us if anything happens..."
"What do you want me to do? Throw them out with a parachute?"
The pilot smiled, "That won't be necessary, sir. I want to land on one of the islands below. It is the only chance to do it now, otherwise we can only land in Puerto Rico."
"Permission granted for everything you want to do."
"Thank you sir. I hope I did not spoil your dinner, madam." he enthusiastically smiled to Jane before retreating to his cabin.
"I wonder why they are never so attentive when I am flying alone?" complained Bingley under his nose.
"Maybe because they already know all your habits?"
"No it must be something else. The grin on the pilot's face was too obvious when he saw you. I wonder if I look the same when I look at you?"
Jane opened her mouth to say something but a metallic voice from the speaker said, "We have the permission for landing, sir. The flight control tower says there is a smaller island right next to this one and it is supposed to be a paradise. They offered to take you there and show you around while we are reloading."
"Sounds quite nice, doesn't it?"
"Oh, Charles that is simply magnificent!"
The island was simply breathtaking. The only signs of civilization was a small control tower which was used as the post office, the mayor's office and the chapel on Sundays. There were about 200 inhabitants altogether. It meant that you were quite safe there, but also it meant that if you locked yourself in your house, closed the shutters and sneezed, the next morning everybody would ask you about your cold.
Jane and Charles coming out from the air-conditioned interior of the plane dipped themselves into the moist and hot air of a tropical island. They got out and ventured along the path to find someone who would show them around. With every step they were taking off as much clothing as possible. It was snowing for them just a couple of hours ago. Panting for breath they reached the only two story building on the island and sought relief from the burning sun in its cold walls. After some desperate inquiries in a mixture of English, Spanish and sign language they managed to settle it with a young boy that the man in shorts and an unbuttoned flowery shirt sleeping at the entrance was the mayor. He happily agreed to take them to the neighbouring uninhabited island. He greedily laughed at their attempts to call him mayor, "Id iz Paco for everyone here!, You want stay here?" asked Paco in a broken English.
"A dream come true! But where would we live?" exclaimed Charles.
"Senior has a house on the island. He comes here very rarely. His house - your house for holidays!." The mayor in quite careless manner disposed with unknown Senior's property.
Already on the small boat Jane stood astern, facing the island, trying to catch the delicate sea breeze. The wind tousled her long blond hair and blue dress. Paco watched her for a while and turned to Bingley, "I give you the key and you stay, the lady likes it here."
"We cannot, we have to go and do some work in Puerto Rico."
Paco waved his hand, "Ha, Puerto Rico, What you do with such a woman in such a hole?"
Bingley looked at Jane and said, "Everything she demands."
They spent a most extraordinary hour devouring the wonders of the wild life. They hardly managed to find the house Paco was telling them about, it was so disguised in the jungle. They had seen enough to start to regret their need to fly to Puerto Rico at all. Already back on the boat they kept turning their heads back. A plane took off above their heads leaving a white trail behind it. The mayor must have guessed their moods because he was extremely slow in coming back.
To their utter surprise it was their plane that took off just a couple of minutes ago. The same boy who showed them to the mayor was standing on the runway with one of their bags and two white envelopes in his hand.
"Where is the plane?" Bingley was quite frantic. The boy held out his hand with envelopes. One was addressed to Jane and the other one to Charles. Completely deranged they looked at each other and ripped the envelopes.
"Dear Jane,I am sorry, I hope you are not going to be mad at me. It was not Charles's idea. I decided you both needed a holiday. Especially you, you have been working yourself up. Please do not worry about the Centre or Puerto Rico, all is taken care off. I will be sending a plane to pick you up in two weeks time. Enjoy yourself.
Best wishes,
William Darcy
PS. I warned Charles not to mention Puerto Rico again, so after all you can blame it on him."
"Dear Charles,Paco will give you the keys to the house on the island. There is everything you might need. (Well, maybe except for the clothes...) I am going to send the plane to pick you up in two weeks time. 'Till then I hope you are going to have fun. I know that probably you are furious at the moment, but remember that this is not a revenge, but a thank-you for watching over me. Don't waste such a chance.
William"
Not knowing what her reaction would be Charles looked at Jane in awe, "What did he write you?"
"That it is all your fault." she teased him with a smile.
Relieved to see her laughing he commented, "I have never said I was perfect. So we are forced to take holidays. I do not really mind. I even might thank William for doing it..."
"I will thank him, once I find out why didn't he leave us any luggage."
Paco waited for them by his boat, "You stay here and don't regret!!" he brighten up like a lamp.
As they stood and watched the island approach again both of them thought, Yes stay, and don't regret. We won't. None of them said it aloud but it was hard to contain the look in their eyes.
Chapter 26
Mrs. Reynolds was attempting to put through another call from Caroline Bingley to Darcy. Very irritated she said to the speaker "I am sorry Miss Bingley, he is out of reach right now."
There was a moment of silence on her side, and Rich could hear Caroline's voice dripping with sweetness and politeness on the other end.
"Yes Miss Bingley, I have told him you have called."........ "No he did not ask me to tell you anything."......... "He just said he will be busy the whole day."
Rich laughed because Mrs. Reynolds started making faces to the phone. She rolled her eyes and said, "I do not think that coming in person would change anything, Miss Bingley. Why don't you leave him a message? Oh it is private?"
Rich headed towards his room. Out of pure curiosity he passed by William's door. It was open, so he had a look. His cousin was sitting behind the desk staring at the sky. That looks very busy indeed. I wonder why doesn't he want to talk to Caroline? Not that I would like to do that myself. Determined to find out, he came in without knocking. He dropped on the chair and gave William a look. He expected William to ask him whether he wanted anything. Unfortunately his cousin disappointed him. They were sitting in a complete silence until Rich started stirring in his chair uncomfortably. He hated when William did this - the guy always knew how to make him feel guilty and uncertain. Fitzwilliam opened his mouth but he was interrupted by an intercom.
"William, I give up! I am putting Caroline through. I do not know about you, but I have some work to do and she keeps calling every twenty minutes." Mrs. Reynolds was quite angry. She turned the switch and the telephone started ringing.
"Richard please, answer it. I cannot talk to her now!" Darcy was frantic.
"Why is that so?"
"Please! I am going to explain it to you later. Just talk to her."
"What have you done to her?"
"Rather what I haven't done and should have."
The telephone was ringing. She was not giving up this time. Rich saw that William really did not know what to do.
"What do I tell her?"
"Anything. That I became impotent. That should be enough."
"No, a sudden stock exchange crush or Pemberley on fire would be better."
Rich got up and picked up the receiver. "Caroline!? In what kind of trouble you are that you need our assistance?"..... "No, he is not here. He is with a client.".... "Ha, ha, ha, you are not serious of course...NO, I think it is impossible!".... "Yes I can tell him that." .... "All right, you are sorry and the invitation includes all our staff... fine I will tell him. Yes, you can expect ME for sure."
Darcy quite dumbfounded looked at his cousin. Rich accepting an invitation from Caroline? That was something new. He eagerly waited for the conversation to finish. "And? What did she tell you?"
"If you are so curious, why didn't you talk to her yourself?" answered Rich. Seeing stern look on his cousin's face, he reported to him, "She asked me to tell you that she is sorry. She says she was so drunk that she does not remember what happened, only that you have had an argument of a kind. She wants to apologise, and so we are invited to attend her party next Friday."
Disbelief on William's face would provoke anyone to question what has happened. This time he told Richard how the Sunday evening continued for him, including Caroline's attempts, her disguising what was her role in the "Daily ****" publications, and finally Wickham. "I guess that alone should explain why I don't want to talk to her or to come to the party."
"No, it does not explain anything. You cannot avoid her. Obviously she does not remember anything from Sunday night, and I am not at all surprised, don't forget who mixed her drinks. She is so sly, that she will try to make up for everything and she believes her influence over you strong enough to get it accomplished in one night."
"What, do you want me to go there and let her get away with everything?"
"Not at all. I have better idea, you will go with Elizabeth."
Darcy sniggered at this, "That would infuriate Caroline beyond belief, but paraphrasing Miss Bennet's reaction to my person, her answer would be of the kind: "Wild horses would not drag me to be alone in a room with him.""
Richard pondered for a while, "She is not going to be alone with you, I will be there too, at least at the beginning; the party with prominent men of the business scene attending; she will be working for us the last day; we don't have a replacement for Bingley; do you want me to continue or is this enough to convince you that she will agree?"
"I give in, so I hope she will as well. The worst thing is that I cannot treat Caroline the same way any longer. In a profession like ours this kind of fame is disastrous to your reputation. Maybe for interior designers mentioning their name in such a situation might be profitable, but she was conscious what repercussions this might bring to Elizabeth. I cannot stand Caroline's voice, her manners. You have seen her new secretary?"
"The Chippendale like one?"
"The same. She is always bragging about propriety and stuff and probably by chance she forgot to mention that he is a live-in secretary..."
"You are not serious!"
"Absolutely. He opened the door when I delivered her to her house. I wonder why she does not want to make it public."
"I am not surprised. It is like with a hot water bottle, you keep it in your bed but don't walk around with it. Especially not if you have such pretensions to la creme of society like Caroline."
"I wish she would do something to embarrass herself in front of those people. Unfortunately she is too intelligent to make a fool of herself, well, at least as long as she is sober."
"I can't help you there. She just screamed at me for making her drunk. I don't think she would accept a sealed can of coke from my hands right now."
"And that ridiculous secretary of hers...."
There was a considerable silence on both parts and suddenly Darcy's face glowed. Rich looked at him, "I know that self-satisfied look of yours and it is not a good prognosis for Caroline."
"Richard, do you remember the ridiculous bet we had in the college? Do you remember what you were doing at Emma Woodhouse's maiden evening?" He steadily fixed his eyes on Richard whose face was bright red.
"You don't expect me to..."
"Not you, we will leave it to professionals...."
"I did not know that you have such a revengeful disposition."
"You don't expect me to sit down and enjoy her company after she forced the first woman in years that interested me to run away, considering me a monster."
"NOW, just don't blame it all on Caroline. Elizabeth would not get intimidated by her. Her running away must have had something to do with you only, that reminds me that you still did not tell me what really happened."
"And I don't intend to humiliate myself more by telling you. But thank you for reminding me it was all my fault." With a sour smile Darcy searched the phone book and started dialing the number.
Charlotte Lucas was sitting in Elizabeth's office chatting with her friend, while awaiting her father who was keeping Richard Fitzwilliam busy with his will again. Her stay with Jane and Lizzy started bringing its first effects. With a feeling of terrible guilt Charlotte admitted that she would not mind earning her own living and deciding for herself.
"Lizzy, I am just starting to realise what I have been doing all my life, allowing everybody to push me around. Everybody, even my own parents. I got so used to it that I never opposed, and it did not matter if I wanted to do something or not. They said it was what should be done and so I did it without ever considering what and how I felt about it."
"I am sorry Carl, I did exactly the same thing on Sunday, but I felt I just had to push you out to the pub with Jane. You yourself would never have decided to go out. You would spend the whole day determining if this is the right thing. You don't think about yourself enough, you have to stop worrying about everybody else. I bet that if your mother called and asked you to come home, you would abandon all your plans."
"You are probably right." sighed Charlotte, "But at least I had a wonderful time on Sunday."
"Really? Did Mr. Darcy manage to offend anyone or did he take a day off?"
"I cannot understand you Lizzy, he is such a nice man!"
"Charlotte did you have anything to drink on Sunday?"
"Yes, why?"
"That should explain your favourable opinion of William Darcy."
"Lizzy, you are overreacting. He was very amiable to everybody, especially to your sister."
Elizabeth did not answer. Although Carl was her best friend, one of very few who accepted her without reservation, she did not have the guts to tell her about the proposal. Instead she said, "I think Rich is finishing with your father. By the way, how did you like him? Jane told me the two of you have spent the evening together talking."
Charlotte blushed a bit, "He was really nice,... At the beginning I felt guilty because of Billy Collins, but then all the reasons just withered. It was so amazing, he actually listened to what I said, he was not imposing himself, he was not afraid to laugh at himself and Lizzy, we argued. It was so exciting, I am telling you!"
Still chatting, the girls left Elizabeth's office. They met Richard Fitzwilliam talking with Mr. Lucas in the corridor. Mr. Lucas brightened on seeing his daughter.
"Pumpkin, how are you?" he said kissing her on the forehead.
Lizzy groaned inwardly, Thank God my father does not embarrass me like that in front of other people. She noticed that Richard was quite surprised as well.
Is this the same Miss Charlotte Lucas that talked me into the corner last Sunday?!!!
"Fine dad, how is mum?"
"Not too well, I am afraid, she misses you terribly."
Charlotte looked worried. Lizzy was afraid that she would blame herself again, so with all her gaiety she started distracting Mr. Lucas's attention from his daughter. It helped, but not for long. Rich was comfortably leaning against the wall observing the whole party with curiosity. Slowly he was getting what was going on.
"Honey-bunny, would you come home on Friday to stay with kids? Your mother and I wanted to go for the weekend to visit Elizabeth's parents. The children would only disturb us and it would be no fun for them."
Oh, and what a jolly fun would it be for me!!!!! thought Charlotte, but she did not say anything.
"Of course you did not have any plans, did you?"
Richard was quite amused, Of course? Why should it be so?
Charlotte thought it was high time to oppose and was trying to say something sensible. Elizabeth was trying to get Mr. Lucas's attention again, but in vain. Instead Richard's voice caught them all by surprise.
"I am sorry, but we are going out with Charlotte. I have promised her a concert. It seems you will have to find a baby sitter. It should not be a problem though?"
Mr. Lucas surely was a good man and he loved his daughter. His wit however did not live up to the task of making her happy. Thanks to his short-sightedness Charlotte was unhappy for most of her life. She was too much of a good girl to stand up against him, no matter that she might have disagreed with his decisions. Everybody stared at Rich, Mr. Lucas with quite a dumb expression on his face, Charlotte with a complete surprise and Lizzy with a grin showing him a thumb up behind Mr. Lucas's back.
"But my child, what will Mr. Collins say?"
Blast Mr. Collins!!!! thought Charlotte and said, keeping her eyes on Richard, "It is a Haydn's Messiah in St. Paul's cathedral. We were supposed to go there together with Mr. Collins, but he has to prepare a sermon for this Sunday. Lady Catherine De'Bourgh scheduled him to talk about cults and the New Age movement. Thus he proposed that I go with someone else and Mr. Fitzwilliam was so good that he offered his company."
She has got imagination to come up with SUCH an excuse. Rich thought and then he could not stand it any longer and he added, "Of course with full approbation of Mr. Collins."
Mr. Lucas was oblivious to sudden cramps that appeared on the faces of three young people standing in front of him and reassured that Billy did not mind, started taking his leave. Elizabeth walked him to the door and left Rich and Charlotte alone.
Charlotte was very uneasy, she did not know what to do with her hands and her eyes. After one glance she kept her eyes down and kept twisting her hands. "I appreciate what you did Rich, I rarely have the courage to refuse my father anything. I did not want to hurt him by saying that I simply do not feel like taking care of my siblings. It is so selfish of me."
"I don't know, I think it is rather selfish of them to use you like that, and it is also selfish of me to impose my company on you."
"But you said it just to help me out, and I appreciate it, you don't have to go out with me."
"If I did not want to go out with you, I would not have proposed it. And pack up your scruples, you have just told your father that we have Billy's consent.
Charlotte's face coloured, the way he said her fiancee's name made him an even more ridiculous figure. Well, she had a share in establishing such an opinion of Billy Collins.
"So are we going or do you really want me to call Mr. Collins? I am not giving up and you know I am crazy enough to really call him, so?"
She took a deep breath, "All right, all right then. I have to run after my father." And she was gone.
Chapter 27
For the last week Lizzy did not feel very well. At the beginning she thought it was because of the stress, then she credited it to the fresh paint in her room, but by Tuesday she gave up and admitted it - she was getting sick just as the winter was passing away. And she hated doctors and hospitals. She has been brought up by Fanny Bennet who was always concerned about her own nerves rather than the health of her children, she would get hysterical at the sign of a bruise on her leg, but was neglectful to her daughters' fevers. With such a training Lizzy was not the kind of a person who would give in easily to anything. She had too many bittersweet memories from her childhood. If they would get sick with Jane, their mother would only despair about the naughty daughters and all the trouble they were bringing. There was some truth in it as nearly all the accidents were the fruit of wild ideas, like spending their weekly allowance on ice cream and competing to see who could eat more in one hour. There was not much Mrs. Bennet was doing then, except scorning them. It was Mr. Bennet, who although completely lost in the matters of this world, would prepare them mint and chamomile tea and share with them his newest discovery, like an interpretation of Plutarch or Greek myths. Only after Kitty and Lydia were born, Fanny Bennet discovered that she looked younger and cuter with kids hanging around. Having discovered this, she would take the two youngest along with her to whatever meeting or party she would be attending. The results of her thoughtless behaviour were not to be waited upon for a long time. In Kitty's and Lydia's vocabulary there was not such a word as NO . Being thus self sufficient and used to relying only on herself, Lizzy decided to apply herself a leftover of an antibiotic that doctor prescribed her when she was previously ill.
Miraculously the week passed very quickly. On Friday she got hold of her notice, it did not escape her that it was signed only by Bingley and Fitzwilliam. The latter one was just talking her into Caroline's party. It was not formal he said, but there were too many important people to miss such an opportunity.
"Maybe for you Rich, but don't forget, I am not working here any longer."
"You would be really stupid if you did not go. Do you want people to believe the tabloid story had something to do with it?"'
"And try to tell me it didn't!"
"Even if it did, for the sake of your future professional opinion, it would be best to at least convince them it did not."
When he looked at her with his pleading eyes, Elizabeth felt her defense breaking. Who cares, she would be imposing her company on Darcy one last evening.
They went to Caroline's together after work. Fitzwilliam felt like a pancake placed between a hammer and an anvil. Feeling it quite impolitic to stay silent all the time, she mentioned one or two clients. Richard used the occasion and started cracking jokes about his first cases. Elizabeth laughed heartily when she noticed that William's lips were pressed together in one thin line. Am I that outrageous? she thought and unexpectedly decided to challenge Darcy. It was the first time she had uttered a sentence in his direction since the proposal and the slap.
"Mr. Darcy, it is your turn to amuse us now, I believe."
"I find it hard to satisfy your appetite for ridicule. Do you laugh by rule? Or do you laugh when you do not know what to say?" he looked at her in the rear view mirror. He was glancing there all the time anyway.
Elizabeth's eyes were flashing daggers in his direction, "If what you have said about women were true, then I would have to enlighten you that when a man does not know what to say, he stays silent and when in the end he decides to open his mouth, it is to bless the listeners with something proverbial. I assure you it is equally boring." Why are you so damn patronising?
Richard gave up on them. They cannot relax in each other's company. Darcy makes a very gloomy scarecrow of himself, and Elizabeth takes everything he says as an offense. They deserve each other though. Damn ambitious and proud. They both have their reasons, but are completely blind to them. I hope Charlotte will be more sport than these two.
Caroline's secretary opened the door; Caroline, all dressed up in gold, shuffled to meet them. She looked as if she was taking a bath and forgot to remove the towels. Something of the size of a bath towel was wrapped around her head, and something of the size of the dish cloth was wrapped around her body. Because of the mass of material on her head, she was walking very stiffly. Bending her head would most probably result in her falling down to the floor. She almost tripped on the slippery floor, when she saw Darcy letting Elizabeth through and taking her coat. With a very sour smile she addressed him and Richard.
"Boys, I see you have brought your little apprentice along with you. It is so good of you to show such concern for your clients - ELIZA should have some schooling in the society to live up to the standards of your office. Of course my carousing brother could not remember about my party. It takes a fairly nice girl and he savages himself in Latin America, but he always went for an easy fling."
Silence fell like a grave stone on the party still standing at an entrance door. Darcy was on the verge of turning his back and leaving the place immediately, but a firm grip from Richard kept him in his place.
"You know Caroline, ignoble people are capable of one great thing, and that is great meanness." William was prevented from walking out, but was not prevented from speaking up. He thought this counted for an appreciative glance from Elizabeth, instead he got an angry look from both women.
Elizabeth's face paled then coloured I know how to defend myself, you don't have to sacrifice your worthy relationship with her for me, she thought. This is hatred. All right Miss Bingley, warn your guests, you have just stepped on a land mine. She put her chin up and with determination said, "Indeed Miss Bingley, I rarely have an occasion to observe THE society. From what I have seen 'til now the bold and beautiful weltering in money and pride are not anything different than swine weltering in mud. Still a closer observation might offer me some other tips on THE society. I am going to have a chance to realise what kind of clothes my wardrobe wants. It is a beautiful outfit that you are wearing," the tone of her voice remaining sweet and sticky like a caramel. Whatever Darcy said his guilt was washed away by Elizabeth's sarcasm.
Two of the male guests, brothers it seemed, approached them and heard the last sentence of Elizabeth's tirade. One of them, a gentleman obviously, kissed Caroline on the hand and said, "It is not the dress. Caroline is simply beautiful."
"Oh, Caroline, I think I begin to understand what you meant by proper schooling. I am truly grateful for pointing that out to me. I wish I could say I envy you such acknowledgments, but I would not be true to myself. I prefer to stay not complemented, plain and unnoticed." The light tone of Lizzy's voice told both William and Rich that Caroline's lesson has only begun.
"How come?" the kissing man asked suspiciously.
"You see, with beautiful woman it is like with a roasted duck. It is too much for one man and not enough for two."
To this the men burst out laughing. A strange kind of pride overwhelmed Darcy's heart. He was proud of her, for being so true to herself, so impulsive and yet so dignified in her answer. And then he scorned himself - just a couple of weeks ago he abused her in a similar most indignant manner.
"Elizabeth, these are John and Robert Knightly old friends from the university. Gentleman, you are not going to allow the ladies stand like this at the entrance? I propose a toast to our BEAUTIFUL HOST." Richard stressed the last words. Caroline immediately seized William's arm, leaving Elizabeth with Rich and the Knightlys.
"William, this is going to be such a memorable evening." Caroline sweetly chatted to Darcy, forgetting all about his comment a couple of minutes ago.
"You don't realise how prophetic your words are, Caroline." he said thinking about his surprise for her.
He will propose!!! , thought Caroline ecstatically happy.
Darcy's mobile rang. He excused himself and walked aside. Richard and the Knightlys abandoned the ladies to get them drinks. Caroline wanted scotch on the rocks, having thus dead certainty that Rich wouldn't mix in anything. Using this opportunity now that the men were gone, Caroline moved closer to Elizabeth and vindictively whispered, "Will you never give up? Didn't you have enough of one article? You are never going to get him, I will make sure of that!!!"
Lizzy looked up to her completely surprised. She followed Miss Bingley's glance and understood, So, that's where it hurts you?
"Do you hear me? I procured one article, and it won't be a problem now to destroy your career. Is that what you want?" Caroline hissed through her teeth.
The gentlemen were back before Elizabeth enlightened her that she does not work for Darcy any more. Lizzy eagerly got hold of the champagne offered by Fitzwilliam. She savoured it in two gulps. Only when holding the next glass did she feel that she would be able to get through this evening.
William approached them to seize his grapefruit juice, he was still on the phone. ..... "I told you that the Parliament would approve the EU directive"..... "Yes, I have read it" ..... "Until now it was lege non distinguende" .... "It basically means that they want to standardise the laws for patenting genetically changed plants and animals. Your laboratory will be allowed to continue with genetic engineering only if the purpose will be curing a disease." .... "The plants?"...... "Oh, you probably mean the basmati rice case?".... "I don't think they are going to get the patent. That's what EU commissioner for the single market have said"...... "Ubi ius incertum, ibi ius nullum, they were in such a hurry with this act to be able to refuse the patent." ..... "Because it gives you very clear distinction between invention and exploration. You cannot patent an exploration, that's just the case with American basmati rice."..... "No, rice is just a rice, the method they could patent, but not the rice." ..... "It is article 47".... "Yes, the second paragraph in fine, quote them last two sentences" ..... "Just remember about vacatio legis"..... "At the moment there is no such regulation, we are supposed to comply with one in two year's time."..... "You are not getting anything else of me until Monday, I am at a party now." He quickly finished the conversation.
Caroline was ecstatic, "Oh, Will, all these details!!! How do you do this? It sounds so complicated."
He did not answer, but Elizabeth could not stop herself from commenting this, "There is one unwritten rule Caroline, an attorney thinks a lot and speaks little to the jury, he also thinks very little and speaks a lot to his client. Mr. Darcy has just showed off to us the proper speech to the client of an ever successful lawyer."
Caroline was outraged, "ELIZA seems to think that undervaluing her own profession is going to recommend her to her employers."
John Knightly observed it was, rather, a healthy self-criticism, "Besides Caroline you just would not imagine how much we used to laugh at them at the university. I have never seen so much paper in my whole life than in their room before the exams. I still remember that during the Theory of Knowledge club discussions someone challenged them to give a definition of the court. They immediately gave us definitions, bills regulating courts, etc. And they argued quoting different doctrines. Engineers came up with a better definition, according to us a court is a group of people deciding who had a better attorney."
Caroline abandoned their company taking Darcy with her in order to meet new guests. Richard used the opportunity to remind Elizabeth, he would be leaving soon.
She panicked, "But you have told me you would be here with me!!"
"Liz, you are a grown up girl, you don't need me to hold your hand."
"B...but, but...." she tried to say something and showed with her hand Darcy and Caroline, spilling some of her drink.
Richard mocked her, "You mean William has a nice butt? I don't know, I have never wondered."
She hit his arm, "Fitzwilliam, you very well know what I am trying to say. You have seen how Caroline treats me, and we are not particular friends with William. I don't know how am I going to take it. My hands are already shaking and I am spilling champagne that costs 400 pounds per bottle."
"Actually it is 375 pounds per bottle, Caroline bought it wholesale... Listen Liz, just relax. My cousin is not a monster, he won't allow anything to happen to you. And you have already won the hearts of the Knightly brothers and their wives. Charlotte will be waiting for me, did you forget? ", with that he was gone.
Elizabeth immediately escaped to the bathroom, she remembered about her antibiotics, they were in her bag, and her bag was..... in William's car. She was doomed to leave with him, unless she has managed to pull the car keys from the pocket of his trousers without him noticing which was not very likely. She stayed in the bathroom until she has calmed down a bit and finished her champagne. She felt her head spin when she raised from the chair. Over the last half an hour the number of guests increased a lot. Elizabeth was trying to pass by them unnoticed, but wearing her suit she differentiated herself enough from the elegantly dressed ladies. She squeezed herself into the corner by the window with another glass of champagne and observed the crowd. She was able to recognise the people from the covers of the magazines and from the television, but they all seemed to be blending into one faceless mass. How lonely can you be in the crowd of people? , she thought. She felt really sad, she had nothing to offer to those people that could interest them. Intelligence? Best grades? Number of cases won? Sense of humour? Determination? Who cared for those? She felt this big lump grow in her throat. I need some fresh air. With her legs feeling soft like a jelly, she managed to get to the opened balcony door. She went to the balustrade and used it to rest her elbows on it. She did not realise how long she had been standing there.
Darcy was sick at heart. Caroline was like an old type of glue called "Arabic gum". It was considered magnificent because it worked so well, but once you've got it on your fingers there was no way of getting rid of it. If it was not for the fact that she needed to paste some more makeup on her face, she would be still sticking around. He had been looking for Elizabeth for quite some time. He knew she did not leave, her coat was still here and her bag was locked in his car. Caroline's secretary without a word showed him balcony door. Maybe after all he is competent?! thought William. He went out and saw her bending over the balustrade, hiding her face in her hands. He called her, but there was no answer. He looked at his watch, the crew would be here any minute, and they would be able to go where ever they wanted.
"Elizabeth?" he tried once more but there was no answer. Uncertain if she has heard him, he came closer and gently tried to turn her around. She gave in easily. He took her hands from her face only to discover that it was stained with tears. "Are you all right? Tell me what has happened?" he asked in a alarmed voice. He heard that Caroline was already looking for them. The door bell rang, the cake and the five waiters arrived. Elizabeth saw Caroline as well, she looked up at him with her eyes opened very wide. He has never seen anybody's eyes filled with more sadness and emotions.
"Maybe you don't want to be associated with me, but it was me you wanted to kiss during the ball, wasn't it?" she asked trying to keep her balance. He supported her. She was.... drunk?!!?? It was impossible, she just had some champagne!!! Lizzy saw Caroline approaching; feeling dizzy she plunged her hands on his arms. "Can we please go home? I need to take my medicine. Please take me away from here! Please?!?"
His heart fluttered with ... he was not even able to describe the feeling. Exactly in that moment Caroline screamed. No wonder, completely out of blue there was "YMCA" blasting from every single speaker in the house, the huge cake was splashed on the nearest guests who stood with their jaws down on the floor, there was a guy inside the cake wearing, well, wearing cake and cream only, and the five waiters were stripping. Lizzy almost unconsciously looked at what was happening in the room, then at Darcy with sudden understanding. And then her eyes clouded and she fainted.
"Lizzy, what medicine? Speak to me!!" he pleaded but there was no answer. William tried to escape the room without turning guest's attention to the fact that he was dragging a half conscious woman with him. He did not need to worry, the ladies were far too occupied looking for a change, their male companions busy trying to memorize as much of the routine as they could - the waiters were truly professionals. Only Caroline noticed that he was leaving, his arm put tightly around Elizabeth's waist and her hands around him. She was capable of one thing - bursting in tears, which she eagerly did, finally loosing her balance and splashing her face in the cake.
The door closed behind Elizabeth and William, and he immediately seized her in his arms. She was breathing heavily, her face was dead pale, the skin was very cold and moistened at the same time. She started to shiver. He felt helpless, he did not know what was happening. In panic he ran to his car cradling her in his arms. He put her gently on the car seat and wiping her face he whispered, "Don't you die on me Elizabeth Bennet. Don't you dare, not here, not this night!!!!"
Chapter 28
Charlotte started to giggle, hiding her face in the flowers Rich bought her on their way.
"What?!!!? What is so funny about these flowers?"
"Nothing." she answered innocently.
"Charlotte!!!"
"Really nothing! She tried to fight the laughter, but in the end she burst out and could not stop the laughter.
"Charlotte!!! You are driving me mad!!!!"
"All right, I'll tell you! It is that I have just remembered the first and the only time Billy Collins gave me flowers."
"What does a funeral sermon got to do with his nonchalance?" he asked suspiciously.
"It was an enormous bouquet. Huge bunch of red lilies. The ones that are commonly called 'mother in law tongue'".
"And?"
"The bouquet was somewhat flat and would not stand straight in the vase so I had to undo it." she giggled again.
He was looking amazed at her transformation: the pony tail loosened, cheeks flushed.
Seeing his look Charlotte, stopped laughing but the curves of her mouth still moved. "As I was unfolding it, I found a violet ribbon with inscription in black - "to the best daughter, mother and wife." It appeared that Billy was doing funeral service and someone left it over."
She smiled and looked at him anticipating his laughter. He did not laugh though. He sat on his desk with his arms crossed and very seriously looked at her. "Charlotte, I cannot believe you are going to marry such a moron!!!"
She opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something. She bent her head down and walked over to the window overlooking the lights of the city. Charlotte wrapped her hands around her and quickly said, "I don't have much choice, do I? Instead of spending my life as a spinster forever baby-sitting my brothers and sisters and then their children, living life off other people, not my own, the prospect of Billy Collins does not seem so bad any longer, does it?". She looked like a beaten dog.
"I cannot believe it!!! Listen to yourself!!! I am not going to pity you at all. You very well know what you are getting yourself into!!!" he looked at here quizzically.
"It is none of your damn business!!!" she turned to him in anger.
There is some response finally. "Surely it is not. It is you who is going to spend her life being preached to by an idiot. You gave up on yourself long ago Charlotte."
"So what?"
"Just look at yourself. You have already started changing into a preacher's perfect wife. Straight, simple, plain, smothering your own opinions, you are even smothering your sexual desires!!!"
"How dare you!!!"
"You dress as ugly as possible so that there would not be anything sexual in your looks. I can picture this: He would come to bed dressed in a ridiculous, long to the ankles, white shirt, bolt all the doors, close all the shutters, make sure that even your neighbours are out that night. You would pretend you don't notice him engaged in reading a book of some sort. He would tell you that he is tired and ask you to turn off the light. He would toss uncomfortably, and finally clearing his throat he would ask 'Did I forget about something? Dear is this the third Saturday of the month? Didn't we plan anything for tonight?' Your silence would be considered a consent and five minutes later it would be all over."
"You are such a son of a $*^%#! Unlike you, I consider it good to control my desires!!! Even animals have some command over theirs. You on the contrary would go after anything that's female, good looking and has a pulse!!!!" she screamed. It pissed her off even more to see Fitzwilliam smile at her.
"You know Charlotte, it is quite hard to believe you actually have some passion in you."
"I do have more than enough even for you!!!" You will never be able to check if I am lying anyway. She was on the verge of bursting in tears.
"I can see you are quite energetic when you are angry enough, but passion does not mean only energetic." You can do better than that Carl, show me you can fight for yourself.
"I assure you that I know very well what it is about. You on the contrary would get carried away petting a cat!" You arrogant fool!!!! Her countenance was changing. I will not let you get at me!!!
"Oh Charlotte, you underestimate my self control!!!"
"Why men always find it so difficult to admit their defeat? If I have told you that you were not potent enough, you would kill yourself to prove it to me. Now that I have told you that I don't consider you in sufficient self control you would do everything to prove it to me. I dearly wish I could test it."
"A future preacher's wife?" he smirked.
"You have asked for it." she moved towards his computer. "Do you have any music in here?"
"Yes, some compacts on Mrs. Reynolds's desk. What do you want to do?" he looked at her surprised.
"You just wait here. You will have to prove to me that you are capable of controlling yourself."
"And what will you prove?"
"How much you have underestimated me. I will give you a glimpse of my...you will see." her voice trailed off in the corridor.
"Oh Charlotte, I can't wait." he murmured sitting on his armchair.
She brought back a CD. She put it in his computer and turned it on. She also turned off the lights leaving one bright spot on Mrs. Reynolds's desk.
"All right, the doors are bolted, the shutters closed, the lights are off, what is next?" he asked astonished.
"It is going to take even less than that to prove your inability and my abilities, Rich." she said her voice husked to a very low tone that sank in the low sound of saxophone and violin.
"...go slow, ugh, honey,
take it easy on the curves...."
He recognised it, "London By Night" by Joan London a 50's singer.
Charlotte slid her coat down to the floor and reached slowly to loosen her hair. It fell in a heavy wave on her back and shoulders.
"Charlotte?!!!?"
"Relax Rich, don't tell me you are scared of proving yourself to be in control?" She sang along slowly swaying all the while walking in his direction.
"...When love is slow, ugh, honey,
what a tonic for my nerves...."
She played with her long scarf while pulling it gently off her neck and undoing one button at the collar of her greyish shirt.
".....Go slow, ugh, honey
we've got such a lot of time
when love is slow, ugh, honey
how the Mercury does climb...."
She was right next to him. So close he could smell her perfume. Funny I did not notice the smell before, thought Rich quietly enjoying this exhibit. She really has got the guts!!! Incredible woman!!!! I was right about everything, she's too good for him. I only wonder if she truly thinks she will make it all the way?
".....Go slow, ugh, honey,
take it easy like you should."
She sat on his desk, crossing her legs covered in a long black skirt.
"....I like my loving done gently
so when your kissing lips start,
just a little here, ... a little there
sort of a la carte."
Richard started looking a bit embarrassed. She was getting too close. It was not safe. She started swinging her leg playing with her shoe and only now he has noticed she had a slit opening in the skirt showing a bit of shapely leg in a stocking. He realised she did not have to go all the way, he has gone all the way already....
"....Go slow, ugh ugh, honey,
take it easy like you should."
She briskly jumped off the desk and went around it, tips of her fingers following the shapes of the furniture. She approached him from another side. The sweet torture continued. He clinched his jaw He felt the vain on his temple pulsate, and not only it his.....
"....When love is slow, ugh,, honey
then it does you so much good."
Richard stirred as Charlotte stood behind him. How is she doing it by not doing anything?
"....You make me feel so good...."
"....You make me feel soooo good..... ," she whispered into his ear leaning from behind his back. He felt her hair touching his cheek and her lips touching his ear when she was doing so. The song was over. He suddenly pulled her on his laps. Seeing his face she laughed, "I won!!!"
"You did." admitted Fitzwilliam holding her still and leaning over her.
"Rich let me go! What are you doing?!!"
"I am giving you your prize." was the answer. His face glimpsed in front of her eyes, she tried to free herself.
"Rich, let me go, pplease." she asked but he kissed her anyway. She was all tensed and fought him. He persisted. After a long while he felt her body go limp.
With a very self satisfied grin he asked, "You were saying Carl?"
"Oh, nothing, nothing important." she answered with her expression quite dazzled, looking longingly at his lips.
"Just as I thought. Where was I? Just a little here, a little there... ", he murmured and dutifully continued what started off as a joke....
Darcy started the engine and dialed Doug's number. Doug Ross has been a friend of his and he worked in the nearby Pride Hospital on night shifts. "Doug, please meet me by the entrance!!!" he shouted to his friend when he finally answered the call. "She has lost consciousness, and I don't know what is wrong."
"Darcy, I have just managed to get five minutes of sleep after some 16 hours, so could you please be more explicit? Who the hell are you talking about?"
"Elizabeth!!!"
"Oh, THE Elizabeth. What is wrong with her?"
"We have been at a party, I had lost her out of my sight and when I have found her again, she just passed out. She started shivering and she got cold. She said something about some medication she needs to take."
"Wow, wow, easy, what medication? Was she drinking?"
"Well yes, she had some champagne."
"Get her purse! Now! Look for a vial of some kind or a leaf with pills or a prescription. If there isn't any get her address book and give me her doctor's phone! How is she breathing?"
Darcy tried to drive a car, check on Elizabeth at the same time and reached back to get her bag. "She has this shallow, short breath." Trying to keep his eyes on the road at the same time he searched through the bag. One could tell the owner by the contents, it was a complete mess. He had to dig through her history research papers, a paperback edition of Jane Austen with "dog ears", a walkman, a couple of tapes, a stack of letters, two apples and a lucky elephant before he finally pulled out a vial of some medication. "Doug, I have got it!"
"What's the name?"
"Hi... something ...sil? I cannot really see it."
"Hiconsil! Damn it! How long has she been taking it?"
"I have no idea."
"Will, DO hurry!!!!" that was the only thing Doug Ross could say. That was also the only thing that could make Darcy panic even more.
He carried her, running inside Pride Hospital, with relief he spotted his friend coming towards him with the paramed' unit. They took her away from him. Everybody seemed to be talking at the same time. "White female, early twenties, unconscious, weak pulse!!!"
Doug patted her face, "Elizabeth, can you hear me?". He checked her eyes with a light point. Some equipment was being brought down. Darcy, completely forgotten, stirred at the entrance to the ER, "What do you want to do?"
"Stomach lavage. Hiconsil is from the amino - xycylinum group, these are the few antibiotics that can cause toxic poisoning, especially when overdosed and mixed with alcohol. And her condition is quite stable, not as bad as I thought. Get out of here."
"But...."
"William, believe me, you don't want to watch it! It is going to make her feel like it is the expiation for all her sins."
Darcy quietly retreated to the waiting room. He slammed himself in some uncomfortable plastic chair to stay as near the door as he could. He rested his elbows on his knees and hid his face in his hands. This cannot be happening!!!! Not again!!! Not just like my mother. God, please, let her live. Not for me. Just for her, please.
10 Years Earlier
"Dad, please, let's go home." asked young William Darcy with a shaky voice. "It is all over. It is no good, Georgiana is all alone. She needs us. Dad, please?" he had tears in his eyes.
George Darcy looked at least 20 years older than he actually was. "You go, I know your mother would like me to stay."
William understood his father needed this last bit of a moment together with his wife. The doctors tried hard. For a while it seemed everything was going to be all right, but the cancer finally won. She gave in easily, after two years of quiet suffering it was all over for her. He tried to wipe the tears that flowed on his face. When he reached home Georgiana was waiting for him. She knew straight away and cried desperately. William tried to hold her, but she started hitting him with her fists.
"Why? She has told me she would not go!!!!!!" Georgiana was hiding her face on the height of his stomach.
"She had to, George. She did not want to, but she had to."
"She did not care about me at all!!!!!!" came the sob.
"Don't say so." he had to forget about his own sadness and comfort her. He promised it to his mother that he would take care of the little one. "She wanted me to read you something, come. Mother said that there is something special for you and maybe we will have to read it more than once to find it."
His words made her stop to cry, A surprise? Just the same as always? He nodded and brought down a book from his room. "You know, Georgiana, it is about this small boy who has been completely alone in the world." He hesitated, "We at least have ourselves and dad." He saw that her mouth was again forming a hoof, so he started reading.
At a certain point George Darcy had to come back home. He was afraid, he did not know how to console his own children. You can do that when you yourself understand and agree, and he did not, not yet. He quietly opened the library door. He saw Georgiana hugging William's arm who was reading to her:
"And when your sorrow is comforted (time soothes all sorrows) you will be content that you have known me. You will always be my friend. You will want to laugh with me. And you will sometimes open your window, so, for that pleasure...and your friend will be properly astonished to see you laughing as you look up at the sky!.... You - only you - will have stars that can laugh!"
"Darcy, are you OK.?" asked Doug coming out of the ER.
"What?" William was a bit startled.
"Are you all right?"
"Yes, I am just fine." It is only that I have realised that I love her!!!! I wanted her before, but now I love her..., a voice whispered in his head. I have kept away from any kind of relationships 'cos I was always afraid it would hurt again. And it does. And it is all my own fault.
Author's Note: Acknowledgments to the creators of "ER" and to LisaRenee for "Pride Hospital". Let me know if i got carried away too much...