Longbourn Can Be Wonderful

By Xenia

Part 1

Posted on Sunday, 02-Aug-98

loise Darcy sat trembling at her desk in the elegant wood-panelled director's office of Pemberley Motors. She was a young woman, about thirty with dark wavy hair, a heart shaped face and a fashionable exterior that belied her ordinary middle-class upbringing. Her exquisitely shaped hazel eyes were focussed unwillingly on the ledger in front of her which she pushed away after a moment only to pull another one towards her which she then discarded.

"Oh, Uncle Bennet," she sighed to the pleasant pipe-smoking elderly man beside her, "what have I done?"

Her beautifully manicured pink fingernail traced a line of figures, "Look!"

He sighed and laying down his pipe took the ledger from her, "I dunno, Lissy," he said in a soft southern drawl not unlike her own, "I just dunno - it looks alright and then it doesn't and for the life of me I can't see where we went wrong..."

Eloise groaned and took the heavy book back, she leaned her face in her hands and felt hot tears fizzing up behind her eyes and spilling down on the open page.

"I don't know either, Uncle Bennet, but I know this - we have a terrific tax bill to pay and no funds to pay it with. Where has all the money gone?"

Her uncle stared at the ledgers in mute horror, "What does that accountant fellow say?"

Eloise shook her head, "George has done his best but he says someone is siphoning off money somewhere and he can't trace it!"

"Can't trace it? Can't trace it? I never liked that lily-livered Yankee, Ellie, even if he is maried to Lydia! If I were you I'd have him in here and hauled over hot coals!"

"Uncle, it's my fault! Fitz left me in charge and I've wrecked everything. Oh, Lord, it's 1947 and the world is changing so fast - women are going to college and becoming doctors and lawyers and accountants and my husband leaves me to run the business for six months and I bankrupt him!"

"Don't take on so, darlin', it's almost Christmas and it'll come alright, you'll see."

Eloise watched as her tears made a huge pink stain on the red figures before her, "Santa Claus can't make this one better," she murmured. "Who will take care of Georgie if Fitz is broke? Who'll get her out of all her scrapes?"

"Time that young lady grew up," grunted Uncle Bennet, "instead of sassying round town in high heels like a..."

"And I'll have to take my kids out of school," she took his proffered hankerchief, "how do I tell little Annie, and Peg and Jamie that they can't go to school anymore? Oh, what about Mom and Mary - it's only thanks to Fitz that boarding house doesn't close down!"

"Ellie, Ellie," Uncle Bennet stood up and made his way to the door, "the good Lord will see to it in His own good time, you come on home and have dinner with me. Come on now, dry those tears, powder your nose and have faith."

"I'll join you in a minute," sobbed Eloise, "just give me a minute..."

"Now you make sure that's all it is," counselled her uncle.

He relit his pipe and ambled off down the corridor and out into the yard. Eloise watched the tweedy little man for as long as she could; he was the nearest thing to a father she had ever known and while he wasn't always too bright he was quite possibly the single kindest soul on earth.

She collapsed back into the green leather chair from which her husband had so ably run Pemberley Motors. "Jane!" she cried suddenly, "Jane and Charles will be landed with Mary and Mom when the boarding house fails and they can't afford it! And George and Lydia, what will they do when we close and Lydia with a baby on the way... oh, dear Lord, save me from myself! This whole town will go under when we close down..."

"Mrs Darcy? Mrs Darcy, ma'am, are you feeling alright?"

She looked up into the kindly face of Mrs Hill her husband's secretary.

"Yes, thank you. Just a little under the weather." And I'm going to make you and your husband redundant... you'll lose your pretty little house and you won't be able to pay for Mary Jo's wedding....

She put on her hat and took the diamond brooch off her coat, it was not a time to be wearing diamonds and walked slowly out of the offices and across the almost deserted yard. The factory loomed behind her black and silent, it was Longbourn's largest employer and if it were to close it would be as if another Great Depression had hit. It was cold and she snuggled down into her heavy velvet collar and tried to find a solution, a solution that would make everything better before Fitzwilliam returned from England on Christmas Eve.

What solution? No-one had any money to speak of. Charles did well enough at the Bailley Mortgage & Loan but he couldn't bail out Pemberley; Ricky Williams, her old high school chum, was wealthy to be sure but he was down in Texas "getting in on the ground floor" of something as he would say. She stopped at the factory gates and the fit of sobbing that had been so long repressed took over.

"I am worthless!" she cried, "Absolutely worthless, worthless as a wife, a mother, a daughter, a businesswoman - everything!"

She staggered away from the factory and without realizing it found herself on Longbourn's neat main street. Snow dropped gently from the trees on to her now bare head, somewhere in her rush she had lost her hat, and crunched underfoot. It was going to be the most perfect white Christmass. The last perfect Christmass anyone round here will have for a long time, she thought.

"Eloise, want a lift home?" It was Denny the cab driver who had driven her and Fitz off on their wedding trip.

"No, I like the snow!" she cried. His business wouldn't last long when the factory closed.

She tramped on down the street finding ever new excuses not to go home and face the family. Her mother could put Peter, Nancy and Zuzu to bed tonight, they wouldn't miss her just this once.

"Well, well, it's Mrs Darcy!" Caroline Bailley's affected tones rang out from the doorway of her boutique.

Eloise looked up and contrived a cheerful smile, "Caroline! You're late, aren't you?"

"I stay open later at Christmas," Caroline smoothed her kid gloves, "I make my best profits now. How are your profits?"

Eloise's heart tripped her, "You can tell that by your own, can't you?" she hoped she sounded bright.

Caroline made a maybe-maybe not face, "Perhaps you know something your workers don't?" she said softly as she pulled out her car keys.

Eloise's very soul froze at those words. How could Caroline know what she and George had only realized yesterday?

Caroline laughed bitterly, "Go home," she advised, "play the perfect momma this one last time because, Ellie darling, the IRS will lock you up and throw away the key very soon! Poor, poor Fitzwilliam - what was he thinking of letting you run the business... never mind, you might get run over by a tram between now and the trial, I guess your life insurance will cover him for starting up again. What's it like, Miss Perfect Wife and Mother, to be worth more dead than alive?"

She got into her car and with a sarcastic raise of her minutely plucked eyebrows began to drive off. Eloise stood dazed on the sidewalk, the very mannekins in the window seemed to be laughing at her... they all looked like Caroline and they were all laughing...

Part 2

Posted on Sunday, 02-Aug-98

She leaned over the fence and looked nervously down into the swirling black water below, Longbourn was built just before the Harrison river formed into a weir and cascaded over jagged stepped rocks all the way down to Kingsport. No one who jumped in at this point would last long. She shuddered and continued gazing down into the water, how long had it been since she was young and carefree?

She looked momentarily up at the stars, "Look, look at the fire folk sitting in the air," she quoted.

"Is that her?" said the smallest of the bright stars.

"Yes, that's her," replied the glowing, fizzing nebula beside it, "that's Eloise Darcy."

"What can have happened to make such a lovely young woman so miserable?" the little star hovered anxiously.

"A great many things," replied its companion, "she thinks she is responsible for ruining a whole town, for destroying the happiness of the hundreds of people who live in it."

"And is she? For my part I do not believe it."

"I am glad to hear that because only by believing in her can you save her."

"Me? Oh, no, I do not think I am experienced enough for this one! Really, I would sooner go without my wings for a little longer."

"No, no, it has been decided - you are by far the best person to help Eloise Darcy tonight."

"Ohhhhhh!" the little star glimmered with pride and responsibility.

"Now, it is time for a lesson. The history of Eloise Darcy... "

"I can't see a thing, Gabriel..."

"You will, just concentrate and stop zipping about there like a meteor. Concentrate on the mist... now... do you see anything?"

"Yes, yes I do! Oh, that is such a pretty little girl, is it Eloise?"

"Yes, that is Eloise, she's twelve years old and off to visit her Aunt Phillipa in Meryton with three of her sisters, Jane, Katy and Lydia."

"Which is which?"

"Jane is the tall one, Lydia is the smallest and Katy is the one with long hair. Pay particular attention to Katy."

The little star focussed resolutely on ten year old Katy Bennet as she raced across the old rickety bridge after Lydia.

"She ought not to be going so fast over that old thing!"

"I know... I know..." said Gabriel, "but girls will be girls."

The little star watched with an anxious parental eye as plump little Katy reached the centre of the bridge and resisted with every ounce of energy in her the temptation to swoop down and scoop her up before the inevitable happened.

"Ellie! Ellie! He-eeeeeeelp!"

Eloise and Jane turned simultaneously as Katy's foot went through a rotten plank and her screaming and panicking ensured she would lose her balance soon.

Wordlessly Jane began to rush over the bridge but it was too late, the decaying wood could not hold Katy's weight and within seconds she had slipped through and hit the fast flowing water.

Jane's screams echoed up into the stratosphere while the little star sobbing madly demanded to know what happened next.

"Look down," said Gabriel patiently.

Eloise was scrambling out of her overcoat and into the water. She was a good swimmer but the strong current threatened to pull her down towards the weir and the deadly rocks; the little star watched in helpless terror as the girl fought against the current and made her way to the spot where her sister's head had already disappeared below the surface.

"She's exactly below you, Ellie!" shouted Jane who was clinging on to the bridge just before the hole through which Katy had fallen.

Eloise took a breath, dived and came up again within moments with her arm around Katy's neck.

"What happens now?" cried the little star quite unable to contain itself.

"Eloise stays in the water holding on to Katy until Jane and Lydia come back from town with help," said Gabriel, "it's a long time."

"I hope she gets a medal!" cried the little star.

Gabriel tutted, "Some things are easily forgotten but Eloise has suffered pleurisy every winter of her life due to being in that water for so long. Katy, on the other hand, has the constitution of an ox."

The little star shimmered compassionately, "Where now?"

"Now we are on Longbourn's main street," said Gabriel, "and that is Mr Golding's drugstore. Eloise has a job here on Saturdays, she makes soda pops and ice-creams. See?"

"Yes, I see. Who are those two boys at the counter?"

"The small blond one is Charlie Bailley, his dad has the Savings & Loan across the road and the other is Ricky Williams, he'll be a Colonel in the air force when he grows up."

"Are they both in love with Eloise?"

"No, only Ricky. Charlie is sweet on Jane but he's too shy to ask her out so he hangs around Eloise so that he can talk about her."

The little star laughed, "I think I like drugstores. We didn't have them where I was, only apothecaries and they weren't quite the same. Imagine, ices from an apothecary! Oh, what's happening now?"

"That's Sara Anderson, Eloise's friend, she's having a hard time at school because there are some folks don't want black kids there."

"I see," said the little star sadly, "I thought that only happened in the southern states?"

"No," replied Gabriel solemnly, "it happens everywhere but watch Eloise cheer her up. Sara Anderson will finish school and go on to become a successful businesswoman and a respected member of society only because of Eloise's encouragement."

"I'm glad," sighed the little star, "in my day women's education was too often confined to French, needlework and the catechism. Who is the tall, plain girl?"

"That is Charlotte Lucas, her father owns Lucas Lodge, the big hotel on the corner."

"Is she important to our story?"

"Yes, very. She's the one that got away!"

"I don't understand you, Gabriel."

"You will, you will. Now, this is where our story really starts... It's 1937 and Longbourn High School's graduation dance."

"Who's graduating?"

"Mary and Katy Bennet among others. Lydia left last year without graduating. Now, come to think of it, we'd better start yesterday."

The little star nodded seriously and wished for a reticule with pen and paper. It was a lot to remember!

"Is that a... motor car?" It indicated an elegant silver vehicle parked outside the Bailley Saving & Loan offices.

"Yes, indeed, and a very expensive one too."

"As smart as a barouche?"

"Every bit as smart as a barouche and it belongs to Fitzwilliam Darcy."

"Darcy?"

"Yes, Darcy. Remember Charlie Bailley from the drugstore?"

"Yes."

"Well, Charlie Bailley grew up and worked for two years at the Savings and Loan before finally making it to Yale. Yale is America's Cambridge."

"I see, and is that where he met Mr Darcy?"

"You're learning fast," said Gabriel approvingly.

The little star glistered, "Has Mr Darcy always been rich?"

"Oh, yes. He went from Andover to Yale to a seat on the board of the Mason-Cabot Bank. He's twenty-eight now and four years ago he inherited Pemberley Motors from his father and in spite of the terrible economic situation here he's made himself a huge fortune. He has the British and European market for American cars, you see. Unlike most of the inhabitants of Longbourn, including Charlie Bailley, Mr Darcy has never known any kind of want."

"Is that him now? The tall, dark, deliciously handsome one?"

"That's him but don't let appearances fool you. Fitzwilliam Darcy is an uncommonly proud, arrogant and self-righteous young man with a good many lessons to learn that he won't find in any school."

"That is such a very great pity," murmured the little star, "I always had an eye for a handsome man."

Gabriel allowed himself an angelic chuckle, "Well, you will have many more opportunities to observe him. Come along, now!"

"I admit that if he is so very arrogant I do not how he prevailed upon Eloise to marry him. Is that why she is so unhappy? Did she marry for the wrong reasons? And why is our proud Mr Darcy in a town like Longbourn, anyway?"

"Whoa!" cried Gabriel, "One question at a time! Mr Darcy is here because Charlie Bailley is trying to persuade him to build his new automobile factory here. Remember the Great Depression?"

"Yes," replied the little star solemnly, "but I confess I do not understand it."

"You don't have to understand it but remember those people just climbing out of it - they're fighting for their very survival and Pemberley Motors with its assured European market is a lifeline for them."

"Are there no other factories?"

"Only Rosefields up on the hill... it's a packing plant owned by Catherine de Bourgh. The hours are long and the pay is grossly inadequate."

"Well, I am sure that when Mr Bailley tells Mr Darcy how important it is for Longbourn to have the automobile factory that he will build it here to oblige him."

Gabriel sighed causing clouds of sparkling nitrogen to spin off in a thousand directions, "Fitz Darcy is a businessman first and last. Now, just you watch him."

The little star felt that watching Mr Darcy would be no great hardship and set about it with alacrity.

"Darcy... Darcy... are you listening to me?" Charlie Bailley sounded a little aggrieved.

"Yes, yes, Charlie. I'm listening." Fitz Darcy glanced about him at Longbourn's once pretty but now shabby main street and wondered how to tell Charlie that it was hardly a suitable place for his new factory.

"Well?" demanded Charlie, "It's a good idea, isn't it?"

Darcy stopped with his hand on the door of his Rolls Royce Silver Ghost. He tried to look sympathetic for old times' sake.

"Charlie," he began somewhat awkwardly, "I wish it were different but..."

Charlie slumped against the car, his intense blue eyes accentuated by the dark circles beneath them, "Darcy, Longbourn needs Pemberley! Can't you see that?"

"So do a thousand other towns," said Darcy patiently, "Charlie, I can't afford to make mistakes and when all is said and done land for building on is much cheaper downstate."

"Negotiate with Catherine de Bourgh!" cried Charlie, "It is possible you know - we've kept her at bay for years."

Darcy shook his head, "I can't afford to pay above the odds for land right now and we all know Catherine is holding on until we get out of this mess and real estate prices soar."

Charlie looked about him desperately. He thought of the Building & Loan first as he had done from adolescence, without Pemberley no-one would have any money to invest; he thought of his sisters - Lou whose husband was out of work and Caroline bullied mercilessly in the office at Rosefields; he looked at all the young people whose futures depended absolutely on Fitz Darcy and then he looked back at his friend.

"Just do me one favour, Fitz?"

Darcy groaned inwardly but there was no saying no. "Anything, Charlie."

"Come to the High School graduation dance tomorrow. Meet the kids whose happiness depends on you."

Darcy cringed, "Emotional blackmail won't work, Charlie. Believe me, if I could help you, I would."

Charlie shrugged his shoulders, "Well, I'm going."

Darcy glared, "Don't be so crazy! You said you'd come back to Boston and meet Georgie and, more importantly, look at the Bank."

Charlie grinned, "I'm sure your sister is a swell kid, Fitz, However, I promised my old pal Ricky Williams that I'd take his girl to the dance and that's exactly what I'm going to do."

Darcy rolled his eyes, "Your friend is dating a high school student?"

"Not exactly," said Charlie with a grin, "although schoolgirls are so cute, don't you agree?"

Darcy narrowly avoided smiling, "No, Charlie, pinafore dresses do nothing for me."

"Well, never mind, this girl is twenty, it's her twin sisters who are graduating. Ricky just joined the airforce and he asked me to keep an eye on Eloise. I thought taking her to this dance would be a nice way of doing it."

"If he needs someone to keep an eye on her then perhaps she's the wrong girl for him," said Darcy drily. "Does the whole town go to the high school prom?"

"It's practically the major social event of the year in a place like this," said Charlie deciding not to explain how Ricky Williams had been in love with Eloise since she was eight. It made him sound a bit soft, besides, he had heard that Jane was going with Denny and so taking Eloise himself was the nearest he could get to Jane.

Eloise stood at the window of the bedroom she shared with Jane and Mary and looked out onto the lawn where the sign that said, "Ma Bennet's Boarding House" swung slowly in the soft night air.

"I can smell the roses," she smiled, "it was a good idea of yours to make corsages of them, Jane."

Jane did not reply, she was engaged in making their younger sister, Mary, look more glamorous than usual. It was not hard, at least it was not hard to make her more so than usual but it was hard to make her glamorous at all. Jane did not feel equal to putting that into words for Eloise even when Mary had gone.

"Charlie Bailley will be there," Eloise smiled coquettishly, "why on earth did you agree to go with Denny?"

Jane raised her eyebrows in silent protest but Eloise refused to be quieted. "Charlie Bailley is crazy about you, Jane, everyone knows he only came back from Yale for you."

Roses diffused over Jane's face, "Don't be silly, Ellie, he came back to run the Savings & Loan like he always said he would."

Eloise and Mary exchanged funny faces. Only Jane was modest enough to believe that a man who had just got a BA from the best university in the world wanted to make a career out of the Bailley Savings & Loan.

"I see he's brought a friend with him," said Jane pretending not to notice her sisters' unspoken derision.

"I saw him yesterday!" cried Lydia bouncing into the room, "he's even twice as handsome as Douglas Fairbanks!"

"And incredibly rich!" added Katy.

"And mightily pleased with himself I'll bet," finished Eloise, "well I won't drool over him that's for sure!"

Charlie and Denny duly arrived and Eloise adroitly made Denny her partner before they reached the end of the path. It was unthinkable that Jane should not go to the prom with Charlie Bailley. The whole town was desperate to see them together.

Part 3

Posted on Sunday, 09-Aug-98

Mrs. Bennet stood in the window and watched her daughters and their partners walk laughingly along the road and meet up with another group of young people at the corner.

"I do believe Charlie Bailley really did come back from Yale to marry my Jane," she said to her brother who was busily packing up glassware to take to the school-hall.

"I believe it myself, Maggie-May," Uncle Bennet went on placidly counting tumblers, "Jane is the prettiest gal in town and Charlie Bailley is no fool."

Maggie-May watched as the last of her glasses disappeared into the box, "And exactly how many of those will come back?" she demanded good-humouredly before her tone changed to something more serious, "Now, Bennet, you make sure none of my girls drink gin tonight... I heard about last year and if young folks can't have good time dancin' without gin, then there's somethin' far wrong with the world."

Uncle Bennet promised to ensure his nieces did not indulge in gin or any other smuggled alcohol but their mother needn't have worried. Only Lydia was silly enough and accompanied by Jane, Ellie and Mary she wasn't likely to have much opportunity.

Eloise joined her friend, Sara, as soon as she could. Her other close friend, Charlotte Lucas, was not there. She had attained the unattainable dream of every Longbourn girl by escaping, although not to a rich husband but college.

"Do you think Charlotte will come home this vacation?" asked Sara.

"I hope so," sighed Eloise, "I miss her so much but if you were at Vassar would you want to spend your summers in Longbourn? Besides she has to work and there isn't much here for her."

"Her parents can well afford to support her," muttered Sara angrily, "the Lucas Lodge Hotel must be the only place in town making money hand over fist with all the tourists stopping off on their way to New England."

Eloise shrugged. She had heard Sara's indignant protests against the Lucases before.

"I don't see Caroline Bailley," she said, "I guess we're below her now that she's got that job in Whitesands."

"Caroline Bailley's got a job in Whitesands?" asked Sara, "I didn't know the funeral director was taking folk on!"

Eloise sniggered, "In a dress shop, apparently, it seems that Rosefields is too much for her."

"It's too much for everyone," sighed Sara, "Bill says he can't stand it another week sometimes but..."

"But you need money to get married on..." said Eloise slyly.

Sara smirked and turned towards the door, "Here's Queen Queen Caroline now and look at the man she's with!"

Eloise looked. The room spun. Just how did Caroline Bailley with a figure like a telegraph pole and a face like Brer Wolf get a man like that?

"He's gorgeous," she breathed, "oh, Sara, you could dip him in chocolate and eat him!"

"I could dispense with the chocolate," said Sara. Bill was forgotten.

"It must be the famous Mr. Darcy," said Eloise suddenly, "Katy and Lydia were talking about him earlier."

Sara nodded, "Mr. Darcy of Boston, of Pemberley Motors no less."

"I see," said Eloise, "and I imagine Charlie's trying to talk him into building their new factory and headquarters here in Longbourn."

"It would be a great thing for the town," whispered Sara as they watched Caroline Bailley preen and parade her escort for everyone to see.

"I doubt it is his intention in coming here," replied Eloise, "whatever Charlie thinks."

"Well, at least we know why he's with Caroline," said Sara, "he's just doing Charlie a favour."

"They must be pretty good friends!" grinned Eloise, "Imagine spending an evening with that crab hanging on your arm just do someone a favour?"

She glanced around the room noticing that every other female in it had made a beeline for Fitzwilliam Darcy.

"I'm just going to say hi to George," she said.

Sara looked over, "Lord, evolution sure does move fast," she sighed, "the last time I saw George Wickham he was wriggling around in the slime at the bottom of our pond."

Eloise sighed and moved towards George. He was a tall, slim young man with dark hair and serious green eyes. Eloise liked him, his background was similar to her own in that his widowed mother had brought her family north looking for a better life and, for a while at least, had found it in Longbourn.

"Hi, how are you?"

"I'm fine, just fine and dandy, how are you?" He looked appreciatively at her white dress with the yellow sash and the yellow roses in her hair.

"Fine," smiled Eloise, "didn't expect you back, what enticed you?"

"I came to see Caroline," he muttered, "waste of time when she's already found herself a Darcy."

"You know Fitzwilliam Darcy?" asked Eloise in surprise.

"Not personally," replied George curtly.

"Charlotte probably won't be home this year," Eloise insisted on making conversation but her eyes were as intent on following Fitz Darcy around the room as George's were. "And Ricky Williams joined the Air Force, did you hear?"

"Yeah, you'll be a Colonel's lady in no time."

"He's not my sweetheart," said Eloise determinedly.

George grinned and shrugged his shoulders, "Want to dance?"

Eloise looked round and saw that Caroline was already dancing with Mr. Darcy.

She thanked him and they moved on to the dance floor. After a while she noticed with a mixture of pleasure and confusion how often Mr. Darcy looked at Jane. What was he doing? Did he approve of Charlie's choice? Disapprove?

"Why does Mr. Darcy keep looking at my sister?" she whispered to George.

George took the opportunity to look directly at Mr. Darcy and Caroline Bailley, "I think it's obvious," he began scathingly but looking down at Eloise's earnest pretty face he softened his tone, "I... I... imagine it's because he can see Jane is quite the loveliest woman in the room."

As soon as the dance ended George disappeared in the direction of Caroline. Eloise sighed and wished him well although she knew there was no hope of it. Sara had been buttonholed by Miss Golding the local librarian and sister of her employer at the drugstore. She had no desire to join them, Miss Golding was sweet but she did tend to twitter a lot of nonsense. Mary was sitting alone behind the screen that concealed the food tables from the dance-floor so, having no-one else to talk to, Eloise sat beside her.

Within moments they heard Charlie Bailley and Mr. Darcy approach the table. Charlie, enthusiastic about everything, seemed to be piling up his friend's plate with many assurances of Mrs. Smith's blueberry pie being the best in the state and promising him that he hadn't lived until he had tasted Grandma Lucas's lemonade. Eloise grinned to herself envisaging Mr. Darcy's tolerant smile and comparing it all in her imagination to the extravagant luxurious social rounds of New York and Boston.

"Grandma Lucas's lemonade," she murmured to Mary, "for the man who probably drinks bellini martinis for breakfast!"

Mary straightened her gloves being under the impression that Bellini was an Italian who painted madonnas. Eloise's good-humour was soon cut short, however, by hearing her own name mentioned.

"Now, Fitz," Charlie was probably waving a spoon at him, "don't you think you are going to get away with dancing once or twice with Caroline and then vanishing into a corner... Longbourn is full of pretty girls."

"You are dancing with the only real stunner in the room," replied Darcy.

"I can introduce you to her sister, Ellie," offered Charlie in a grinning tone, "she's dark, not fair, but an absolute cracker - you'll simply adore her!"

There was a pointed pause, "The one that works in the drugstore? Look, Charlie, I draw the line at an evening amusing some small-town shopgirl, doubtless as lacking in taste as in education."

"Ellie Bennet is extremely..." began Charlie indignantly but his friend cut him short.

"And another thing, didn't you say you were taking your friend's girl to this dance?"

"Yes, but..."

"Well, frankly Charlie I'm appalled at the way you're behaving towards her and I pity your friend. Jane Bennet may be as beautiful as an angel but she's damned heartless with it!"

"Jane isn't..." began Charlie again but this time he was prevented from continuing his explanation by the approach of Mr. Bailley.

"Not dancing, son?" Mr. Bailley took the plate out of Charlie's hands, "Go back to Jane before someone else snaps her up."

Charlie went and Mr. Darcy stayed to be regaled by Mr. Bailley with stories of Charlie's intelligence and ability. He had just got to telling Mr. Darcy how Charlie had designed the dance floor to cover the swimming pool and was in the midst of an explanation of the mechanism, when the full import of Darcy and Charlie's conversation dawned on Eloise.

"That revolting man!" she cried as Mary handed her a plate of famous blueberry pie.

Mary looked around more or less expecting to see Bela Lugosi flap by, "What man?" she asked.

"Mr. Darcy," Eloise laid down her plate, "He thinks Jane is cheating on someone by being here with Charlie! How dare he think that way of my sister!"

Part 4

Posted on Sunday, 18-Oct-98

How dare that man call my sister a cheat! Eloise was wandering around the room in high dudgeon looking for someone to vent her furious feelings for Mr. Darcy on but Sara was dancing and, when all was said and done, Sara was the only person in Longbourn she liked talking to these days. She caught sight of her mother and went over.

"What are you doing here, mom?"

Mrs. Bennet shrugged, "Oh, there's nothing to do up at the boarding-house, just thought I'd come and listen to the music."

Just thought you'd come and see how Jane is doing with Charlie.

"Charlie's friend is rather handsome," said Mrs. Bennet suggestively.

"Don't even think it, mother! That man is the most arrogant snobbish person I have ever had the misfortune to meet and I promise you I will never dance with him let alone anything else. He actually said..."

She bit her lip realizing her mother was looking at her with more than accustomed interest. "He said what, Ellie?"

"Uh... he said... he said... I was just a boring little shopgirl with no taste."

"Did he now?" Mrs. Bennet turned to get a better view of the offender, "And what does he think Caroline Bailley is but a little office girl with no taste?"

"I don't think he's heavily involved with Caroline, mom, he's just doing Charlie a favour."

"Some favour!" muttered Mrs. Bennet echoing Eloise's sentiments of earlier. She caught Mr. Darcy's eye and gave him one of her famous 'put down' looks. He couldn't imagine why but neither could he imagine he was not the just and intended recipient so he moved carefully out of Mrs. Bennet's line of vision but without losing sight of Eloise. She wandered over to Sara whose interest in Jane's prospects was almost as great as her own.

"Look!" grinned Sara, "Charlie sure has made a bee-line for Jane."

"Charlie has always liked Jane," sighed Eloise, "and Jane has never liked anyone but Charlie. I knew he would come back for her!"

"I wish she would show him more encouragement," groaned Sara a little later, "she is such cool creature. If I liked a man half as much as Jane likes Charlie I wouldn't leave him in any doubt."

Eloise laughed, "Jane doesn't have your get up and go, Sara, she's encouraging Charlie in her own way."

Sara shook her head sagely, "In such cases it is better to show more than you feel, not less! If she doesn't marry Charlie she'll be stuck in Longbourn for the rest of her life."

"Charlie is taking over the Savings and Loan," protested Eloise, "so she'll be here anyway. Besides, Sara Turner, you can't mean that about pretending to feel more than you do, you would never behave like that yourself."

"Well, I guess not..." said Sara slowly, "I guess that's my Mom talking, not me, but I'd hate to see Jane lose Charlie for want of a little encouragement."

"He won't get much encouragement from his sister or friend, that's for sure," sighed Eloise, "look at them huddled in the corner as if we were a bunch of savages."

"Longbourn High School dance is hardly comparable to Boston society," replied Sara.

"Boston society?" repeated Eloise, "Caroline Bailley hasn't been to Boston any more than we have!"

"She does have more than her share of airs and graces," sighed Sara, "oh, Ellie, I do believe Mr. Darcy is heading in your direction... I thought he'd been looking at you for a long time..."

"Don't you dare leave me!" cried Eloise but it was too late, Sara had gone.

She stood alone watching him cross the room; he was certainly handsome and in spite of his unkind attitude to her and her family she had to admit to herself she still thought him every bit as delicious as when he first walked through the door. He looked even better now without Caroline Bailley glued to his arm.

"Miss Bennet, may I have this dance?"

She smiled politely. No, I don't think I want to dance again tonight. "Why... yes... thank you."

It was a waltz, a piece of music Eloise would remember for the rest of her life. At first she thought he was not going to speak, he was probably used to women entertaining him. Well, I'm not going to!

"Have you see any good films recently?" he asked.

Films? I suppose you think my reading matter is confined to magazines.

"No, I work during the day and study at night."

He looked surprised, "What are you studying?"

"I'm going to college next year to read American and English Literature."

From the expression on his face she guessed she was right about why he mentioned films.

"And who are your favourite authors?"

Now that you know we're not all ignorant clamdiggers I don't feel like taking you seriously anymore.

"I can't think about literature at a dance, my head is too full of other things."

"The present absorbs you, then?" he asked with a look of doubt.

"I guess so," she said and because he was desperate to talk she was not.

The dance ended both too soon and soon enough for each of them. He was beginning to feel the imprudence of showing her any attention at all and she was far too tempted to impress him and not entirely for Longbourn's sake either.

Charlie, having regretfully accepted that Jane must dance with someone else at least once, came seeking Darcy's company and approbation.

"Isn't she the loveliest girl in the world?" he said smiling in the direction of Jane, "I can't begin to describe to you how much I love her."

Darcy bit his lip. How could Charlie, who had a Master's degree in business and politics, be so easily taken in? How could he tell Charlie he was being taken in? He wondered uneasily if he was being taken in himself by the other sister. Probably. If one was dishonest then the other probably was too. Studying English and American literature indeed! He listened half-heartedly to Charlie's happy prattle all the time following Eloise's figure around the dance-floor; she did seem to have more about her than most small town girls, it didn't seem likely that she had lived her entire life in Longbourn but wherever she had lived wouldn't equip her for Boston society. Boston society? What was he thinking of? Too often he had teased Charlie's sister about the way her mind jumped from admiration to matrimony in a split second and now... now he was doing it himself and the object of his imaginings was a shopgirl.

Try as he might and Fitzwilliam Darcy had more self-control than most men his age he could not make himself forget Eloise Bennet, even at the other side of the room he fancied he could still smell the jasmine in her hair. He decided, against his better judgment to ask her to dance again but it was too late - a decidedly handsome, smiling young man in an airforce uniform had wandered casually over to her and commanded her whole attention. He exhaled dismissively and leaned against the wall scowling.

"What's eating you now?" Charlie was beginning to feel rather brassed off with Darcy's attitude. Just for once couldn't he let his hair down instead of acting like a parson's wife in a chorus line?

"Who's the uniform?" he asked in reply.

"My old pal - Ricky Williams!" exclaimed Charlie, "He's the best, Fitz, you have to meet him."

Darcy paused and tried to straighten his thoughts, "But he's engaged to..." he began, "so how can you...?"

"What?" grinned Charlie.

"Uh... nothing, forget it." Darcy wasn't going to lower himself by discussing the sordid business, it would be enough to get Charlie out of Longbourn and make him forget.

The band, suitably refreshed by Grandma Lucases' lemonade, struck up again. To Darcy's disgust Ricky Williams was now dancing with Eloise and rather too close; he looked at Jane Bennet, she was cheerfully chatting to Caroline Bailley, didn't she care that her fiancé was practically hugging her sister for the whole town to see?

Part 4

Posted on Wednesday, 21-Oct-98

Eloise was glad, really glad to have Ricky back in town even if only for a very short leave. She wasn't in love with him and didn't even imagine herself to be but he was handsome, he was charming and he was comfortable to be with. His company made up for the sense of discontentment that was threatening to spoil her evening. The discontentment was that Mr. Darcy from Boston had looked down on her and that she felt she had failed to show him his error but she was not willing to admit that to herself. She could not help glancing often at Mr. Darcy to see if he was looking at her but to her chagrin he never was, his attention seemed wholly absorbed in Jane and Charlie.

"You must be thinking how intolerable it would be to spend many nights in this kind of company," Caroline Bailley sidled up to him.

For the thousandth time Darcy wondered why Caroline was always criticizing her own home town. He didn't much like Longbourn but he could sympathize with Charlie's warm feelings for it, home was home after all.

"No..." he replied vaguely, "I was reflecting on the emotions produced by a pair of fine eyes in the face of a pretty woman."

"And whose eyes might they be?" crooned Caroline, quite sure they must be her own.

"Eloise Bennet's" he said curtly.

Caroline swallowed hard. Mr. Darcy had looked like a pretty good way out of Longbourn and since she had met him she had thought of nothing else but her future in the society columns as Mrs Darcy and now he was praising Ellie Bennet? Ellie Bennet who spent half her life in trousers creeping round libraries and bookshops!

"I'm sure she'll go down a treat with your family," she said spitefully, "I can't think of anyone better to take Georgiana out into society."

Darcy sighed, he should have guessed that Caroline's mind would leap from a mere compliment to life-long commitment in a split second.

"Don't be silly, Caroline," he said as kindly as he could, "I merely remarked upon the prettiness of Miss Bennet's eyes and have no intention of taking the admiration any further."

Caroline was a little mollified but to secure her position she said, "Eloise is very popular, I expect she's attached already."

"To the airman?" Darcy began to feel a little hopeful for Charlie.

Caroline frowned, she wanted Darcy to think Ellie was engaged but she could not bear to say, even in a lie, that she was engaged to someone quite so dashing.

"Uh... no, not to Ricky Williams," she said.

Darcy felt his heart sink, he had been right all along.

"Ricky is engaged to Jane, then?" he said but did not wait for an answer. "Caroline, Charlie's going to have his heart broken by that girl, we have to get him out of Longbourn as soon as possible!"

Caroline raised her eyebrows in astonishment, she had no idea what he was talking about or where he had got the notion that Jane Bennet was engaged to Ricky Williams but if that was what it took for him to make Charlie leave Longbourn she would certainly go along with it.

Her pleasant reverie on deception was disturbed by 'Sir' Bill Lucas appearing on the dais and announcing that the annual Charleston contest was about to begin.

"And those not tapped by the judges remain on the floor!" he yelled in finishing.

Darcy moved quickly so that Caroline wouldn't think he was going to dance with her. He could not conceive of anything more embarrassing than being involved in something like that. Charlie, of course, thought it was great fun and had persuaded the usually shy Jane to take part. Darcy, unwillingly to admit he cared who Eloise danced with, was slightly disappointed to see her with George Wickham. Well, at least it wasn't the uniform, Darcy had been around long enough to know what an intoxicating effect a man in uniform could have on a young girl.

The dance progressed with a couple being 'tapped' every now and then but it still seemed half the town was dancing and Darcy got bored. It was more than boredom, it was the sight of the prettiest girl he had ever met dancing with a stupid looking kid but there was nothing he could do about it so he wandered up and down looking severe and looking at his watch.

"Splendid! Splendid!" Bill Lucas slapped him on the back. He wondered what exactly was splendid but didn't want to ask in case 'Sir' Bill told him but he needn't have worried, 'Sir' Bill was going to tell him anyway. He droned on for about five minutes without Darcy hearing above one word in ten and then, as suddenly as it was uncharacteristic, said something useful.

"That Charlie Bailley is brilliant, you know that? Of course, he has to stay home and make some money now so that Harry can go to college... glad to see it... glad to see it. So many young folk nowadays don't take their obligations seriously but not Charlie... Charlie's coming home to marry Jane and look after the Savings and Loan and let Harry go to school."

"Jane's engaged to Ricky Williams," said Darcy flatly.

"Eh?" 'Sir' Bill stared over at Jane and Charlie dancing, "Is she now? Never would have thought it?"

He questioned but did not contradict and Darcy, assured now of his suspicions, comforted himself with the acquisition of another string for his bow. If Charlie had to work to put Harry through school he should work in Boston; he would make ten times as much as at the Savings and Loan and educate Harry in style.

"Do you know there's a swimming pool under this floor?" demanded 'Sir' Bill as he looked for a change of subject.

Darcy shook his head. Why would they put a swimming pool under a dance floor?

"Charlie's idea, designed it all himself" continued his companion, "saved us I don't know how many thousands of dollars... mechanism's right there... just think... all those kids dancing on water!"

He grinned and headed off back to the food table and his wife. Darcy continued to wander around but this time he was looking at the floor, it was a clever idea of Charlie's. He looked up from his thoughts and realized there were only two couples on the floor: Charlie and that two-timing Jane and Eloise and that silly, pretty boy. For a moment the name 'Wickham' bothered him but he couldn't place it, he could however, place the mechanism that would open the floor. It must be on the other side of the wall that 'Sir' Bill had indicated, he slipped out into the deserted foyer and looked around. There it was, an innocuous little box above the sign for the girls' locker room.

He looked quickly around him and jumped on to the bench below it which, combined with his height, gave him just enough room to prize it open and turn the handle to the open position. Straight-away he screams and giggles coming from the hall and carefully closing the box he stepped off the bench to where he could watch the fun from the safety of the doorway. Jane and Charlie had had the sense to jump back and were safely to one side but Eloise and George were still dancing cheered on by a crowd who could never remember quite so much fun at a High School dance in their lives. Darcy folded his arms and smirked, he couldn't wait to see Eloise and Jane in drenched dresses and wrecked hairstyles.

As the assembly moved further and further back towards the wall he found himself unable to see and had to push through the crowd to be there when George Wickham became victim of his own cleverness and stumbled into the water to riotous applause. Sara who had been standing with Ricky laughed so much that she overbalanced and joined them and Ricky, being a gentleman, volunteered to join her. A giddy looking girl with dark curls whom Darcy assumed was one of Eloise's sisters shouted at George Wickham to catch her and threw herself enthusiastically at the water. A moment later Charlie and Jane hand-in-hand had volunteered to join the water-party and a few moments after them the entire school seemed to be jumping in amidst shrieks and laughter especially when the Principal complete with bow-tie and bottle of champagne decided to see if he could still swim. Darcy ran his hands over his face and groaned loudly but no-one heard in the chaos. Country types! He looked quickly around for Eloise and saw her standing at the very edge waving and giggling at Jane but she appeared to be too concerned for her dress to accept their very pressing invitations but as she looked up and caught his eye she smirked and sacrificing her dress joined the others in the water. Darcy watched the scene for several moments and to his amazement no-one seemed angry or upset, they just somehow continued the celebration in several feet of water.

Suddenly he caught sight of Jane Bennet clinging miserably to the side bar, her blue dress was plastered against slim body and her pretty blonde hair hung in snakey tendrils over her face. Charlie was nowhere to be seen and Darcy felt unexpectedly guilty so, leaning over, he asked if he could help her out. It was a kind gesture, he thought, but it seemed that Jane did not agree for one moment she was looking up at him all baby-blue eyes and gratitude and the next he had hit the water with a resounding crash. He managed to wriggle out of his jacket and swim to the edge where he was joined by a very amused Eloise. Jane was a sister she could always be proud of unlike the other three but even Jane had excelled herself tonight.

"Miss Bennet..." he began rather pompously, "as I'm sure you only jumped in the water to annoy me, may I offer you a lift home?"

"You know you look better in that wet shirt, Mr. Darcy, than you have all evening," she said wickedly and ignored his kind offer.

He watched her head off in the direction of dry clothes and cursed himself for ever imagining he could get the better of her.

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