Nobody's Perfect

By Charlotte

Jump to new as of August 1, 2002
Jump to new as of August 6, 2002

Chapter 1:

Posted on Wednesday, 12 June 2002

Elizabeth Bennet pulled her Mazda out of its crammed parking space in front of her duplex in downtown Los Angeles. She sped her way through rush-hour traffic and made it to Starbuck's* in less than 45 minutes. So far, she was on time. Making her way to her office was more difficult, but she got there with two minutes to spare, which she used up by visiting the ladies room and changing her pantyhose, which had developed a run in the course of the morning.

Elizabeth worked in a large firm. She was assistant to one of the Vice Presidents in Charge of Marketing and Research, and she had no idea what the firm represented on the whole. Her day was filled with making phone calls and typing memos for her boss, a balding middle-aged man by the name of Brown, who sent her flowers on her birthday and gave her a bonus every Christmas. She made an adequate living. She didn't socialize with anyone at work, and knew nothing about any of her colleagues. She worked 9-5 every day, was never ill, and when she had to miss work for a dentist's appointment, she made sure to make it up in overtime. She had never taken vacation leave. She had worked in this firm for five years.

Many would call Elizabeth Bennet's life lonely, boring, perhaps even pathetic. This is not entirely accurate, but not far from the truth. The truth is, Elizabeth Bennet liked having a boring and lonely life. She strove to be perfectly normal, which in her mind was perfectly perfect. She was perfectly happy being miserable, because she did not consider herself to be so. Sure, she lived alone, had no friends, no love life, no fashion sense, and no prospects. This was just the way she liked it.

You see, Elizabeth had a past, a past which no amount of covering-up could hide. But Elizabeth was still determined to forget it.

Chapter 2:

Elizabeth Bennet had been born into an unusual family, a family of genius, you might say. Now, the Bennet family genius was of a peculiar kind. From her infancy, Jane Bennet, Elizabeth's elder sister, had been able to predict the future. Now, to most normal families, like the families that Elizabeth longed to belong to, this would have been worrisome for the parents. However, the Bennet family took great delight in Jane's abilities.

When Elizabeth was born, two years later, Jane was already speaking with clarity and making astounding predictions for all those who would pay the five dollars her mother charged for a ten-minute session with the "Baby Clairvoyant." Elizabeth's parents had such great hopes for their second daughter -- perhaps she would be a fire-eater. Perhaps a snake-charmer, or even another psychic. But, alas, it was little Jane Bennet who predicted what her sister Elizabeth would be -- nothing . She may have made this prediction in a fit of jealousy at having a baby sister, because after that day Mr. and Mrs. Bennet focused all their affection on Jane, and preferred to think of Elizabeth as "the unfortunate one" -- the Bennet without any special talent.

Three more sisters -- Mary, Katie, and Lydia were born in the years following, and each of them possessed at least a spark of supernatural talent. Unfortunately, Elizabeth still appeared to be barren in this respect, and grew to resent the rest of her family, partly for their talents and partly for their bitterness towards her. Now, perhaps, you can see why Elizabeth Bennet is so eager to lead a boring, "normal", perfect life.

*I don't own Starbuck's Coffee. I don't know who does, and I apologize for borrowing the name!

Chapter 3

Posted on Wednesday, 12 June 2002

Elizabeth sighed as her boss, Mr. Brown handed her yet another pile of memos to type up. She was adept at typing, after having studied it in high school -- a mandatory course that she found incredibly boring as a fifteen-year-old, but a course that probably turned out to be the most useful she had ever taken. Who needs calculus when they can type?

She worked efficiently, and was soon finished, just in time for her noon lunch break. She was dreading her lunch hour today. Today, she had a meeting with her sister Jane.

Elizabeth had moved as far away as was feasible from her family when she finished school. She had never asked them for support of any kind when she turned eighteen, and considered herself completely independent. That was how she wanted it. However, the Bennet family was not an easy family to get away from. Elizabeth could run, but she couldn't hide. Even if she never wrote, had an unlisted phone number, and never visited, her family still found her.

Robert and Anna Bennet were disappointed that their second daughter was not a genius in some form like the rest of the family, but after they got over their initial distress, they did their best to accept her. However, to Elizabeth it was clear that her parents, though they loved her, cared less for her than they did for her four sisters.

While Jane was clearly the jewel of her parent's eyes, the other girls had their (fair) share of genius. Mary was extremely talented in divination. She was able to speak with the departed spirit of Grammy Bennet when she was just three years old, and amused herself with the study of, and conversation with, her favorite scholars, both living and dead.

Katie was a trapeze artist. While Mr. Bennet initially balked at the idea of having a daughter in the circus, he grew to greatly respect Katie and her art.

Lydia, next to Jane, was the prize of the Bennet family. She was barely 18, but already had established herself as a prominent psychic on television. Her advertisements for "Miss Lydia -- Renowned Psychic to the Stars" ran during every major tractor pull and cable boxing match. She was already "raking in the dough", although her reputation was in question on many accounts. She had appeared on "The People's Court" twice, in civil suits. She had never, not even once, counseled a "star."

To get back to Elizabeth, well, she was just not looking forward to her lunch. Jane always knew where to find her, and she wished that once and for all, she could escape from her family, even for a day. She sighed again and made her way to her boss' doorway.

"Mr. Brown," Elizabeth said, "I'm going to lunch. I have, um, and appointment, so I may be a bit late coming back. I will work after five, if that is the case. The memos are all finished, and I faxed the ones you needed to go to the Atlanta office. The clerk took the others to where they needed to go."

Mr. Brown grunted and didn't look up from his computer, where he was fully engrossed in a riveting game of "Minesweeper."

Chapter 4:

Elizabeth made her way down the stairs and out the front of the building. It was muggier than usual for mid-March in Southern California, but she didn't mind the opportunity to take off her jacket and roll up her sleeves. She cursed the pantyhose that she had carefully pulled on that morning, since they were now making her much hotter.

Elizabeth was a striking woman, although she cared little about her appearance. She had coppery brown hair that curled every which way except the way she wanted it to, and eyes that matched her hair, down to their golden-red highlights. Her nose was small and pert, and covered with light freckles. She had an olive complexion, tanned easily, and because of this enjoyed living in L.A. where it was easy to tan just while walking to lunch. She didn't even remember the last time she had been to the beach. She was slender, not incredibly tall, but carried herself in such a way that her presence was much greater than her person. Elizabeth was proud, although she was miserable, and was determined that the proud side of her came out instead of the miserable one.

She had reluctantly agreed to meet Jane at a greasy deli just a few blocks from her office. Since she didn't want to meet her sister in the first place, she figured that she would make the effort on her part as little as possible.

Jane was waiting for her when she reached the Deli. Jane and Elizabeth were as different as night and day. Jane's hair was coal-black and her eyes were the lightest shade of blue possible. She had pale, almost translucent skin, and was shorter and a bit plumper than her sister.

"Liz, how are you? Can you believe this weather? I predicted a heat wave back in February when Punxatoney (sp?) Phil saw his shadow and predicted six more weeks of winter (but what does a little groundhog know?!). No one believed me, but now they see I'm right!" Jane finished her little speech with a flourish and a smile, as she held the door open for her sister.

"Must you be so right all the time, Jane?" Elizabeth said through gritted teeth. "How was your trip? How is the family?" She could have cared less, but felt the need to ask, even though she knew it would lead to both a long narrative on the recent happenings in the lives of the Bennets, and a long lecture on how she could find out for herself once and a while by calling home.

"Oh, everyone's, fine," Jane replied as she perused the menu that was hanging from the ceiling above the short-order counter. "Mom and Dad send their best, and the girls are all busy. We're all going up to the lake for the Fourth of July again this year. You really should take a week off and come too. We haven't been together as a family in years."

"Jane, spare me a lecture on how I neglect my duties as a daughter and a sister. I don't have the time to take off. I'm very busy at work, and am expecting a promotion soon, so I really can't afford to leave at this time." The truth was, Elizabeth had no hopes for a promotion, in fact, she was sure she'd be in the same job until retirement, but she didn't feel like pouring her heart out to her sister. Besides, Jane probably knew what she was thinking, how her job was going, and the fact that she had no life.

"I wasn't lecturing you, Liz, and you know very well that a promotion isn't going to happen. Look, if you don't want to visit, which I suspect is the issue, then don't, but at least have the decency to call home once and a while to tell your mother how you are. I am getting tired of tapping into my resources to find out how your life is going. Its not like you have anything better to do, besides. What are you going to eat?" Jane had a knack for changing the subject -- and for making her words hurt. "I'd stay away from the tuna, if I were you." She stepped up and ordered. "I'd like the turkey club please on whole wheat, with no bacon, no mayo, and can you add an avocado to it? And I'd love to have baked corn chips, instead of potato, if that is ok. Thanks. Oh, and a water please. Here, keep the change. Oh, is that my number, 72? Thank you!" She said all this with a little smile at the boy behind the counter.

Elizabeth silently cursed Jane (who gave her a glare just as she did so), and said loudly, "I wasn't even considering the tuna, for your information. I would like the BLT on Wonder Bread please, extra bacon and extra mayo. And Sour Cream & Onion potato chips. And a Dr. Pepper, please. Thank you."

"Liz, you're just going to harden your arteries and die from a heart attack like Grammy Bennet did, if you insist on eating all that cholesterol. Plus, caffienated beverages only dehydrate you and you will become very tired at around 2 this afternoon after all that sugar." Jane was only trying to help her sister, but of course her words were taken the wrong way.

"Oh, is that what you see in my future, Jane? I'm going to get dehydrated and exhausted this afternoon, and then sometime in the next few years I'll have a heart attack and die? Why don't you just tell me the exact date, so I can make sure to ask for the sick leave?" Elizabeth heard the words coming out of her mouth and wished she could take them back. She did love her sister, just like she loved all her family, but she always wished that they could be normal, instead of genius.

"I'm sorry, Lizzy, I'm only trying to help. If you must know, I don't do predictions like that for my family, it would be too depressing. I have no idea what is going to happen to you, and I hope that you live a long and happy life. However, I do think you should come with us this summer, and I think you need to change your lifestyle a bit, so you can be happier."

As Jane finished speaking the teenager behind the counter called out her number she went to collect her sandwich. She sat down at the little table on the sidewalk outside, and began to inspect her sandwich. Elizabeth soon collected hers as well, and joined her sister outside.

Chapter 5

Posted on Sunday, 16 June 2002

"Jane, I'm sorry. You're right, you know," Elizabeth began as she sat down opposite her sister. "It's just always been difficult for me, being the only plain one in a family of talented and interesting people. I am sorry that I haven't been home in so long. Look, I'll see if I can get a week off work, and I'll come to the Lake for the 4th too."

Jane nodded slightly, but her mind was glazed over in thought. It took a moment before she spoke aloud. "By that time, Liz, you will be much happier than you've been before. I don't know how or why, but I can tell that you will be happy. Maybe even happy enough to stand your family for a week." She looked at her sister with an expression of pity mixed with love and a touch of resentment. The feelings of all the Bennets were conflicted when it came to their siblings, parents, and children.

"Liz," Jane said again after a moment, "there's something else you should know."

Elizabeth looked at her in alarm. Her eyebrows raised and she drew in a breath. "Is something wrong? Are mom and dad okay? and the others?" She did not care to be around her family, but no one could accuse her of not loving them, and if something happened to any of them while she stayed away she wouldn't be able to forgive herself.

"We're all in good health, don't worry, and I can tell you that we'll be fine for at least a few years more. No, Liz, what I want to tell you involves you only. I just want you to make sure not to pass up any opportunities that may come your way soon. Please, just promise me that, and I'll leave you alone for a while."

Elizabeth didn't understand what Jane meant, but she saw the look in her eyes and thought it best to take her words seriously, "Yes Jane," she said quietly. "I will."

Jane was relieved that she did not ask further questions, or put up a fight in agreeing. "Good. Now, let's eat, I'm starved!"

The two sisters dug into their sandwiches and hardly spoke for ten minutes. Though they were silent, it was clear that some form of understanding had been reached between them, and the tension between Elizabeth Bennet and at least one member of her family was considerably less than before. She was puzzled as to Jane's request but thought it unwise to probe further.

When they were finished eating Jane picked up her plate to throw away, and at the same time her free arm came into collision with the head of the man seated at the table behind her.

"Oh, I am so sorry sir. I did not mean to, it was an accident." She was beyond embarrassed, for she hadn't seen that coming, or she would have prevented it, to some extent.

Lizzy concealed her laughter at her sister's error, mostly to save herself from any sort of ridicule, and partly because now, for the first time she didn't want to make fun of her family.

"Its all right," the stranger said, barely looking at Jane or Elizabeth. "Don't worry about it."

Jane didn't, for more than two seconds. She was not the type of person to become pre-occupied in her own mistakes. "Liz, I've got to run, but I will be in touch in a few weeks. Do your best to get time off, and please, for your own sake, take my advice!"

Elizabeth nodded at her sister, gave her a listless airkiss on each cheek, and took a long drink of Dr. Pepper as Jane rushed off down the sidewalk.

Chapter 6:

Since her lunch with Jane had taken less than half and hour, and since she was entitled to a full hour for lunch, Elizabeth decided to relish her remaining time by sitting in the warm Los Angeles sun, and nursing her soda like an Irishman nurses his last pint just before closing.

She became engrossed in watching the man whom her sister had bumped into. Now, granted, she could only see him from the back, but she had an interesting feeling about him.

As she got up to throw away her trash she passed by his table and glanced at him. He was obviously a businessman of some sort, for he was reading through a stack of newspapers and memos that were piled next to his tuna fish on rye. Every now and then he put down what he was reading and took a bite of his lunch, each time following the bite with a sip of his juice, and a wipe of his mouth with his paper napkin.

All this Elizabeth had observed as she watched him from her own seat. When she got up to take her trash, she noticed for the first time that he had very large dark brown eyes, which he squinted while reading, probably because of the bright sun and his lack of sunglasses.

If all the daughters in the Bennet family had to have a talent, one would be hard pressed to give one to Elizabeth. However, after thinking about it for some time it would become clear. Elizabeth, though she cared little for herself or her family, was a great watcher of others. Often she could be seen looking at a person on the street, in the park, or the grocery store, with a glazed look in her eyes. It was as if she was memorizing these strangers, trying to read them and their habits the way Jane read their minds. It was an unobtrusive hobby and one that she was almost completely unaware of. She would often snap herself out of these little trances and for a moment forget why she was in the place she was at.

On this day, Elizabeth was "entranced" by the man at the next table. He was not particularly interesting, and there was nothing special that could have drawn her eyes to him, but somehow they were. As she passed his table, she kept her eyes locked on his person.

He never looked up at her, and she finally turned her head and focused on her task. She checked her watch and noticed that she still had twenty minutes left in her lunch hour, and thought she'd take the time to go shopping for a new pair of pantyhose, since the ones she was wearing were her last hole-and-run-free ones. She started off past the man at the table, purse and jacket in hand, when he looked up and stopped her with a smile.

"Your friend seemed in such a hurry a minute ago, and now you're off too. Everyone in this city is always running from one place to another." He continued to smile wide as he said this. His smile was large and toothy, and Elizabeth noted that, while his teeth could perhaps benefit from a few years of braces, they were as blindingly white as the copy paper he held in his hand.

"My 'friend' was actually my sister, I don't know where she had to go, and my lunch hour is almost over," Elizabeth replied simply.

"You wouldn't happen to have any aspirin with you, before you leave? Your sister's arm hit me pretty hard and I feel a headache coming on."

Elizabeth was surprised at his request, but politely searched her purse for the pain reliever she always kept in case of emergency. "This is all I have, I hope it helps," she said as she handed him two. "Now, I really have to get back to work."

"Thanks," he replied. He placed the pills on his tongue and took a sip of his juice. She gave him a small smile and walked on.

Before Elizabeth reached the end of the block, however, she was interrupted by a tap on her shoulder. She turned around and found herself face to face with the man with dark brown eyes and a white toothy grin. He held up a card in front of her face, obviously meaning for her to take it.

It read: William Darcy, Special Investigator.

Chapter 7

Posted on Thursday, 4 July 2002

Elizabeth blinked at the card in front of her eyes. It took a moment before she mentally snapped herself to attention, and took the business card from the man's fingers. She read it over once more, then pocketed it as she held out her hand. "It is nice to meet you, Mr. Darcy," she said. "I don't have a fancy business card to give you, but my name is Elizabeth Bennet. I work near here as an assistant in a firm."

William Darcy continued to smile at her. "Trust me," he said. "Private investigation is not as exciting a field as it is portrayed in the movies." He relaxed his position as he said this, pushing his hands into his pockets and tilting back onto his heels. "So far, the only cases I've had involved a woman believing her husband or boyfriend is cheating on her. I do a bit of snooping around and try to help her. In seven years I have uncovered only one wayward man. The rest of the cases were all products of the women's over-active imaginations."

Something in Mr. Darcy's smile and manner made Elizabeth sorry that her lunch hour was nearly over, and yet at the same time she wished she was not standing there talking to him. "It has been nice talking with you, Mr. Darcy," she said, "But I'm afraid I have to get back to work now. I hope your headache feels better soon."

He smiled and nodded, and got out of her way. As she walked down the block, Elizabeth pondered the stranger. He was all politeness and affability, and yet she was uneasy around him. As she neared the corner Elizabeth turned and looked at him over her shoulder. He was so engrossed in finishing his juice that he did not notice her glance.

Elizabeth made it back to her office three minutes late.

Chapter 8:

The rest of Elizabeth's workday passed uneventfully enough. At 5:03 she gathered up her purse, jacket and some papers and was about to make her way down the elevator when she decided to ring up her favorite local Chinese restaurant to order some takeout.

After a quick search through her Rolodex, Elizabeth found the number for Shanghai Gardens and called to order a dinner special, with hot & sour soup, Chicken lo mein, and her favorite Moo Shu Pork.

Since it would be thirty minutes before she could pick up her dinner, Elizabeth decided to stop by a drugstore and purchase a few new pairs of pantyhose.

She got in her car and drove in the general direction of Shanghai Garden and her home, until she found a Longs Drugs where she could make her purchase.

As she was pulling the Mazda into a parking space in the corner of the drugstore lot, she got the feeling that she was being followed.

Elizabeth was used to feeling like someone was watching her. Whenever her sister Jane was making an extremely deep connection with her inner thoughts, Elizabeth was haunted by a feeling of insecurity and fear. This time, however, she was pretty sure that if someone was watching her, or thinking about her, it wasn't Jane.

She carefully looked over her shoulder, but did not see anyone or anything that looked suspicious. Shaking her head in an attempt to rid her mind of any creepy feelings, Elizabeth ran quickly into the store and purchased six pairs of size B tan-colored pantyhose.

"These ought to last me at least three days," she was saying to herself when she found herself bumping head to head with --

"William Darcy!" Elizabeth exclaimed, rubbing her forehead on the place where they collided.

"Ms. Bennet," he replied, equally surprised. "I - I did not expect to run into you," he finished.

Elizabeth could not help but wonder if her feeling of being followed were accurate, and if her "stalker" was not the same Mr. William Darcy.

Chapter 9

Posted on Sunday, 28 July 2002

As Elizabeth thought over the possibility of, and the reason for William Darcy following her, the object of her thoughts leaned down and retrieved the bag of panty hose which had fallen from her hands when they bumped heads. He slowly stood up and handed it to her.

"Miss Bennet, you seem to have dropped your purchases."

"Thank you," she said, and then paused, wondering if it would be wise to continue a conversation, and perhaps enquire if he was actually following her, or if it would be better to smile and leave. Luckily, she did not have to debate for long, because he started talking almost immediately.

"I'm sure that you're wondering what I am doing here," he began. "It must seem very odd to meet a person in a drug store, just a few hours after you first met. I don't blame you at all for the confused look on your face. I can explain -- well, that makes it sound as if I have done something wrong, which I haven't -- but please, let me buy you dinner, and perhaps ease your mind. I am sure that by now you're thinking I am stalking you."

Elizabeth's slightly perturbed expression, and the way she averted her eyes when he said this made him sure that he was correct in his assumption.

"Mr. Darcy," she started,

"Please, call me Will," he interrupted.

"Will, then, I have had a particularly long and tedious day and I am really in no mood to be company for dinner. I am on my way now to pick up my dinner, and then I plan to enjoy it at home, alone, while reading a good book." She spoke a little more sharply than perhaps she meant, but she was really in no mood to spend time with anyone tonight. "And," she added, "If you are actually stalking me -- and I have no idea why on earth you would be -- I would greatly appreciate it if you would stop, but I have no desire to know your reasons or motive for being here."

"Are you finished?" He asked, when she paused for breath. She nodded. "I am going to tell you why I am here, whether or not you want to hear it. I had hoped to do it in a more private setting, but as you are so reluctant to cooperate, I suppose that the doorway of a busy drugstore will have to do."

Elizabeth looked a little taken aback by his tone and manner of address, but said nothing.

"As you know, Miss Bennet, I am a private investigator. What you don't know, is that I am investigating you. Mrs. Brown hired me two weeks ago to investigate the affair you are having with her husband. Now, the reason I am breaking my contract with Mrs. Brown and telling you this --"

"Wait a minute," Elizabeth nearly screamed. "Who the heck is this Mrs. Brown whose husband I am supposedly having an affair with? This is ridiculous!"

William Darcy just looked at her, and raised an eyebrow. After a moment she realized who he meant.

"Have you ever seen Mr. Brown, Mr. Darcy? I mean, the man must be 50 if he's a day, he's the most revolting looking man, and he has to weigh close to 300 pounds! Me, have an affair with my BOSS?!?! That's preposterous! I cannot believe that his wife could suspect anyone would have an affair with him! In fact, I can't believe that he's even married! I mean, he's a nice man and all, seems decent to me, but come on! He's not my type at all -- if I were even the type of person who would go around with a married man, let alone my boss! Who do you think I am, anyway?" She finally paused for breath, and took the opportunity to glare at William Darcy.

He drew in a breath as he took in all her words, before saying, "Miss Bennet, if you would let me explain." She nodded, her face still full of rage and confusion. "Somehow Mrs. Brown came to believe that her husband of twenty-three years, Mr. Timothy Brown, was having an affair with someone in his office. I suppose, since you are a young, unmarried, attractive female, that her suspicions came to rest on you. I was merely called in to investigate the situation, and, since your name played so importantly into the case, to investigate you. Now, before you get paranoid, let me tell you that today was the first time I ever laid eyes on you. I have not been following you at any time other than this evening, and I am very sorry for any pain or inconvenience I have caused you."

Darcy looked at Elizabeth to see how she was reacting, and was glad to see that she looked considerably calmer, although no less annoyed.

"I approached you just now (bumping in to you was a complete accident, my attention wandered to your fine, um, oh never mind), because I wanted to warn you. Although I have found no evidence to implicate either Mr. Brown or yourself in any sort of attachment, and I have related this to Mrs. Brown, I am afraid that the woman is overly paranoid, and is threatening to take drastic measures against you."

Elizabeth looked shocked. She had only met Mrs. Brown, a small, mousy woman, once, at the office Christmas party the year before. They had said the obligatory "hellos" and then parted ways. She had seemed friendly enough, then.

"What I am saying, Miss Bennet, is that Mrs. Brown is still convinced that you are having illicit relations with her husband, and I am afraid that you may not be safe from her anger. I am afraid I am breaking my agreement with Mrs. Brown in warning you, but it was all I could do. My job is to protect people, be it from the truth, lies, or any other type of injury, physical or emotional. I would not wish to see you harmed in any way because of this false accusation. I would like to offer my services to you, to keep you safe from any such problems."

Elizabeth was trying to take it all in. It was so strange, that this morning she was worrying about how dreary and boring her life was, and now, she was implicated in a love triangle. Even though the accusations were false, it still shook her life up a bit, and because she was in such a shock, she felt that it would be best to let William Darcy assist her.

"Mr. Darcy, I would like to thank you for your information. And, if you would accompany me to Shanghai Gardens, and then to my home, I would greatly appreciate your help."

Chapter 10

Posted on Sunday, 4 August 2002

William Darcy followed Elizabeth to the Chinese restaurant, where she added to her order another order of hot & sour soup, and some wontons, his favorites. She figured that two soups, wontons, lo mein and Moo Shi Pork would be enough food for two people.

He then followed her to her home, and pulled his car in behind hers in front of the duplex. She got out of the car with an incredulous look on her face.

"I guess this must be my lucky day," she said wryly as she approached his vehicle, which he was exiting. "I never find a parking spot directly in front of my place, let alone two! I generally have to walk half an hour to get home!"

"Well, I wouldn't go so far as to say that," Darcy replied, smiling at the look on her face, "but I am glad that this day is looking brighter. You seemed upset earlier, at lunch, and I can't imagine that my story helped your day any."

"Your right, but I guess I'll take anything good after a day like today. Even something as trivial as a decent parking space."

"Understandable."

She led him up the stairs to her house, found her keys and opened the door. Like a gentleman (she barely remembered that they existed), he took her bags from her so she could open the door with ease.

"The kitchen's in here," Elizabeth said, leading him through a somewhat messy foyer and livingroom, to a small but adequate galley kitchen. William surveyed his surroundings and decided that the apartment fit her well. It was disorderly without looking too messy, and it radiated a certain charm, despite its outward appearance. He could tell that Elizabeth, no matter how unkempt her exterior, or how cool her demeanor, was a kind and beautiful person on the inside.

Not that William Darcy didn't already find Elizabeth Bennet beautiful. From the first photograph he saw of her, in the file from Mrs. Brown, he had been entranced by her appearance. He couldn't blame Mrs. Brown for suspecting that her husband would be attracted to Elizabeth Bennet. She seemed so careless about everything, but he thought that underneath her carelessness, she was a deeply passionate person. She was beautiful, but she didn't seem to know it. He liked that, and it was the exact reason why he had decided to tell her about Mrs. Brown's suspicions, instead of investigating her from afar. He wanted to get to know her, but first he needed to warn her.

"I'll get plates and forks," Elizabeth continued, breaking William's thoughts. "What would you like to drink?" She was amazed at her own behavior towards this virtual stranger. Since she had only just met William Darcy, and their relationship had gotten off to a particularly odd start, it was unusual for her to be so easy with a person. She kept reminding herself that it probably wasn't too smart to have a strange man over in her home for dinner, but then again, she kept reminding herself again, he is a private investigator.

They were both torn.

William felt pretty terrible for the news he had broken earlier, and he wanted to reassure her that he was going to help her. Elizabeth was trying to decide whether to trust William or kick him out of her house.

The each took a plate filled with food, and a bowl, and made their way to the living room.

"I'm sorry I don't really have anywhere to sit," Elizabeth said, gesturing to the overstuffed sofa that sat in front of the television and a low wooden coffee table. William looked at the sofa, but decided he would rather sit on the ground and put his plate on the table, so he did so.

"Miss Bennet," he began, as she went back into the kitchen to get glasses of water.

"G-d, call me Elizabeth," she said loudly from the kitchen. As she walked back into the living room she added nonchalantly, "you're eating Chinese on my living room floor. We should at least be on a first name basis for this dinner, otherwise I'll feel like I have to break out the silver and the good dishes!"

William laughed at her attitude. "Well, Elizabeth, then. I have to say that I am amazed at your attitude towards what I told you earlier. I am really sorry that we had to meet under such unpleasant circumstances."

"William, um -- could I call you Will?" She thought even the name William sounded like silver and China instead of chipped plates and mismatched forks. He nodded.

"Will, I have to say that I was really shocked by what you said, but I don't think I can let it bother me too much. I have to decide if it would be wiser for me to stay at my job, and deal with Mrs. Brown's wrath, or to quit and deal with all the speculation, plus the difficulties of finding a new job in these difficult times. My job isn't particularly exciting or glamorous, but it keeps me, and I am determined to be independent. Trust me, if you came from my family, you'd do anything too to get away from them!"

Will didn't quite understand what she meant, but he gathered that her family was a little difficult, given what she just said, and what he observed at lunch that afternoon.

"Elizabeth, I don't want you to have to leave your job. Such a false accusation shouldn't have to affect you in any major way. It shouldn't cause you any distress or pain. Now, if you will permit me, I will explain my plan for clearing your name, as we may call it, from Mrs. Brown's accusations."

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