Love At A Glance

By JillTarah

The Beginning, Next Section

Chapter 1: Homecoming

Posted on Tuesday, 2 December 2003

Elizabeth allowed the screen door to slam as she left her parent's home in rural North Carolina. As she started walking towards the neighboring meadow, she could still hear her mother's tirade about her career and lifestyle choices.

"Do you have a boyfriend yet? Why not? You're not getting any younger." Elizabeth started to mutter to herself, swinging her arms in various directions in a frustrated matter. Her dark, shoulder-length curly hair fell out of the ponytail, as she shook her head in exasperation. "You are never going to have children at the rate you're going. You have completely wasted your life! I pay for this big fancy education, for you to do what? Spend your life in public service? Making $26,000 a year, and working 20 hours a day. You would think that you would get out a little more, wouldn't you? I mean it isn't like Washington is in the middle of nowhere. It is practically the Disneyland for single people."

When Fanny Bennet got on a roll, she pulled out all of the stops. Not that her speech was anything new. Elizabeth knew when she flew into Meryton Thursday evening that she was in for it the entire weekend. Here it was Sunday, and she just couldn't take it anymore.

Elizabeth looked around for something she could vent her frustration on. She spied a stick and picked it up. She just doesn't understand. She doesn't get how important my job is. Frustrated, Elizabeth started to whack at the tall weeds as she walked on. Her slender yet curvy figure, determinedly marching up the hill. Couldn't she be happy that I graduated with honors from both University of North Carolina and Duke? No! Couldn't she be happy that I am the press secretary for one of the most well respected senators in Washington? No! Couldn't she be happy that I am one of the most highly regarded people in my field? No! Instead, just because I haven't met someone, gotten married, and had children, I have wasted my life. What a joke! And now I sound like Lydia!

Even though Elizabeth was frustrated with her mother, she understood why she said the things she did. Fanny just wanted Elizabeth and her daughters to have what she never had: money and a ticket out Meryton.

Fanny Gardiner had met Tom Bennet at a small party at a North Carolinian university. It is a truth, universally acknowledged, that when one drinks too much alcohol, stupid things happen. Such was their case, and two months later, Fanny found out she was pregnant. Tom and Fanny married and seven months later, Jane Rose Bennett was born. Over time, they had four more daughters, but their affection for each other diminished with each new birth until sadly, by the time Lydia Elaine was born, there was next to none left.

While Fanny was never in need of anything material, the lack of affection combined with the deterioration of hope for a better life made her a very bitter person. She knew her husband did not truly love her; in fact, she doubted he ever did. She was forced to stay in Meryton and live a life she had been trying to escape. She did not want her daughters to make the mistake she did. She pushed them to make themselves prettier, funnier, or better than anyone else in the hope that they would make good marriages and get out of Meryton. She lived her dreams through her daughters.

However, just because Elizabeth understood intellectually why her mother acted the way she did, did not mean Elizabeth accepted it. I am incredibly successful. I have a great career, car, house in Meryton, and an apartment in DC, and I don't need a man and children to fulfill me. As Elizabeth's mind started to wander from the seemingly impossible task of having a husband to just getting a boyfriend, a dark shadow fell over her countenance, as she couldn't help but remember the last relationship she was involved in. Ben. Why has he been in my thoughts so much lately? As Elizabeth turned around to take in the landscape, her mind was filled with the events of six years ago.

In her junior year of college she met Ben Nearing. He was everything she thought she wanted. He was adorable, intelligent, and was the guy on campus that every girl wanted. Ben chose Elizabeth, when he could pick anyone else, and the thrill of being so "honorably singled out" was something Elizabeth wanted to hold on to.

The relationship started out wonderfully. They would attend classes together, eat together, and go out on the weekends together. Ben was extremely extroverted, and liked to party and drink a little, while Elizabeth tended to shy away from those situations. However, once she started to date Ben, it was understood that she was expected to put in appearances with him. Very inexperienced in life and love, Elizabeth did everything Ben wanted, except further their relationship physically. She felt she was not ready for the next step; she was also scared that it could force her into a situation just like her parents, which was not something she wanted for either of them.

Unbeknownst to her, Ben was getting increasingly frustrated with Elizabeth, though he was wonderful at hiding it. He had already started seeing someone else on the side that satisfied his baser needs. But the challenge that was Elizabeth Bennet would not be finished until he got what he wanted. One night at a party, Ben slipped pills into Elizabeth's drink when she wasn't looking. Three-fourths of an hour later, Elizabeth did not know what she was doing.

She woke up the next morning in a hotel bed alone. Her clothing was thrown all over the floor and the room was a mess. Elizabeth couldn't remember what had happened and started to panic. As hot tears pricked her eyes, she called Jane, who rushed to pick her up and took her to the hospital. The tests came back that she had been drugged and assaulted, but thankfully, she was not pregnant and did not have any diseases. The police were sympathetic, but not helpful; they couldn't do anything because she couldn't remember whom she was with or how she got to the hotel.

Once she was out of the hospital, Jane took her to Ben's apartment to see if he remembered anything about that night. Elizabeth had been scared to tell Ben about the incident, but hoped that he would stand beside her though it all. After all, he had said he loved her. Her mind and body were still in shock as she knocked on his apartment door. There was no answer, but the door seemed to be unlocked. Elizabeth, who had been there many times in the past, decided that they should go on in. Inside, they saw Ben and "The New Girl" in a very compromising position. Elizabeth could do nothing but stare. As she finally forced herself to leave, she saw the sweater she had worn the night before laying on the chair. She turned and looked back at Ben, realizing what he had done to her.

Later that night, as Elizabeth and Jane talked things though, Elizabeth realized that she couldn't prove Ben had done anything. Her gut told her the answer she needed, but it wasn't going to be enough to convince anyone else. Ben was too well liked and well thought of. No one would ever believe him to be capable of such a criminal act. Instead, Elizabeth resolved that she would do everything in her power to make sure nothing like this would happen to anyone again, thus starting her political drive that would later expand to many different aspects. She would often dedicate a weekend to a counseling center, helping other women in similar situations. However, Elizabeth could never fully talk about what happened to her, even to warn other women about Ben.

She worked incredibly hard to counsel women to put their lives back together again, but she herself could never seriously date a man again. She had become too scared to place any type of personal trust in them. To her, they all seemed just like Ben.

Noises from a few miles down the mountain caught Elizabeth's attention. A family of six playing ball, and the children were laughing merrily. They seemed picture perfect. When I settle down, I want that. I don't want my future family to be anything similar to my childhood.

Elizabeth shook her head to clear her mind of those painful memories. She kept walking, determined to take out her hurt, frustration, and anger through exercise. She slowly reached the summit of Oak Mount and took in the view. Beautiful! As Elizabeth surveyed the picturesque view of mountains, valleys, and forest, she became overwhelmed with the scent of clean mountain air. The scent of pine and cedar intermingled lingered throughout the mountains, as eagles and other birds glided along the skyline. The mountains and the valleys fell into a zipper formation as they caressed the evening sky. The clouds left from the rain earlier in the day gently wrapped a blanket around each peak, giving the entire landscape a misty look. Nature at its finest! I will never tire of this view.

Lost in her reverie, she was startled as she looked out over the mountains, realizing the sun was beginning to set. Surely, it isn't that late yet. Elizabeth looked at her watch. It was 7 p.m. I better start heading back. It is at least a 30-minute walk to the house and an hour drive back. Elizabeth headed back to her parents' house. I wonder if anyone has thought to look for me yet? Jane has, I'm sure.

Jane was two years older than Elizabeth. Her sweet and caring disposition as well as her slender build, long blonde hair and blue eyes was held up by her mother as the ideal that Elizabeth and the rest of her sisters (except Lydia, whom Fanny was so pleased to see so much of herself in) should aspire to. However, just beyond that façade lived an inner guilt that only Elizabeth knew about. Secretly, Jane always had harbored some guilt for her parents' situation. Despite it not being her fault, she could not keep herself from thinking that had she not been born, the whole situation would have been different. It was her younger sister and complete confidante that kept her grounded and kept that guilt under control.

Jane's tender heart made her love everything that needed protection: nature, children, animals, people, and the list went on and on. She had a hard time deciding on a career, but eventually her love for children won and she became a teacher. Her creative lessons in the classroom soon caught the eye of the Director of the North Carolina Department of Education (D.O.E.). He recruited her to form a committee to investigate different educational techniques within the classroom. The opportunity gave Jane a chance to move up professionally, but still stay near her dearest sister.

As Elizabeth neared the back porch of her parents' farm, Longbourn, sure enough, there sat Jane, waiting for her.

"I thought you probably went on a walk," Jane said, rather calmly.

"I had to get out of there. You know how Mama can be. The funny thing is, it's always me. Not that I want her attacking you, but seriously, you're two years older and in the same situation I am. Mary is only three years younger than me and she doesn't get the 'good for nothing' lecture," vented Elizabeth.

"Lizzy, I hear the same lectures, too. As do Mary and the others. You know she just wants what she thinks is best for you."

"Yes, what SHE thinks is best for me."

Jane just smiled at Elizabeth; there was no point in trying to talk her out of this mood. If Elizabeth needed to vent, it was best just to let her do it and then be done with it.

"I think I will head back to Meryton, take a bath, and then go to bed. I have to go in early tomorrow," said Elizabeth.

"Okay, go on ahead. I will make your excuses inside so you don't have to deal with the family."

"Thanks Jane, I'll see you at home."

As Elizabeth got into her black Jeep Grand Cherokee, her thoughts raced to the day ahead. She had flown in from Washington D.C. to start work on the publicity for Senator Rossemmee's small business seminars. She mentally started to compare colors schemes and think of slogans the entire drive back to the home she shared with Jane.

Home! That's funny, when did Mama and Daddy's house stop being home and this start? Elizabeth chuckled at the irony of the situation. Her and Jane's condo was everything they had dreamed it would be. They had always wanted to own their own home together. A nice, mid-sized house just outside of town, but within a decent commuting distance. They had found just what they had been looking for nestled at the base of one of the mountains that encircled Meryton. It had a beautiful dark red brick façade with white stone carvings and accents on the front porch. It had three surprisingly spacious bedrooms, complete with delicate blown-glass and brass light fixtures. Elizabeth loved the little architectural details that gave the nice sized living room such character, such as moldings and the French doors that led to back deck and walk way to a small flower garden the girls had planted when they first moved in, a favorite place for Elizabeth to sit an unwind after stressful days.

Elizabeth took a quick shower and got ready for bed. She surveyed her room, and was happy that she had taken the time to completely unpack and clean as soon as she got in earlier in the week. She set her alarm clock and moved it further away from the bed so she would have to get up to turn it off, knowing that otherwise she might be tempted to hit the snooze button and be late for work. As she slipped in between the sheets, she stared at the ceiling.

As much as I hate to admit it, Mama is right. When did my life become such a bore? It is still relatively early and here I am in bed when I should be out with friends enjoying myself. Why is it that everyone else seems to have luck meeting people? Jane's met Charles, and even Mary has a boyfriend now. I'm lonely. Even with everyone around, I am still lonely. Somewhere inside Elizabeth, a feeling of anxiety and anticipation started to arise. Why do I get this feeling that something big is about to happen to me? With that thought floating in her head, Elizabeth slowly fell asleep.

Chapter 2: Remembrances

Posted on Tuesday, 9 December 2003

I'm doing this for Bing ... I'm doing this for Bing ... I'm doing this for Bing ... was the mantra that Fitzwilliam Darcy kept repeating to himself. In fact, he had been repeating it for over an hour now.

Why do I feel like I am forgetting something important? Darcy questioned as he shifted in his seat. In fact, he had been fidgeting that way ever since he boarded the plane. He tried to relax by lying back onto the cool leather seats and looking out at the lights the cities were giving off as his plane glided across the nighttime sky. He hated the feeling of nervous anticipation. It was like he was either forgetting something or life-changing event was about to take place. G*d, I hate this feeling. Every time this happens something unexpected happens. Mentally, Darcy formed a checklist of everything important to him. Georgia: At school, with bodyguards, where nothing could hurt her. Pemberley: Perfect, Mrs. R would take care of any problems. Bingley: Fine as far as I know. Darcy Enterprises: Secure, nothing unforeseeable.

Instead of brooding over it anymore, he decided to review the papers Charles Bingley had sent to him a few days earlier. Darcy couldn't hold back the chuckle that escaped him as he thought back to his conversation he had with Bing earlier that week:

"Darce! I've finally done it!" exulted a very happy Charles Bingley on the phone.

"And what would that be?" Darcy questioned, half-listening, as he looked over financial reports at his desk.

"I've made an offer of purchase for a company. I decided that you were right, that it was time I actually did something more productive with my degree."

"Congratulations. What company?"

"Have you ever heard of Netherfield Publishing?"

"Yes, it is a nice little firm. Not too big, but does a respectable level of textbook business nationally. It has been up for sale for a while," Darcy was very excited as to where this was going. Publishing would be perfect for Bing! It is small company with a great history and reputation. Yes, yes, he would do well there!

"Well, I've decided to purchase it. Nothing is final yet, but I hope it will be soon. Would you come down here and review the papers with me? You have much more experience in these matters than I do. With any luck, you'll be here to help me celebrate." broached Charles, hopefully. Ever since Darcy had taken over the management of Darcy Enterprises, a family formed conglomeration of several companies and interests, he had become withdrawn and far too serious for his relatively young age. Charles felt-- aside from his much needed help and insight with the details of negotiating the purchase--it would be a well-deserved vacation for his over-worked friend.

"When do you want me there?" Darcy asked as he looked out over the New York skyline. He stood up to reach for his digital calendar his secretary kept for him on the credenza behind his massive cherry desk.

"How about by the end of the week?" sheepishly asked Charles.

"WHEN?? YOU CAN'T EXPECT ME TO JUST JUMP A PLANE AND BE THERE!! I RUN A COMPANY, CHARLES!!" Darcy shouted as he threw himself down into his chair and raked his fingers through his hair. How will I be able to do this? I can't just run out and leave, but Charles would be lost in negotiations if I were not there.

"Relax, isn't one of the companies you run a technology firm? Surely they could find some form of communication for you to stay in contact, like teleconferencing or a mobile phone? I mean, it is only the 21st Century, so it might be somewhat of a stretch, but you never know. Then there is the flight issue I guess that fleet of planes your family owns, always at your disposal, would never do. You're quite right, Darce. My mistake! I should've known better than to think you could ever get here," Bingley quipped, sarcastically.

"Sarcasm doesn't become you," deadpanned Darcy.

"True, true. Well? Will you come?"

"Let me talk to Elaine and see if we can do some schedule shuffling. Can I call you back?"

"Sure, talk to you then." cheerfully remarked Bingley, confident that his friend would make it happen.

Three hours later, Darcy called Charles back, "Okay, I will fly down Sunday night and stay for a few days. I really can't afford to be gone from the office too long." reluctantly conceded Darcy, who was still upset that Charles assumed that there would be no problems for him to change his schedule.

"Great! I'll meet you at the airport."

"Fine," grumbled Darcy. He would never have asked if it wasn't important.

That was true enough. But Darcy didn't realize that Bingley thought it more important to get him out of the office for him, not for negotiations for Netherfield Publishing. The fact of the matter was Bingley had been worried about Darcy for several years. He never went out unless he had to. He never traveled except for business. His social life was nonexistent, the last girlfriend Darcy had was back when they were at Cambridge.

So Sunday night, bags packed and laptop computer stowed, Darcy sat on his private plane, en route to Meryton to meet his friend. But he couldn't escape the sensation of foreboding that was overwhelming him. When was the last time I felt like this?

Diane! The last time I felt like this was that afternoon I found out about the true Diane.

Darcy had gotten out of class early and decided go home and surprise Diane. At his house, Diane was sitting under a tree with her friend Joyce, taking tea and talking, when he snuck up behind them and heard that fateful conversation.

"You've only been dating him for four months, Diane. How can you expect him to just pop the question?" asked Diane's friend Joyce.

"Easily enough. I'll take him to bed one night, forget protection, and then I'll simply say, 'Will, we're pregnant!'" stated Diane with an innocent tone and expression that looked foreign on her face.

"Do you think that will actually work?"

"Of course it will. I'll make sure there are no condoms around, then in the heat of the moment I will tell him it doesn't matter. Then I'll wait a month and tell him."

"You really expect him to ask you to marry him that easily after that?"

"Of course! Fitzwilliam is a man of honor. He will see it as his duty to marry me."

"What if there is no child, Diane?" pragmatically remarked Joyce.

"People lose their babies all the time. I'll just pretend I miscarried."

"Di, I don't think William is stupid. I th..."

"I am most certainly not." Darcy finally interrupted, having heard enough. Both of the ladies jumped up and turned to look at Darcy. To say that he was livid would be an understatement. No one had ever seen his face so cold and stony. He had to physically hold himself back, so not to lash out at both. The ladies looked shocked, but only Joyce sensed the real danger Diane was facing. Diane, initially alarmed, decided to try to salvage the situation.

"Will ... Dear..." cooed Diane.

"DON'T!! Don't even try. I want you to leave now. Anything of yours in my possession will be sent to you this evening. I will also send my driver to pick up anything of mine. And Diane," Darcy spat, "don't ever come near me again."

As Darcy came back to reality, he shook his head to clear his thoughts. The realization that someone he cared about could have been so manipulative and mercenary made him distrust any other feminine overtures, preferring to keep that part of himself locked away. The fact that he was getting the same sensation he felt the last time he saw Diane disturbed him. What does this feeling mean? What could happen in Meryton that could be anything like what happened between Diane and I? It's a little town full of nobodies.

As Darcy finished going over the purchase papers of Netherfield Publishing and marking them for future review, the captain's voice came out over the intercom.

"Mr. Darcy, sir? We are about to begin out descent into the Meryton Airport. The tower informs me that Mr. Bingley and your limo are already there and waiting on you."

Bing is on time for once! That's probably Daniels' doing. Darcy smirked to himself. "Well, here goes nothing," he mumbled quietly to himself.

After disembarking, Bingley greeted his oldest friend with a swift pat on the back and led him to the waiting limousine. As they relaxed in the plush backseat, they started to catch up with each other.

"How long will you be staying with us here in Meryton, Darce?" questioned Bingley.

"I planned to stay the full week, that was what the invitation was for, right?" smirked Darcy. He knew that statement was going to take Bingley by surprise.

"Really? That's great! Why the sudden change of heart? Not that I mind, of course..."

"Well, it turns out there are these things called computers, cell phones, and wireless Internet modems. So you were right, I can run the company comfortably from a hotel room in Meryton, North Carolina."

"Sarcasm doesn't become you either, Darce," laughed Bingley.

Darcy just smiled. "So, where are we staying?"

"At the Columbia Club Inn. It is a nice place in the middle of town. It is no Pemberley, I grant you, but I find the place charming." Bingley added after seeing the skepticism on Darcy's face. "It's small by your standards-only five stories--but it really is elegant with this old world feel about it."

"Sounds . . . nice," allowed Darcy, the doubt clearly written on his face.

"It is! Oh, one other thing while I am at it: I know I promised a lot of time with you this week, but..."

"Don't tell me ... you've met someone!!" finished Darcy.

"Darce, she is an absolute angel." Darcy just smiled as Bingley enumerated all of Jane Bennet's many attributes in glowing detail, followed by the tale of how they met.

Bingley had finally finished his narrative as they pulled up to the Columbia Club Inn.

"You were right, Bing. I should have given you more credit." Darcy eyed the historic façade of the hotel as they pulled around the circular drive of the hotel.

"What do you mean Darce? You haven't even met Jane yet."

Darcy laughed, leave it Bing to have a one-track mind! "I meant the hotel, but if she is anything like your description of her, I would be more than happy to meet Jane as well."

"Great! Well, let's get settled for the night, I am sure you need to check in with the office and take care of a few things before tomorrow."

The two headed to the third floor and exchanged wishes for a good evening. As Darcy entered his room, and gazed appreciatively at the beautiful white marble and cherry wood décor. He noticed a large balcony through a set of French doors.

He slowly lifted the latch and went outside. It really is a pretty city at night. Hopefully, it will be just as nice during the daytime too...

Darcy went back inside, finished some last minute work, sending it electronically back to his office, and went to bed. He rolled over to look at the clock next to his bed. 11:30... When did I get so dull that I'm in bed before most people my age? Darcy rolled back onto his back and looked at the intricate molding decorating the ceiling. Maybe Bing is right. Maybe I should get out more. The acute pain he felt at Diane's betrayal came flooding back to him, along with the subsequent paralyzing fear of getting hurt again, a fear that he was constantly struggling against. However, it was soon replaced by the earlier feeling of nervous apprehension. Why do I feel as though something big is about to happen to me? It was the last thought reverberating in Darcy's mind as he slowly fell asleep.

Chapter 3: - A Glance Upward

Posted on Thursday, 1 January 2004

BEEP... BEEP... BEEP...

"AHH!" screamed Elizabeth as she fell out of bed and onto the floor to turn off her alarm. "Monday. I hate Mondays." She shut off her alarm and got back into bed. Ten minutes later, Jane started to knock on Elizabeth's door.

"Lizzy, it's time to get up..." Jane said as she opened the door. Elizabeth was still lying under all of her blankets with her head under her pillows. Jane laughed silently to herself. Well, I know how to fix this.

Jane went back across the hallway to get a running start. She ran straight into Elizabeth's room and jumped onto the bed and on top of Elizabeth.

Elizabeth screamed as Jane landed on top of her. "Geez, you didn't have to do that. I heard you the first time," complained Elizabeth as she emerged from her hiding spot.

"Come on, we use to do that all the time as little girls. Besides, you would have never gotten up and we would have been late. Maybe I'll even let you have Mountain Dew for breakfast." smirked Jane. Elizabeth wasn't a big fan of coffee, but sometimes needed a pick-me-up in the morning.

As Jane left the room, Elizabeth started to make her way around her bedroom. She picked up all of the clothing she had thrown on the floor the night before and started to rummage through her closet. What to wear? What to wear? You'd think with all the business clothes that I have, I wouldn't have such a hard time deciding.

Elizabeth decided to wear her navy blue business pantsuit with a red and white striped shirt. She needed to look very professional, but not over the top. She wanted to blend in with her colleagues here, rather than their more aggressive counterparts in D.C.

As Jane and Elizabeth walked out their door to commute to work together, they saw their neighbor, Charlotte Lucas, was leaving as well.

"Good morning, ladies!" distractedly greeted Charlotte as she tried to lock the door and balance her briefcase and coffee at the same time. While Charlotte was usually very plain, she looked great today, in a pantsuit that matched her brown hair, which was loosely tied back with a matching clip.

Charlotte Lucas was considered to be the best and the brightest in her field. She worked hard in medical school, after graduation she opted to work for the North Carolina Department of Health. Her work ethic and intelligence had made her indispensable, and she quickly worked her way up to Senior Administrator. It was the one thing about Charlotte that Mrs. Lucas could truly boast about

"Good morning, Char!" smiled Jane.

"I sure hope so, Jane." Charlotte then looked at Elizabeth "Lizzy! I didn't know you had gotten home already. When did you get in?"

"I got in Thursday night, but I had to spend the weekend at the Bennet homestead," Lizzy rolled her eyes in amusement, "where, I might add, I was told that I am a disappointment to my mother, because she's sure I will never have children. And I have wasted my life in public service. And I should get out more while I am in Washington because it is ... now what did Mama call it? Oh yes! 'Because everyone knows that Washington D.C. is the Disneyland for single people.'" Charlotte and Jane smiled in commiseration; they were all too familiar with Fanny Bennet's rantings. "Anyway, how are you, Char? Still enjoying the D.O.H.?" asked Elizabeth.

"I am doing just fine. The Department of Health can't do without me, of course." Charlotte sighed, melodramatically. "What are you two doing for lunch? Do you want to get together?" asked Charlotte.

Everyone agreed to meet at Elizabeth's office to buy lunch at the outdoor market and then head to Monument Circle to eat.

Elizabeth's morning at Senator Rossemmee's home office was busy. It had fallen to Elizabeth's excellent diplomacy skills to soothe the ruffled feathers of the local office workers who felt slighted by their more egotistical counterparts at the Capitol. She met with them in small groups and attempted to reassure them that their opinions and work really did matter, especially to the senator. Then she had to start work on the publicity for the senator's small business seminars. The rest of Elizabeth's morning was full of the slogans and press releases that had filled her mind the previous evening.

At noon, Elizabeth's phone rang. It was Jane saying she and Charlotte were waiting downstairs. Elizabeth grabbed her blazer and purse and proceeded down to the lobby to meet her lunch dates.

"Hey girls! How have your days been so far?" Elizabeth cheerily asked as she approached the pair.

"Not too bad, I had to deal with a livid homeowner," stated Charlotte as the girls headed out the door towards the market. "We condemned his house last week because it was unfit and unsafe to live in; plus, it was a health concern for the community. I mean, this place had two inches of mold growing on all of the walls, ceilings, and floors."

"That is so sad. Does he have anywhere to go?" asked Jane, who was always concerned for everyone.

"I wouldn't feel too sorry for him, Jane. I guess the state offered to buy his house and land from him eight years ago, when it started to become a problem and he refused stating something about some woman's condescension. Now it's so bad we have to burn the house, all of the contents and the land," stated Charlotte.

Charlotte paused in her story just as they reached the outdoor market, and the girls split up to find what they wanted for lunch. About fifteen minutes later, the girls regrouped and were heading towards Monument Circle.

"Wait, Char, that man you were talking about earlier--was his name Bill Collins?" asked Elizabeth, curiously.

"Yes, that's his name. After dealing with him on the phone for an hour and a half, I could hardly forget it."

"He called the Senator's office today and started demanding the Senator do something and generally gave us a hard time about that same situation. We were joking about it because we kept trying to explain why we couldn't intervene in the situation because of jurisdiction issues," said Elizabeth. "And as soon as you said something he didn't want to hear..."

"He would start to pant," said both Charlotte and Elizabeth simultaneously. All three girls were laughing as they are reaching the circle.

Visually, historic downtown Meryton is one of the most beautiful places in North Carolina. The entire downtown's focus is its center, Monument Circle. Within 20 feet of approaching the circle, all roads turn to brick and continue into a brick circle. In the middle of the circle sits a memorial to all of those in the state of North Carolina who lost their lives in war. The monument was made of white stone and copper. At the top was a huge skylight that looked out on the entire sky, and from which the entire cityscape of Meryton was visible. Surrounding the monument were huge fountains and stairwells with different aspects of North Carolina's culture and natural resources depicted on them. The business people of Meryton congregated to eat lunch on the stairs daily, enjoying the fresh air and the sounds of fountains splashing.

The girls looked around the crowded area for an open spot. Finally an opening became available, facing the Columbia Club Inn. As the girls sat and ate, Charlotte espied a handsome stranger was watching them.

"Girls! Check out the Inn's third story balcony. He's been staring over here since we all sat down," exclaimed Charlotte.

"He's okay," says Jane.

"He's okay? Are you joking? That man is 100% Grade A prime meat," slavered Charlotte.

"Char, he isn't cattle. We aren't going to have him for dinner," laughed Elizabeth.

"Girls, I don't know about you two, but I'd have him for dinner any night of the week. Hell, I'd even take left-overs," says Charlotte. "But, alas, I don't have the good looks of a Bennet girl. My guess is he is staring at one of you two."

"He isn't staring at me. I'm nothing compared to Jane," quipped Elizabeth with a smile.

"Well, I doubt he is looking at me. But, even if he was, I couldn't take him up on any offer," Jane gently demurred, while turning bright red.

"Charles!" Elizabeth and Charlotte sighed together, dreamily and then busted into laughter.

"You girls are horrible. I will never say another word about him if you're going to tease me like that."

Elizabeth started to laugh while Charlotte asked how Jane and Charles met.

"Well, it isn't anything real serious ... at least not yet," Jane said, a little defensively. "I mean, we have talked a few times and gotten coffee together. He seems really nice. We met at the Department of Education."

"Does he work at the D.O.E.?" questioned Charlotte.

"No, he just purchased a publishing firm. I guess they publish quite a variety of textbooks, and he had a meeting with us about it. We met during his first meeting; we both reached for the doors at the same time. Now, he stops by my office every time he is in the area. He's very sweet. He told me this morning that he has a friend in town helping him with business.

"He came by and he didn't ask you to lunch?" questioned Charlotte.

"Of course, but I already had plans with you two!!"

"You could have cancelled!!" exclaimed both Elizabeth and Charlotte.

"I know, I know, but I wanted to get caught up with you two. I haven't gotten to really talk to you guys in weeks. Besides," Jane blushed a little, "we rescheduled for dinner on Thursday."

"Just dinner?" inquired Elizabeth, saucily.

"Yes, just dinner. We can't be out too long. I mean, he has a friend in town and I have to work... I don't own my own business, so I have to go by the hours the boss sets, Lizzy."

"Just wondering ... no need to get snooty." smiled Elizabeth.

The lunch hour ended too soon; the friends wrapped up their conversation, picked up the remnants of their lunch and stood to head back to their respective offices.

"Will I see you tonight for dinner, Lizzy?" asked Jane.

"I'm not sure. I have quite a bit of work to finish before I can even think of leaving. I will probably be home around 6. What did you have in mind?"

"How about pizza?"

"Pepperoni?"

"Is there any other kind?" Jane snickered.

"I'll pick it up on my way home. So I should be home around 6:30, but no later than 7."

"Sounds good, hope the rest of your day is great!" smiled Jane.

"Yours, too" replied Elizabeth.

As predicted, the rest of Elizabeth's day was hectic. Unfortunately, she did not get out of the office until 6:30, but she called ahead for the pizza so it would be waiting for her. As she walked out of her office and headed to her car that was parked across from the circle, she casually glanced at the third floor of the Columbia Club Inn.

Her breath caught in her throat. He's still there. She gazed at him as she walked on. Is he staring at me? It looks as though he is following me with his eyes. He is staring at me. Why? Elizabeth lost her sight of him as she turned the corner.

As she reached her car, all thoughts of him and of her work were pushed from her mind. All I want to do is go home, eat, bathe, and go to bed. And that is all I have energy for. Elizabeth sighed, realizing that all that she had to look forward to was waking up tomorrow morning to start the whole grind all over again.

Chapter 4: A Glance Downward

Posted on Wednesday, 21 January 2004

Fitzwilliam Darcy woke up exhausted. Everything about his body hurt. He stumbled into the bathroom, his body shivering when his feet touched the cold tile. After taking two aspirin, he turned on the shower.

Maybe a hot shower will make me feel better. I have to have it together for today's meeting. He quickly showered and settled on wearing his normal business attire: black suit, white dress shirt, and a red tie his sister had given him for his birthday last year. As with most of his suits, it had been custom-made, with a simple two-button jacket in a fine wool crepe. Overall, his suit was simple but spoke of an understated elegance.

During breakfast, Darcy looked over Charles' contracts, pleasantly surprised by deal his friend had found. This is a great investment for Charles. It will do him well. He seems to have had all the luck lately. Lucky in business, and now lucky in love. Realizing that he was dangerously close to envying his friend, Darcy was grateful when a knock at the door startled him out of his reverie.

"Come in, it's open." As soon as those words left his mouth, the object of his thoughts brashly strode into the room.

"Darce, good morning! I see you're reading over the contracts . . . good, good, excellent!" enthused Bingley. "I hate to ask this of you, Darce, but I think these negotiations will take a bit longer than the original week I told you. I really am relying on you to make sure that this deal works out for me. Plus, if you stay longer..." He glanced around the room sheepishly; Darcy sensed the contracts and upcoming negotiations were not foremost on Charles' agenda. He was obviously trying to summon up the courage to bring up what was really on his mind.

"Where are you off to this morning? The meeting isn't until 2:30 this afternoon. C'mon, Bing, it's quite obvious that something else is up."

"Am I that easy to read? Well, there is something else..." Bingley's tone made Darcy wary. "You see, Jane's sister is back in town..."

"No. No. NO!" protested Darcy, who immediately knew what his friend was trying to do. I hate being set up with people I don't even know. Bing knows better than that!!

"Darce, come on now. You don't even know what I am going to ask."

"Yes, I do."

"Well, I'm going to ask anyway," Bingley stated, calling Darcy's bluff. I know you'll say yes if I ask. Just meet her, you two have so much in common.

Darcy let out a groan that Bingley ignored as he continued on. "Jane's sister is back in town. Jane doesn't want to leave her sister alone since she has just returned, and we planned to go out this weekend. So, since you are in town too, and don't have any plans, would you mind...?"

"Yes, I do mind."

"Come on!

"How did you meet her?" asked Darcy, desperately trying to change the subject.

"Who? Liz?"

"No, Jane."

"Do you remember that appointment you suggested I make with the Department of Education about textbooks?"

"Yes..." Darcy nodded, happy to have gotten Bingley distracted away from setting him up.

"Well, I made it and while I was waiting for my meeting with the D.O.E., she walked into the building. I asked her name. It turns out she is the head of Special Projects for the D.O.E." finished Charles.

"I see, and how often do you see Jane?" questioned Darcy.

"Um ... professionally or personally?"

Darcy chuckled at Bingley's question. "Both."

"Well, she's never been in on my meetings with the D.O.E., but I usually see her just about everyday. We usually go out to lunch together or grab some dinner, but now that Lizzy is in town again..."

"You need someone to take care of the little sister, so you can have fun with the big one, huh?" Darcy finished his friend's thought.

Bingley sighed; this isn't going at all how I thought it would. Why can't he just say yes and not argue about it? "It isn't just that, Jane says she is a nice girl and has an excellent personality. It's just..." Bingley paused, considering how to phrase his next statement without scaring Darcy.

Darcy looked up from his coffee to see Bingley pause and look away. "What?"

"I'm nervous about meeting Liz."

"You're nervous about meeting a woman? I think that may be a first for you, Bing!" Darcy smiled at the thought.

"I know it is. But Liz's judgment and opinion are very important to Jane. And I really want to make a good impression. So, I know it would be a lot better if you would come too, so Liz doesn't feel uncomfortable, like a third wheel," Bingley finished with a half smile. If I tell him I couldn't do it without him, he is sure to say yes. Just meet her, Darcy, it sounds like she would be perfect for you!

Darcy sighed dramatically, "When?"

"Next Friday night, I've already made the reservations." Charles exulted, "I'll even pick you up. Jane and Liz will meet us there. All you have to do is be nice to Liz."

"All right, fine, I'll do it. But you owe me big, first extending this trip and now agreeing to a blind date," quipped Darcy lightly, but Charles could hear the serious undertone.

"You've got it all wrong, Darcy. Consider this trip a vacation from your responsibilities, and maybe, if you're lucky, an excellent investment in your future," smirked Bingley.

After Bingley left for his day's appointments, Darcy settled in and started his own work. First he called his secretary and received updates on everything that had happened in his two-day absence, letting her know that he would be staying in Meryton longer than originally planned. Darcy made several conference calls to different executives around the world, and then settled in to finish paperwork via e-mail. At three different times during the day Federal Express and UPS stopped by to drop off documents that needed his signature. Despite Bingley's jest of considering his time in Meryton a vacation, Darcy was working hard from his "satellite" office. Even with the ability to remotely manage his company, he still felt as though he couldn't relax. It seems as though everything is running smoothly back in New York with out me. Still, I should be there in person to make these decisions. I'm sure I could figure out a way to relax in New York.

As lunchtime approached, he was frustrated by the feeling he was literally miles from where he really needed to be. Much to his assistant's consternation, he called several times to his office, only to be reassured time and again that things were under control. If everything is able to run smoothly without me there, maybe Bingley is right. Maybe I should relax and consider this a vacation.

Stepping out onto hotel balcony to have lunch, he surveyed the surrounding area. From his vantage point on the third floor, he could see the groups of business people congregating on the steps leading up to the monument to eat lunch. Through the din of the crowds he heard the sound of a woman's laugh that intrigued him. He pinpointed the sound coming from a group of three women. They seemed to be enjoying each other's company so well, he couldn't help but feel drawn to them. The woman on the right had light brown hair and wore a light brown suit that matched her coloring, making her look entirely too beige in his opinion. A little plain. The woman on the left was blonde; she wore a flattering black business suit with a dark pink collar. She's pretty enough. But it was the woman in the midst of the comely group caught his eye. She was wearing a navy business pantsuit, but the jacket was open, revealing a red and white striped shirt. She had long, dark curly hair, and walked with an air of confidence. It was when Fitzwilliam heard her laugh again that he became fully enchanted with her. She has the most beautiful smile and her laugh is like music. Darcy had to grab the balcony railing to support himself. She's perfect, a goddess to be placed on a pedestal and worshiped! He was quickly brought back to earth by room service setting out his meal.

He watched as the three women made their way to the monument as he sat down to his lunch. They obviously were enjoying one another's company while they ate, if the smiles and giggles that punctuated their conversation were anything to go by. A momentary pang of loneliness ripped through Darcy. It had been some time since he had enjoyed a lunch with some friends instead of work colleagues. However, he tried to shake his melancholy off, reminding himself that he didn't have time for any type of relationship.

Even after wrapping up his own lunch, he felt compelled to stay and watch the three ladies finish theirs, never taking his eye off them as they walked off together. Darcy's eyes followed the curly haired brunette until she turned the corner and he could no longer see her, but the memory of her curls bouncing coupled with her laughter stayed with him and he allowed himself the fantasy of following after her.

What are you doing, Will? He snapped himself out of his thoughts. You don't have time for anyone; you shouldn't be letting your attention stray from the reason you're here. Besides, I'll bet anything she will be just like all the rest, pretty on the outside, but icy on the inside. She is probably beneath you in every way. Probably some secretary for some middle-aged mediocre executive. Darcy groaned, Besides, I think I have bigger problems; I'm talking to myself ... again! He shook his head and went back inside to his work.

The rest of the afternoon Darcy spent looking over Charles' new investment. After scaling mountains of financial statements, business forecasts, and market analyses, he decided he needed some fresh air and went back on to the balcony. If he was completely honest with himself, a part of him hoped to catch a glimpse of the woman who had so intrigued him earlier. As he gazed towards the setting sun, a fast moving object out of the corner of his eye caught his attention.

It's her! She is beautiful! Darcy continued to watch her make her way around the circle, taking in every detail, her confident stride, and the way she twirled her hair and glanced around as she walked. Suddenly, as if she could sense she was being watched, she looked up. Darcy was startled about being caught staring at her, but didn't break the gaze. Slowly, an easy smile spread across his face as a timid smile came across hers. She didn't stop her journey, but they both continued to watch each other until she turned the corner.

As he walked back into his room, he couldn't shake the feeling of long dormant desire that was starting to stir within him. Even as he laid down to sleep that night, his thoughts and dreams were filled with the curly haired woman that had captured his attention. He dreamt of them going out for an evening at the theater. I can just picture it: she'll wear a dark royal blue evening gown and her hair will be swept up with little curls coming down for me to play with. He imagined her looking around for him, and then when their eyes met, she would give him that smile again.

Chapter 5: So Do You Come Here Often?

Posted on Saturday, 31 January 2004

Senator Rossemmee's office was a flurry of activity in his absence. Elizabeth was hard at work, finishing press releases, working on the small business summit, and since the year was ending, starting to work with his campaign office. However, in the midst of all of the activity a development of a more personal nature often played in her mind, making it difficult to concentrate. For the last ten days, she had exchanged shy glances with the dark man on the balcony of the hotel across from the monument while she ate her lunch. He would be out there again as she left the office at the end of the day, as if he was hoping to see her again. At first, she was flattered, but over time, it grew into a larger fascination for her. She began to wonder what he was like, romantic fantasies spinning in her mind over what he was doing, and why he appeared to be waiting to see her.

During the second week, Elizabeth was informed that the senator would be in town at the last minute to attend a charity function. Luckily, she found out there wasn't going to be any press there; so although she would still attend to assist the senator in making introductions and working the room, she decided she didn't have to worry about staffing him with others from the office. Inevitably at these kinds of events, the senator relied on her to know who the VIPs were and to ensure that those who wanted to meet him got the opportunity to do so. Things became more complicated when she had to oversee a group of staffers. She could only hope that the briefing notes she received were complete so that she would be able to assist the senator on her own.

Needing to look dressier than her usual business attire, she left work early the evening of the charity function. She hesitated a glance toward the balcony of the man, who had weaved into her daily routine and thoughts. She was surprised at the sinking feeling of disappointment that came over her when she realized he wasn't there. Oh well, it isn't like it could go anywhere. You know nothing about him.

When she arrived home, she quickly dressed and got ready for the evening. She had decided to wear her black cocktail dress. It came down to her knees, and hugged her figure in just the right places. From a distance, the dress seemed plain, but up close you could see the subtle sparkles that were weaved into the dress.

As Elizabeth fussed with the little tendrils of hair that refused to stay put, she caught the face of her wristwatch. Elizabeth gasped at the time and scurried around her apartment, gathering her keys and purse. By the time she hit the front door of her house, she was almost in a dead run. As she got into her Jeep, she prayed that she would make it to the event on time. However, little could Elizabeth guess that fate was going to intervene.

I hate traffic. Why does it always seem like everyone has to be going in the same direction at the same time? Frustrated with the entire world, Darcy threw his head back against the headrest in his limo.

Everything had gone wrong today. First, he had missed seeing Her, causing a flood of worries about her being hurt, or worse, on a date, to rush through his head. Then his meeting with Bingley and his advisors ran 20 minutes late, and he knew he wasn't going to make it back to his hotel in time for the conference call, and worse yet, he wouldn't get to see Her leave work either. I knew we should have wrapped this meeting up sooner. Well, at least they won't start the conference call without me.

Darcy chuckled despite himself, and turned to look out the window. Everything was at a standstill. All around him, he could see other drivers reflecting the frustration, impatience and anger he felt himself. At his request, his driver had called to find out what was behind the traffic jam, and more importantly, how long it would take to clear up. To his utter dismay, he learned that the traffic on I-426 around Meryton was at a dead stop. Apparently, there was a major concert tonight at the outdoor theater, which was naturally causing back-ups. However, to make matters much worse, there was an eight-car pile-up that put everything to a stop until the accident could be cleared away. He sighed and cursed his luck. He was going to be here for a while. He pulled out his briefcase, determined to make use of this forced break to go over the figures once again. But his mind refused to comply. His mind was much more agreeably occupied. He had been dwelling on Her a lot lately.

Geez, man! You don't even know her! I can't believe that someone who heads up a corporation the size of Darcy Enterprises, and with all the people I'm responsible for can be so infatuated with someone I've never met. She could be anyone, or anything; he shuddered, remembering some of the gold-digging women he had encountered in the past. I should be more careful than to fall for a pretty face and nice clothes.

He ran his hand through his hair again. As he raised his head up, he looked out again at the cars surrounding his limo. To the left he saw the same two plain cars, nothing out of the ordinary. But, as he turned to his right to observe the people next to him, he noticed for the first time a black Jeep Grand Cherokee. He didn't know what it was about that particular car, but he felt drawn to it. As he glanced to see who the driver was, his heart jumped out of his chest and fell to his stomach.

It's Her!! It's really her!

Although Darcy had only seen her from afar, there was no mistaking those dark curls. Suddenly, his luck didn't appear to be as bad as he thought. He watched as she sat there looking out at the traffic. She seemed so patient and serene. She slowly lifted her sunglasses up to her hair and started to look around at all of those around her. She glanced towards his window, and her eyes started to slowly take in the limo. While she didn't seem impressed, she appeared to be considering it carefully.

She is looking at me! She is looking at me and she doesn't even know it! Darcy knew that the mirrored glass privacy windows of the limousine prevented her from actually seeing him, but he couldn't help but feel as she studied the limo that she was looking straight into his face and he felt a frisson of energy from those warm eyes.

She glanced back at the traffic and picked up her cell phone to make a call. A few moments later, she hung-up and took a deep breath and looked around again.

Darcy couldn't take his eyes off of her. She always looked amazing, but up close, she was beautiful. Her wayward curls that she would constantly fix, her sparkling eyes, and the way she absentmindedly bit her lip drove Darcy crazy. He marveled that she could appear so calm and unconcerned in the face of this horrendous traffic. As he was taking advantage of this up-close opportunity to absorb the details of her face, he noticed that she had rolled down her windows and turned off her ignition.

Smart girl! We're going to be here for a while! Might as well make yourself comfortable... in fact, if you want to come over here, we could make ourselves a little more comfortable together!

While he shook his head to rid it of the seduction scene playing out in his mind, he was jarred back into reality when he perceived her getting out of her car.

Where is she going?! She can't leave me!!

He noticed another man approaching her, who had a huge smile on his face, which was reciprocated by her. All of a sudden, Darcy felt overcome with jealousy. Irrationally, he wanted to see her smile like that to him. No, he corrected himself, a smile like that only for me. A smile that would convey all of the passion he had imbued her with in his fantasies, which would tell him all that he felt for her was reciprocated. Darcy knew he was fighting a losing battle in maintaining a distance from the ardent feelings that she evoked in him. He watched jealously as she hugged the man.

Who is he? I don't think it's a boyfriend. No, he's definitely not her type. I'm much more her style than he is, he thought indignantly. What does he want with her?

He noticed another woman and man approaching the pair. As they stood there talking, She looked back and indicated towards her car. She said something laughing to her friends, and then appeared to say good-bye and start walking back.

She is coming back! Maybe I should get out and try to talk to her. No, that could ruin everything; what if she wasn't what I though she was? I don't think I could stand it if she was just a pretty face, and had no internal value.

She arrived at her car and immediately grabbed her cell phone. It must have been ringing because she answered it, started talking, and paced the length of her car. Curiosity got the better of Darcy, and he rolled down his window a sliver to hear her voice. What a voice it was!! To Darcy, it sounded like an angel from heaven talking to him. It was everything he imagined and much more. He strained to hear more of her voice.

"That is correct, Senator. I will not arrive at the venue on time. No, sir. Yes, sir. It is my understanding that it was a horrible accident, sir."

As the conversation continued, Darcy was lost in his own thoughts.

Senator? Why is she talking to a senator? And senator who? A U.S. or State Senator? What does she do?

As all of these questions tumbled through his mind, Darcy reeled with this whole new aspect to consider of his fantasy woman. Evidently, she worked for a senator. Darcy knew that was not an easy job to come by, and only the most intelligent candidates would be offered a position that had any type of power. Furthermore, in order to get and keep a job like that, she would have to have an impeccable reputation. The only two U.S. Senators from North Carolina were Rossemmee and Golden. Darcy had contributed heavily to both of the men's campaigns, and would often meeting with them about projects within the state. As he looked out at her, he noticed that she was wearing a small black dress with a slight shimmer to it. It seemed mold to her body, and the sparkles in the fabric would catch the sunlight as she moved back and forth. Darcy was in a trance.

She must be going somewhere tonight. I wonder where she is going? Wait, didn't Bing mention tonight is Senator Rossemmee's speech to the Young Leaders' Association? I wonder if she is going to that, he said it was a semi-formal affair. And she is talking to a senator. I wonder...

Then he heard: "Thank you, Senator. Yes, I will arrive as soon as I can. I won't, sir. Thank you, sir. You have a great evening too, sir. Goodbye, sir."

This was it, he needed to jump or get off the diving board. So, he decided to jump, and opened his car door just as she was hanging up her phone and starting to leave her car.

"Hello..."

Chapter 6: Life in the Fast Lane

Posted on Monday, 20 February 2006

"Hello."

Elizabeth jumped in surprise, "Oh! Oh, hello!" She gave him a nervous smile. As he basked in that tentative smile and gazed into her dark brown eyes, Darcy felt his whole world stop. He was sure that nothing mattered anymore, as long as she kept looking at him. A thousand different phrases rolled through his head; there was so much he wanted to say, he did not know where to begin.

Elizabeth looked at the ground and then back at him expectantly, and Darcy realized that she was probably wondering why he had approached her and he recognized he had been silent for too long.

"Ummm ... do you know what the hold-up is here on the interstate?" Darcy knew full well what the hold-up was, but he grasped for the first thing that would sound like a natural reason to talk to her.

"Sure, there is some big concert tonight, and I was told that there was a big crash involving eight cars a few miles up."

"Was anyone hurt?"

"I think two were killed. Their car was stuck between two semis. Everyone else is appears to have survived."

"That is too bad ... I mean about the two who died, not the ones who survived," he added nervously, scared that she would get the wrong impression.

She chuckled a little at his correction, "Yes it is, but at least it wasn't everyone."

"Yes, exactly!"

Both fell into a nervous silence. Darcy didn't know what to say, and Elizabeth -- for once in her life -- was speechless, but strangely, didn't want to leave him just yet. He is beautiful, and I feel like I know him from somewhere. He seems so nice. I shouldn't just leave him. I wonder if we've met before.

Finally, she spoke, "I just spoke to my boss to tell him I'm going to be late for this event at which he expects me to be. I hope this traffic jam isn't keeping you from anything important." The warm smile on her face told Darcy that she truly cared about his answer. Elizabeth hoped that by talking to him a little longer, she could figure out why he looked so familiar.

Not important at all, since it brought me to you, Darcy mused to himself. "No, not much. I'm missing a conference call, but that's not as bad as missing a flight or something like that..."

"Yeah, I hate it when I miss my flight."

"You have missed your flight before?"

"Yes, twice ... It was horrible. It is kind of a long story though..."

"Well, I wouldn't mind hearing it, if you have time?" Darcy knew he wouldn't mind hearing her recite the phone book if it kept them together.

Elizabeth chuckled, and said in a low, conspiratorial tone, "I don't think I am going anywhere for a while." Darcy rejoiced at this shared joke.

"About a year ago, I had to go to Nashville, Tennessee for business, then the next day I was due back in Washington D.C. to address some legislators about a bill at ten in the morning. Of course, when I went to catch my flight in Nashville, there was a horrible accident that caused me to be delayed. I finally got to the airport, but I had missed my plane by ten minutes. I could see it sitting there on the runway, waiting to take off. Which, of course, was very upsetting! The lady at the ticket counter told me the next flight to D.C. was the next morning, but Louisville, Kentucky's airport had one leaving in about four hours. It takes four hours to get to Louisville from Nashville. I had her book me the flight in Kentucky. Needless to say, the traffic that made me late to the airport also saw to it that I didn't get to Louisville in four hours. So, my only choice was to go all the way back to Nashville to get the plane scheduled for the following morning. I got onto the plane at 6:00 a.m., which should have allowed me just enough time to land at Reagan, and rush to my meeting. Well, wouldn't you know, the plane had some "mechanical problems," and we had to divert to Pittsburgh for three hours. In the end, I didn't get into D.C. until one in the afternoon. I actually stood up an entire room of legislators! My boss was so upset with me, I thought for sure I was going to be fired."

"You weren't fired, were you?"

"No, although my boss thought it was a far-fetched story at first, until I showed all of my airline tickets to confirm the whole thing. He forgave me, and I rescheduled the whole meeting. I guess I just got lucky."

"I guess that's pretty..."

"Oh, look!!" Elizabeth interrupted. "The traffic is starting to move again! I'd better get in and start it up ... It was really nice talking to you..." Elizabeth stuck out her hand and Darcy reluctantly took it.

"Yes, it was nice meeting you." Elizabeth played with the idea of giving him her business card. She decided against the move because she had just met him. If it is meant to be, I'll see him again.

"It was nice meeting you, too!" Darcy didn't want their meeting to end, but couldn't see anyway to forestall her leaving.

With that, Elizabeth got back into her car and started to drive with the now moving traffic. Darcy got back into his waiting limo, and just as he shut the car door, a horrible thought struck him: I didn't even ask her name!!!

Darcy could have hit himself for how stupid he was. He stood there talking to her and he didn't even know her name. As their cars drifted apart in the traffic, Darcy took one last, longing look back at her car as his limo exited towards the downtown area.

As he made his way back to the hotel, Darcy fantasized about her on her way to lunch. But this time, as she approached his building, he would step right outside and "run" into her again. Her eyes would brighten with her smile, growing brighter at his suggestion that they spend the rest of the day together, enjoying every moment of each other's company. First he would take her on a picnic by the water gardens, followed by an afternoon in the city's greenhouses. Then that evening, after a romantic dinner, he would take her on a carriage ride around the city.

As she predicted, Elizabeth arrived at the event late. Normally, she would cringe at what she would perceive as a lack of professionalism, but the truth was most of the people attending had been late as well. They too had been caught in the evening traffic melee. So luckily for her, the schedule of events was subsequently delayed and her tardiness wasn't as obvious as it might have been. However, for the rest of the evening, two thoughts stayed with her: was she ever going to meet the nice man with the limo again, and why did he seem strangely familiar?

Chapter 7: Wet Meeting

Posted on Sunday, 29 February 2004

Elizabeth had always prided herself on her work ethic. She was constantly early, and generally the last to leave. She also had an amazing ability to encourage her co-workers to the same level of dedication. However, after her tęte-ŕ-tęte with the man on the interstate, Elizabeth found herself daydreaming more often than working. Her thoughts would alternate between the man on the interstate and the man on the balcony.

Even before she met the man on the interstate, Elizabeth would dress in the mornings and find herself selecting clothing that enhanced her appearance, on the chance that she might run into her mystery man on the balcony. Each morning, she would whisper to herself that this would be the day they would meet. Later, she would leave to get lunch, always with an eye on the balcony. Then on her way to her car to go home at the end of the day, the two would exchange shy glances and smiles. The only difference now was that Elizabeth was plagued with similar thoughts about the man she had met during their wait on the interstate as well as the man on the balcony. She could not help but look around her at intersections and driving down thoroughfares, hoping to see the limousine again.

As if her mind wasn't already filled with thoughts of men she didn't know, to her chagrin, Jane had coerced Elizabeth into going out with someone on Thursday night. Elizabeth was not interested in being set up, but Jane insisted that the purpose was for Elizabeth to meet Charles. The only catch was that Charles was bringing a friend. On her way home from work Thursday night, Elizabeth thought back to the conversation she and Jane had.

"Who is he?" asked Elizabeth.

"His name is William, and he's in town to help Charles with the details of a business deal," responded Jane, purposely being evasive with details.

"Does he know that I am going to be there?"

"Yes, but don't think of it as a double date. His opinion and friendship is important to Charles, and I want your support when I meet him. Plus, I still want you to meet Charles."

However, neither Jane nor Charles was telling the complete truth. As important as it was for them both to make a good impression on the other's confidante, they both thought that Elizabeth and Darcy would be perfect for each other. The problem was that neither would be receptive to being set up.

As Elizabeth allowed her mind to drift from the man with whom she had agreed to spend the evening to the men that had been invading her thoughts, clarity suddenly dawned upon her.

Oh!! Why didn't I see it before?

Elizabeth reviewed the events of the past encounters with the man on the balcony with the man on the interstate. She realized why he looked so familiar to her.

They are the same man! Why didn't I see that before?

Elizabeth didn't have much time to dwell this realization. As she pulled into her driveway, she realized she only had forty-five minutes to get ready to meet Jane. As soon as she ran into the house, she started stripping down for her shower.

What to wear tonight ... What am I going to wear??

She threw all of her clothes into the hamper and got into the shower. Wouldn't it be great if I were getting ready for a day with Him, instead of a blind date? We would be going out to dinner, and then maybe see a play. Or, maybe out dancing? Instead, I promised Jane I would meet Charles and his friend. As she raced through her toilette, Elizabeth could not deny the sense of anxiety that gripped her. She had a foreboding that something was going to happen that night.

What could possibly happen tonight?

Elizabeth tried to stifle the butterflies in her stomach with thoughts of what she should wear. If she was completely honest with herself, there was a small part of her that was still considering her fantasy man of the balcony and interstate as she decided what to wear. What if he was at the restaurant as well? Elizabeth allowed herself to imagine him coming up to her at the restaurant and whisking her off from this forced double date to some private corner, where they would be able to sit and really get to know one another.

I really don't want to wear a business suit again. How about something a little dressier?

She pulled out a little red dress that was made of a satiny fabric. It was the kind of dress a girl would wear when she was out on the prowl. Too flashy for a first meeting!! She pulled out a navy dress that went right to her knees. Too plain and boring; he, I mean, they will think I work all the time. Next, she found a little black number. The actual fabric of the dress stopped at her knees, but also had a sheer layer that fell a little longer. The top of the dress came to a V at the neck and at the back. The straps were made of an extra sheer material, making them look transparent. Perfect! Not too flashy, but not too boring!!

As Elizabeth dressed for the evening, she started to look forward to the chance to get to know Charles a little better. As Jane's sister, it was very important to her to know just whom she was dating and if he was good enough for her. Though inclined to think well of him if for no other reason than Jane liked him, Elizabeth could not help but feel protective of her tender-hearted sister.

She slipped on her dress. It was perfect; it showed all of her curves off wonderfully. She dabbed on some make-up, a little more than usual, in order to highlight her dark eyes. She opted to leave her curly tresses down and they gently caressed her shoulders.

Jane told her she had to be at La Irises at 8pm.

La Irises? Someone has good taste, not the most trendy or fancy place in town, but definitely more upscale than what I've been used to recently. But then again, when was the last time I've been on a date? Could it really have been two years ago? I need to get out more.

She looked in the mirror one last time before she turned to leave. What she saw made her smile with pride. The transformation was subtle, but she could see it. She wasn't in her normal conservative business attire. Instead, the image before her looked like an elegant lady going out for an evening on the town. Maybe tonight won't be as bad as I thought...

She turned off her light as she walked out of her room and down the hall to the door. She stopped to pick up her jacket and her purse, but when she got to the door her demeanor changed dramatically.

Rain! It wasn't supposed to rain today! I think I left my umbrella at the office. I'll just have to run for it.

Trying to make the best of a bad situation, Elizabeth ran to her car. Once inside, she looked into the rearview mirror and sighed, as ever the perfect situation never lasts. There was some damage done, but it looked fairly salvageable if she could get to a mirror in the restaurant quickly. With that taken into consideration, Elizabeth backed out of driveway and headed to La Irises.

Darcy's week had been bittersweet. The memory of his meeting with the girl of his dreams constantly flooded his memory. After he had spoke to her on the interstate, he had started doing all of his work on the balcony of his hotel room, just hoping for a longer glimpse of her. Yet despite his desire to see more and more of her, he could not summon the courage to seek her out.

I just wish I could go up to her again. She probably thinks I'm some strange person who has a staring problem. Maybe Monday I could work up the courage to talk to her.

He had been watching her so intensely; he now knew her basic schedule. She parked on the east side of the circle, but worked on the west side. She would walk to her office around 8:45am every morning, and leave it again every night around 6:30pm. However, the part of her schedule Darcy loved the most was when she would go to lunch. He would see her go into one of the neighboring cafes or delis, and then come out and sit on the circle to eat. During this special time, Darcy could never take his eyes off of her. When she ate with friends, she would often glance up to him. Occasionally, she would eat alone, presumably to catch up on some work, but they would often get caught in a long gaze. He wished he could just approach her, but fear always kept him from that.

What would I say? Hi! I'm the man that has been staring at you from the balcony, and met you on the interstate the other day? I swear I'm not stalking you, but I would really like to go out sometime? Oh, yeah, that would go over really well. I'd be lucky if she didn't run away screaming or call the police.

Darcy's fears started to get the better of him while he was getting ready for his evening out with Jane and Bingley. Maybe I should forget all about her. I have only talked with her once, and it isn't like I really know her. Then again, I really haven't tried to get to know her either. I wish I could understand why I'm so nervous about approaching her. Maybe I should take that as a sign it wouldn't work anyway And that I should just forget her.

Darcy finished putting on his suit and looked in the full-length mirror, the image reflected back to him of the collected and confident executive did not match the turmoil he felt inside. "I'm not going to think of her tonight. I'm going to try and have a good time." Then think of her when I get back home! Darcy sighed and leaned his head against the mirror's glass.

"Darcy! You ready?" questioned Bingley as he knocked on the door of Darcy's hotel suite.

"I'm coming right now," Darcy, answered Bingley. Well, here goes nothing.

With that, Darcy walked out of suite and the two friends left the hotel to go to La Irises where they going to meet Jane and her sister, Liz.

At the restaurant, Darcy and Bingley waited for the girls by the foyer door. Both men tried to ignore the ominous portent of the worsening rainstorm outside. Anxious for the evening to begin and be over with, Darcy fidgeted from one foot to the other. Finally, Jane walked through the door.

"Jane!" Bingley called to her, with relief evident in his voice. "I was worried that you might get caught up in the weather. Is everything okay?"

"Charles! Yes, I'm all right. It was a little rough out, but nothing we aren't used to. Has my sister arrived yet?"

"I haven't seen anyone resembling your description of her. Maybe she was caught in the storm too?"

"Maybe..."

Bingley glanced at Darcy, who was observing the situation from afar, "Jane, let me introduce you to William." With that, Bingley took Jane's arm and gently guided her to Darcy.

"Will, this is the amazing Jane Bennet. Jane, this is my best friend, William Darcy."

The trio was exchanging pleasantries when the door to the restaurant opened and there was a large thunderclap. All three turned to look at the woman entering the restaurant. The rain and humidity had made her curly hair extremely frizzy and out of control. Her cocktail dress was soaked through and clung to her body in the most provocative way. Aside from looking extremely wet, it also was bordering on indecent. Plus, her mascara had started to stream down her face.

"Lizzy!" exclaimed Jane, "Excuse me for a moment, will you?"

Both of the men nodded their heads and watched the interaction of the two sisters as Jane guided Lizzy to the ladies' lounge to straighten up.

"Lizzy? Are you okay?"

"Oh! I think I'll be okay. I'm just a little wet. Could you help me with my coat? I think the water has melded it to me," joked Elizabeth with more cheerfulness than she felt.

Using the air hand dryers in the lounge, Elizabeth attempted to dry off and fix the damage done by the wind and rain. She sighed as she looked at herself in the mirror; the elements had conspired to make her look decidedly less elegant than she had felt at home. Jane reassured her that she looked fine, though Elizabeth suspected that Jane was being too kind. Realizing that there was little else that could be done, the girls returned to the foyer to finish the introductions.

"I guess that is Jane's sister," begun Bingley, oblivious to the returning of the sisters.

"It would appear so... What is it that she does again?" asked Darcy. What has Bing gotten me into? She looks like something the cat dragged in...

"Jane said she was involved in public relations of some sort."

Darcy looked around at the other people in the restaurant. None of them looked half as wet as Jane's sister. "Public relations? What type? Does she walk the street looking for clients? No one else here is half as wet, or as inappropriately dressed."

Behind him, Darcy heard an audible gasp, and the look on Bingley's face told him all he needed to know. As he slowly turned around, he came face to face with Jane's fiery-eyed sister.

Oh NO! thought Darcy, Her! It's really her! I can't believe this. I just insulted the one woman in the world I wanted to impress...

"Now, that's not very nice. You hardly know me, because if you did, you'd know I'm in a different type of public relations," Elizabeth sassed breezily with a mocking smile. "Actually, it's really my client that has me walking the pavement every day."

Darcy cringed at Elizabeth's remarks. He knew she was trying to add humor to his regrettable comments, but he could see the hurt that filled her eyes. What have I done?

Chapter 8: Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word

Posted on Monday, 5 April 2004

Elizabeth's anger and hurt threatened to overtake rational thought. Him?! Of all the men in the world, why did it have to be Him? She realized the moment she laid eyes on him that he was the man from the interstate and the balcony. In that instant, she felt all of her dreams were shattered. In her fantasies, Elizabeth hoped that maybe this man would be the one to rebuild her faith in men, but that hope was dashed the moment he opened his mouth this evening. Instead of feeling joy in seeing him again, her heart was overtaken with despair. She couldn't look at him without wanting to hate or hurt him. Hurt him in a similar way in which he had done her.

Despite all of her pain, Elizabeth knew she had to defuse the growing tension of the situation. Darcy was staring at her in a way in which she could not describe, but deeply unsettled her. Her sister looked shocked, and the man she presumed to be Charles Bingley was pale and looked appalled at his friend. Employing her deeply ingrained political skills to not betray her hurt and anger, Elizabeth looked at the man behind Darcy's right shoulder and stuck her hand out, "You must be Charles Bingley."

Snapping out of the dreamlike haze that had settled over him, Bingley answered, "Yes, yes I am. And you could only be Elizabeth?"

"Yes. I do believe you are everything Jane said you would be," Elizabeth said, and glancing behind her, saw her sister start to blush.

Bingley laughed, grateful to have Lizzy so adeptly move past Darcy's vile comment, "Well, I have to say, you are everything Jane said you would be as well. I should introduce you to my friend William Darcy, but it seems as though he has already made his presence known."

"Yes, it seems as though he has," Elizabeth quipped with an angry glance to the man in question.

During the entire exchange, all Darcy could do was stare. The whole situation was surreal: Here stood the woman he had spent the better portion of a fortnight dreaming and fantasizing about, whose beautiful curls and lilting laugh were burned into his brain, standing in front of him, talking with his best friend. What should have been a wonderful night between the two of them sharing a romantic dinner was now horribly uncomfortable because his unfortunate remark. With Bingley's comment, he snapped back into reality. "Um ... Yes, about that," Darcy started.

The maître d' chose that moment to approach the group. "Excuse me, your table is now ready. If you will just follow me."

The group turned to follow him, and Darcy's moment to apologize was over. Talk about perfect timing.

They were placed at a cozy table for four. Although the restaurant was busy, the atmosphere seemed to encourage a surprising level of intimacy. Conversation levels were kept low, so there was only a faint murmur of background noise over the restaurant.

The walls were covered in a light peach tapestry, accented with white marble trimming. The individual rooms seemed to be divided by several large white marble columns that stood in the middle of each room. Original portraits and landscapes were mounted on the walls, highlighted by specialized lighting. In between the paintings were large candelabras that cast a golden light to the room. Scattered throughout were tables covered in crisp white linen with elegant centerpieces of candles and flowers.

The restaurant pleasantly surprised Darcy. Overall it was not as lavish as most of the French restaurants at which he dined in New York or London, but it was exactly the type of sophisticated place he would visit on a regular basis. Elizabeth, on the contrary, felt very uncomfortable. It wasn't the poshness that the restaurant exuded, but the fact that she had never tried French cuisine before.

As they set down in the navy and peach upholstered chairs, their waiter gave them each a menu. "Would you like to start off with some wine, this evening?" he asked.

Darcy quickly glanced around the table. The ladies were engrossed with the menus; Bingley quickly looked up and nodded to him. "Yes, please, what would you suggest?"

"We have an excellent artisan vintage from the Chateauneuf du Pape region-Domaine Jean Royer. His Hommage a Mon Pere has been given an excellent rating by Robert Parker."

"Great, we will take a bottle of that."

As the waiter left, Jane looked up at Darcy and Bingley. "What did you just order?"

"I ordered a bottle of red wine." Darcy, nervous that he had made another mistake, quickly added, "Why is there a problem? Would you have preferred something else?"

Jane quickly glanced at Elizabeth, who was finally paying attention to the rest of the group. "Oh, um..." Elizabeth, anxious not to offend the rest of the table, "No, it's fine. I don't drink though."

Darcy became panicky at the thought he had made another error. Great! First I offend her, now I make it worse by ordering alcohol. "I'm sorry, I didn't know." Darcy wanted to make a better impression on Elizabeth, "I can change the order."

"No, that is quite alright. I'm the only one here who doesn't drink; you all go ahead and enjoy the wine. I think I will order a glass of sweet tea." Elizabeth wasn't sure why she felt the need to reassure him. It just came naturally when she saw the fear and anxiety in his eyes.

The waiter returned with the wine and took the group's orders. Darcy, a creature of habit, ordered the same thing he ordered at every other French restaurant he had ever visited: Filet de Boeuf Poele. Jane and Bingley ordered the same Poulet Poché au Vin Blanc.

Elizabeth was only one left to order. She knew no French and couldn't completely understand the menu. As she looked up at the rest of the group, she felt before she saw Darcy's intense gaze upon her. Well, I'm not going to give him the satisfaction of knowing that I don't know what or how to order. She calmly looked up to the waiter and bestowed upon him her brightest smile.

Darcy felt as though the air was sucked out of him when smiled to the waiter. It was the same smile that he has seen on the interstate. The very one he imagined being bestowed upon him in a thousand different circumstances. Well, not anymore. Not after what I called her! Stupid! Darcy shook himself out of his reverie to hear Elizabeth address the waiter.

"I can't seem to decide on anything. It all sounds wonderful. I think I will just go with whatever the chef's specialty is tonight."

The waiter smiled and finished writing down all of the orders and left the group to themselves. As he departed, another awkward silence fell upon them. Bingley, eager to get past the current silence, attempted to re-engage Elizabeth in conversation. "So, Elizabeth, Jane tells me you went to the University of North Carolina," Bingley started.

"Yes, I did, but that was only for my undergraduate work."

"Where did you do your graduate work?" Darcy asked, seeing an opening in the conversation.

"I attended law school at Duke University," Elizabeth answered while quickly shooting an icy look at Darcy. He should know by now that it would be best if he just didn't talk for the rest of the evening.

"I see," mumbled Darcy, chastened by her withering glance. Perfect. Not only is she beautiful, but also has a great education. You really put your foot in it this time, Darcy.

"Yes, but Lizzy doesn't practice law," beamed Jane. Elizabeth blushed at Jane's enthusiasm. She had always been proud of Elizabeth's career. In fact, whenever she was mentioned or quoted on television or in the newspaper, Jane would save the clipping or recording.

"You don't?" asked Bingley. "What do you do with your degrees then?" he queried, thoroughly interested simply because of Jane's excitement in Elizabeth's career.

"Well, I had considered practicing law, but then I realized I hated courtrooms," joked Elizabeth self-deprecatingly. "Actually, I have always loved the fundamentals of government and communication. So, in law school I studied Constitutional and Communications Law. I'm the press secretary for Senator John Rossemmee."

When Elizabeth finished, she looked at Darcy. He can't mistake me for a prostitute now! She wasn't really upset about the remark anymore. She realized that she didn't exactly look her best when she entered the restaurant. But still, she was crushed that the man that had been filling her fantasies had turned out to be incredibly rude and judgmental. Worse, he had yet to apologize for his boorish behavior. Hateful man!

Once dinner was served, Jane and Bingley drew into their own private conversation, leaving Darcy and Elizabeth to fend for themselves. During the initial silence, Darcy realized this would be an ideal time to apologize for his earlier comments. He had been trying to formulate just the right way to do it since they sat down. Yet, for all his planning, the words could never leave his mouth. His trouble was that he was worried he would just make the situation worse by not being able to control his tongue. Ultimately, he ended up staring at Elizabeth with his mouth opening and closing mutely, and it was Elizabeth who broke the silence.

"What is it that you do, Mr. Darcy?"

Darcy was complete caught off guard by her question. Darcy Enterprises was large conglomeration of many different types of businesses, but specialized in the banking and pharmaceutical industries. An odd combination, but one that made the Darcy heir worth billions. So, given his name and the fact that he was often mentioned in the news, he took it for granted that Elizabeth would automatically know who he was.

Darcy looked at Elizabeth quizzically. How could she not know who I am and what I do? "Please, call me Will! I ... um ... run a company," Darcy vaguely answered. If she doesn't know, then I don't want to tell her!

Elizabeth, not knowing quite how to take Darcy's abstracted reaction, decided to probe further. "What type of company is it?"

"We are involved in the manufacturing and sales of several products."

Elizabeth waited for him to elaborate, but realized that was all she was going to get. "I can tell from your accent that you aren't native to the south. Where are you originally from?" Frustrated by his reticence and obfuscation, Elizabeth was desperate to keep the conversation going. She hated the awkward silences between them. Not being able to figure out what he was thinking made her very nervous. Plus, despite all of her hard work to put him in his place for the past thirty minutes, Elizabeth still felt drawn to him.

"That question is harder to answer than you'd think. I was born in Louisiana, but was educated in Britain. Since then, I have split my time between the two countries. However, I will always consider my home to be in Louisiana. New York and London are obviously business-centered cities with plenty of culture to take advantage of, but there are too many people there for my taste," answered Darcy, feeling embarrassed for revealing more than he had intended to. Why does this woman make me say, and feel things that I normally wouldn't even think about? Darcy still wasn't comfortable with revealing much about himself to her.

"Is most of your family still in Britain?"

"No, there are very few that I am close to, and they are split about evenly between the two places." Darcy made a mental note reminding himself to call his sister when he returned to the hotel. Hoping to keep the conversation going, he questioned Elizabeth about her family, "Is most of your family located in North Carolina?"

"My immediate family is located here," answered Elizabeth, happy for the turn of the conversation. She was starting to feel odd about Darcy's vague answers to her questions. "However, I have several extended family members that live around the country."

"Is Jane your only sister?" Equally grateful for no longer having to be careful of how much he revealed, Darcy realized he had been wishing for personal information about her from the day he met her on the interstate. It was that day that she had stopped being just a sexual fantasy for him, and started to become something more. Darcy hadn't forgot that he still needed to apologize for his comment, but he wasn't quite ready to ruin the conversation and subsequently the rest of dinner.

"No, I have three younger sisters. So, there are five of us, but Jane is the oldest."

"What was it like growing up in a house filled with sisters?"

"Do you have any female relations, Mr. Darcy?"

Darcy, uncomfortable that she turned the conversation back to him, nervously glanced at her again, "Please, call me Will. Yes, I have a few."

"Well, then I'm sure you are somewhat familiar with the intricacies of the female mind. Just imagine five of them -- or six, if you include our mother -- living under one roof with the only male being my father. Needless to say, it tended to be very, well, unique, for lack of a better word."

Darcy chuckled at her characterization. "How old are your other sisters?"

"Mary is 23, and is in medical school studying genetics. Then there is Catherine who is 20, and Lydia, who is 19. They are both currently in college as well."

The rest of the dinner conversation continued to be very formal, with topics consisting of their meals, life in Meryton and the town in general. Neither Darcy nor Elizabeth wished to become too engrossed in discussions. She was still very much affected by his mere presence. His current manners, and genuine interest were quickly thawing Elizabeth's cold feelings towards him. Darcy was just as enthralled by her presence. However, instead of getting to know her better, his thoughts had taken a much more intimate turn.

As dinner between the group came to an end, Jane announced her and Bingley's plans for the rest of the evening and startled Darcy out of his pleasant reverie.

"Lizzy, Charles and I were planning on going out dancing this evening. Would you like to join us?" Jane knew her sister had to work in the morning, and probably wouldn't want to go out. Normally, that would be fine, but Jane didn't want to leave Darcy alone while she and Bingley went out.

Darcy cast an accusing glance at Bingley. He knows I don't like to dance. But then again, it would give me more time with Elizabeth. I think I could make an exception and dance with her.

"I really can't go tonight, Jane," answered Elizabeth. "I have to be into work early tomorrow; otherwise, I would be happy to go with you." But that leaves Jane with both Charles and William. Despite the fact that he was rather vulgar when we first met, I don't want the same said about me. Elizabeth glanced at Darcy and Bingley, "I hope this doesn't cause too much of a problem for you?"

"It doesn't for me," answered Darcy. "I have an early morning as well, so I shouldn't go out either." Darcy was clearly disappointed with her answer. At least she isn't going out later this evening with someone else. In the middle of his thoughts, Darcy had a revelation. I should walk her to her car, and then apologize for my comment earlier this evening. Then ask if I could see her again. Yes, that would work! Perfect!

They paid the bill and the group started to walk towards the exit of the restaurant. Elizabeth cast a brief glance out the window, and with a laugh announced, "It looks like it stopped raining, so it will be safe for me to go outside again." Everyone laughed good-naturedly at her joke, except Darcy. He cringed, painfully aware that she still remembered his remarks.

Once outside, Elizabeth, eager to put as much space between her and the offensive Will Darcy, started to gesture towards her parking spot. "I am parked over here, does everyone have a way home?"

"Yes," Bingley answered. "Jane and I are going to go in her car and Darcy will take the car we came in back to his hotel."

"Excellent! Well, Charles and Mr. Dar ... Will ... It was nice meeting both of you," Elizabeth stated smoothly as she shook both of their hands and turned to Jane. She reached to hug Jane and whispered in her ear, "Be safe and have a good time!"

With that, Elizabeth turned to head to her car, and Bingley and Jane turned to go to Jane's car, which left Darcy standing by himself in front of the restaurant. A fleeting look told him that Bingley and Jane wouldn't notice if he went after Elizabeth. He knew Bingley wouldn't care if he followed her, but he just didn't want to have to answer the questions later. As for Jane, he didn't know what her reaction would be. He turned and jogged to catch up with her as she and neared her car.

"Elizabeth!" Darcy shouted before she could get in.

Elizabeth stopped, and turned towards the voice. What does he want, to insult me again?

Darcy caught up to her. Whether it was that he was out of breath, or his adrenalin was rushing because he was nervous, his words just sort of tumbled out of his mouth. "I wanted to say that I was sorry for my comment when you came into the restaurant. I was tired and irritable, and there is no excuse for my behavior. I would like to make it up to you. Maybe we could have dinner sometime?"

Elizabeth was surprised by the look of sincerity and nervousness mixed in his eyes. Realizing he was still awaiting her forgiveness, Elizabeth did not want to disappoint. "It's alright Will, I had a long day too. I probably would have been just as upset if someone in my party had made a similar entrance. Dinner isn't necessary to apologize, really."

Darcy recognized that Elizabeth had misunderstood his invitation to dinner. "No, I meant ... um ... I'm glad that you accepted my apology, but ... I was really asking, if you would like to go out to dinner with me sometime. Like on a date." Well, if she didn't think I was an idiot before, she certainly will now. Geez, why is it only around her either say the wrong thing or completely forget to speak at all? It isn't as though I have never asked a woman out before!

While Darcy may have been uncomfortable asking her out, Elizabeth was equally so in receiving the invitation. The feeling of nausea and fear grabbed at Elizabeth's stomach. She felt like she was about to break out into a hard sweat. This had happened to her every time a man had tried to ask her out since Ben. She never could accept, out of panic and sheer fear. Consciously, Elizabeth knew that not every man would be like Ben. However, her subconscious would tell her differently: run, hide, fear, dread.

"I'm sorry Will, I can't." With that, Elizabeth turned and was about to get into her car.

Elizabeth had tried to hide the terror she had felt when Darcy asked her out, but he had seen it in her eyes. Maybe I was wrong and she is seeing someone. Why wouldn't she have just said that though? I guess there is only one way to really find out. "Oh! I'm sorry. I didn't know that you were seeing anyone. I would never had..."

For some reason, Elizabeth didn't want him to get the wrong impression of her, so she quickly cut him off, "No, I'm not seeing anyone. I just can't. I wish I could explain it better to you. I should really be going now." Elizabeth quickly got into her Jeep, and with a last look at Darcy, drove away.

Chapter 9: An Invitation

Posted on Monday, 31 May 2004

As Elizabeth drove home from La Irisis, she tried to choke back the sob that threatened to break through but could not keep the tears from falling freely down her cheeks. While her main focus was to get herself home, she was also silently cursing herself for still being afraid. It has been over six years; you should be over this by now. A perfectly respectable gentleman asked to take you out. Why should it be so hard to say yes?

As tempted as she was to accept Darcy's invitation, her underlying fear kept her from doing so. Part of her wanted to tell him why she couldn't accept, but she dreaded the pitying looks and the apologizing that always came when she told someone she was close too. After watching him on the balcony, and then meeting him on the interstate, Elizabeth felt an undeniable connection with him. True, that connection had been threatened with Darcy's thoughtless comment before dinner. However, over the course of the evening, she had come to understand him a little differently. He was no longer just a fantasy figure from her dreams. Now, he was a real person, with intelligence and a real personality. And she found herself more drawn to him than she ever had been.

As Elizabeth pulled into her drive, she slowly shook herself out of her reverie. She wandered through the house, preparing for bed, and wondered what the next day would bring. Although she wanted to see William, she wasn't sure if she was ready to face him. As she slipped between the cool sheets, she told herself that she would avoid him tomorrow and throughout the weekend. But first thing Monday morning, she would try to seek him out.

Darcy was stunned by Elizabeth's reaction to his request for a date. He was sure that she had forgiven him for his rude comment, but he could not shake the fear he thought he saw in her eyes. He felt as though the life had been sucked out of him as he watched her drive away. Wanting nothing more than to take her in his arms and soothe whatever had happened in the past, Darcy had to restrain himself from following her.

As he walked into his suite for the night, he made a resolution. He was willing to do whatever it took to get close to Elizabeth. During the past week, he had become so entranced by her very presence that the few times he had been physically close to her, he felt his chest tighten with emotion and a physical need to be near her would take over. That night, sitting close to her, basking in her very essence was enough to drive him over the edge. He would wait her out, and stay in Meryton, North Carolina for as long as took to do so. He glanced at his watch; it was only 11p.m. He knew he would have wait until the morning to start making plans to stay in Meryton. Not knowing how long he was going to be located there, Darcy decided to inform his secretary that night, so that in the morning she would get the message as to what he needed to be done. He made a list of all the people he would need to contact, and made a special note to call Senator Rossemmee in the morning as well. While Darcy didn't mind staying in his hotel, he knew he would need a car for the time being.

The next day, Elizabeth made good on her promise to herself and avoided Monument Circle on her way to work. She tried not to think about him during the morning, yet despite her best intentions, he always seemed to lurk there in the deep recesses of her mind, continually popping up during the worst possible moments: during her morning staff meeting; her phone call with the senator; and most embarrassingly, during a presentation to the North Carolina United Auto Workers, where Darcy's face was so vividly conjured in her mind that she struggled to keep her composure. Elizabeth had reached her wit's end by lunchtime. Maybe if I just go grab lunch and come right back, I could concentrate better. Shoot, I'll have to go through the circle. Well, I won't even look to see if William is there. I will completely ignore him and pretend that I have other things on my mind. Yes, that's a great idea. She grabbed her wallet and headed to her favorite outdoor café. Once she reached the circle, Elizabeth forced herself not to look up to the balcony of the hotel. Desperate to keep Darcy out of her mind, she trained her eyes forward, and focused only on where she was going. After getting her lunch, she turned to leave the café. Momentarily distracted by yet another thought of him, Elizabeth let her eyes fall upon the dark haired gentleman watching her from the balcony of his hotel suite.

Darcy's heart skipped a beat when she finally looked his way. He had been up early that morning making the appropriate phone calls to enact the plan that he formulated the previous night. Hoping to see Elizabeth on her way to work, Darcy had spent all morning and afternoon out on the balcony. He had been disappointed but not surprised when she didn't pass by that morning. He had feared that she would avoid him after the incident at restaurant. Darcy had felt his fears all but confirmed when she went for lunch, but refused to look at him. When she finally looked up to him, he realized intuitively she was just as drawn to him as he was to her. Darcy smiled inwardly at that thought as she quickly broke eye contact and rushed back to her office building.

For the first time Darcy looked up to see the name of the building she was entering. The large red letters screamed back at him, D.C.Y. BANK. Darcy wanted to laugh and kick himself at the same time. Why hadn't I noticed that before? Well, that will certainly make contact with her much more easy. Darcy chuckled as he called his office back in New York. He received all of the arrangements that his assistant, Elaine, had made for the rest of his trip. He would be staying in the same hotel suite, but per his instructions, an entire multi-media center would be set up so he could be in constant contact with everyone involved in Darcy Enterprises.

Finally he received the call on which he had been waiting, Senator Rossemmee. "Good afternoon, sir. How have you and the family been?" While Darcy halfheartedly listened to the senator's responses, he calculated how hard it would be to get himself invited to an event at which Elizabeth would be in attendance. Darcy was a campaign donor, but he knew the lines between the campaign office and the elected office were not to be crossed. Darcy had to play a careful game, but it turned out easier than expected.

During the course of the conversation, Senator Rossemmee told Darcy that his Small Business Fair was in need of a major financial backer. He needed someone who was willing to participate in discussions on how to finance small businesses, but also someone who was willing to underwrite the costs for this seminar, as it wasn't something the senator's office could afford. Darcy's parents had been good friends with the senator, and the friendship extended to their son as well. He had always been more than generous in campaign donations, and was known as a supporter of small business, despite all evidence to the contrary. Senator Rossemmee assured Darcy, that he was the perfect financial backer for his project, and then invited him to a meeting in his office the next day.

Darcy was thrilled with how easy it was to be invited into the senator's office. He knew that in order to get close to Elizabeth, he would have to somehow be invited into the senator's office. My plan is already in motion! The first thing Monday morning he would be in the office attending the same meeting as Elizabeth. As he ended his call, Darcy quickly went into business mode. His weekend was going to have to be filled with work if he wanted to have any time with Elizabeth.

Both Elizabeth and Darcy spent their weekend in quite solitude. When Elizabeth wasn't working, she spent her time out in her small flower garden preparing it for the summer. She planted a blend of pansies, daisies, morning glories, and sweet williams. The solitary reflection allowed her to relax for the hectic week she had been through, and rejuvenate for the upcoming week.

Darcy had been just as productive, his assistant arranged for him to pick up his black Aston Martin at the imported car dealership, and pleased with its performance, he opted to take it on a long drive into the countryside. Yet, with every bend and twist of the road his mind dwelled more and more on Elizabeth. He dearly wished that she were with him on the drive. Slowly, he let himself become lost in the image of her riding next to him, her long, shimmering dark hair blowing in the wind, but with dark sunglasses that would cover the sparks in her eyes when she talked. He could almost hear her laughter as they would pick up speed before they went over a hill in the road. Initially, they would have conversation; they would regale each other with childhood tales. Yet, as their time together progressed, they would fall into a comfortable, companionable silence, where she would lay her head on his shoulder and softly intertwine her fingers with his. As his fantasies drifted off with the sun, he decided it was time to head back to the place he would call home for the next several weeks.

He slowly made progress on the pile of work that Elaine had sent to him. His biggest problem was concentration. He couldn't think because his mind wanted only to focus on Elizabeth. As he drank the last of his brandy, Darcy watched the Sunday sun set over the city's horizon. Tomorrow I will see her again. Tomorrow I will show her that I'm different from everyone else. Tomorrow, I will start to show her how much I like her. Darcy sighed and looked back at his desk that was still covered in papers and files rapidly losing Elaine's organization. I have to succeed with Elizabeth; otherwise I will never get any work done.

Elizabeth walked to work that morning, and was thoroughly disappointed not to see Darcy on his balcony waiting for her. Feeling guilty for purposefully avoiding him on Friday, she had again resolved to seek him out. She wasn't sure she was comfortable going on a date with him, but she couldn't deny she felt drawn to him in the most peculiar way. She sighed as she hit the button on the elevator. Maybe I deserve to be forgotten by him. I mean, I did ignore him on Friday, and then when we did make eye contact, I chose not to acknowledge him. It is my own fault. Maybe he has gone back home.

As Elizabeth walked through the glass entryway of Senator Rossemmee's office, all of the females were gathered around the front desk gossiping. Her secretary, Kristin, noticed her first. "Elizabeth! You will never guess what happened!"

"I guess not! What has everyone so excited?" Elizabeth couldn't imagine what would cause such a commotion in the office; it was only the beginning of the workweek.

"Senator Rossemmee came in this morning," commented Monica, who was clearly eager to share what she knew. "He was with the best looking man I have ever seen."

"Wait! Did you say the senator was in town? He wasn't supposed to be in until next Monday!" Elizabeth was frantic; she knew that the senator was going to be in town next week to have a meeting about his small business fair; she couldn't imagine what would bring him in early.

Kristin gently shook her head and started to walk Elizabeth to her office where she could have some privacy. "No, Elizabeth. Your meeting with him is this Monday, today. It starts in ten minutes. I was a little worried that you might be late. Do you need anything? Notes? Coffee?"

All wistfulness about missing Darcy on the balcony flew out the window. Elizabeth snapped into business mode. She and Kristin quickly finished the briefing books that she needed for the meeting and rushed to the senator's office. Outside his office, she smoothed down her suit, and grabbed her notes from Kristin. "Tell me everything about him when you get done," Kristin whispered to her as she opened the door.

As Elizabeth walked though the door, she was met with five different pairs of eyes. Yet despite the relative crowd in the office, the eyes that caught and held her attention were a pair of dark chocolate ones that seemed to sparkle and smile just for her. For a split second, Elizabeth could swear that the only people in the room were she and the owner of those eyes. Blinking hard to force her attention back to the business at hand, she quickly greeted the rest of the group and addressed Senator Rossemmee, "I hope I have not missed anything."

"No, we were catching up. Elizabeth, I want to introduce you to William Darcy. William, this is my press secretary, Elizabeth Bennet. William has agreed to be our financial backer for the Small Business Fairs."

Darcy was caught by surprise when Elizabeth had entered the room. She looked as lovely as usual, but seeing her in her work environment made her look dazzling. When she walked into the room, she immediately seemed to take charge. He could almost sense the amount of respect and esteem she received from her coworkers. Her whole aura had seemed to change from the scared girl from Friday night, to the commanding woman before him. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. When he heard himself being introduced to Elizabeth, he smiled and briefly chuckled under his breath. "Yes, Elizabeth and I have met before. It is wonderful to see you again, Elizabeth."

Elizabeth smiled at Will, but she knew now was not the time to be caught up in his attentions. She had a job to perform for the senator and she quickly forced herself to take on a more business-like demeanor for the rest of the meeting. However, the senator had one more surprise in store for her: "Elizabeth, as you probably realize, Mr. Darcy is the President and CEO of D.C.Y. Banks. He is not only going to underwrite the events, he is also willing to provide planning and financing for the small business owners who attend the events."

Elizabeth stared in shock at Darcy; she hadn't realized who he was until that moment. She had thought that he looked vaguely familiar, but had not been able to place him. Sitting in front of me is one of the most powerful men in the country, if not the world! She had been asked out on a date with him, and unbelievably, she had rejected him. To make matters more absurd, now she dreamed about him. Yet, all of this time she never who he was. The rest of the meeting was a complete daze for Elizabeth. Her mind was too full of what she had just discovered. When they concluded, she quickly rose, grabbed her things, and went to her office.

As she sat down at her desk, she instructed Kristin not to disturb her unless it was an emergency. She booted up her computer and quickly went to Google on the Internet. Elizabeth stared at the screen for what seemed like an eternity until she finally entered the name "William Darcy" into the search engine. Quickly, over 3 million web-site hits popped up. She clicked on the first one that led her to a quick biographical sketch.

"William Darcy, born to the late George and Anne Darcy, is the current President and CEO of Darcy Enterprises, which consists largely of banking and pharmaceutical interests. Owning well over 50% of the company's stock, Darcy is well known for his sharp business acumen and capitalizing on strategic corporate opportunities. Currently, Darcy Enterprises is focused on an international expansion of D.C.Y. Banks. A major subsidiary, Fitz Pharmaceuticals (NYSE: FitzP), has announced that they will unveil a new breast cancer drug this summer, pending approval by the FDA, which is expected to triple the stock value of FitzP."

Elizabeth felt herself start to shake by the end of the article. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry. The biography itself did not necessarily change him, just her perception of him. Gone was the idea of someone she could relate too. He was more than that. He seemed out of her league. She didn't even know how she could face him, let alone talk to him now that she knew who he really was.

Darcy knocked on Elizabeth's office door and walked in after he heard a soft "enter" from within. As he walked in and closed the door, he took in the view that was framed by Elizabeth's windows. On either side of the office were two large bookcases filled with different books, binders, files, and other random papers and pictures. He noticed several portraits, which Darcy assumed were friends and family of Elizabeth's. Out her window was a breathtaking view of Meryton and the surrounding area and on the opposite wall was a large framed poster of the Washington, D.C. skyline. Her large cherry desk sat in the room, with two large navy leather chairs and a television in front of it. She looked up from her computer. "Why didn't you tell me who you were?"

Looking at her, he saw the hurt in her eyes. She felt deceived. She had pointedly asked what he did for a living at dinner on Thursday night, and he had purposefully evaded her questions. Frustrated, Darcy ran his hand through his hair, and unceremoniously dropped himself into one of the chairs in front of her desk. "Because I enjoyed having dinner with someone who wasn't caught up with who I am or what company I own."

Meeting his eyes, Elizabeth could see he was telling her the truth. Deep down, she understood his need for privacy in his life. It couldn't be easy living in the fishbowl of a high profile life such as his. However, she still felt betrayed by the lack of information. "I understand that, but why didn't you say something when I asked you directly?"

"Are you sure it wouldn't have affected you? Can you honestly say that if I had told you who I am, you wouldn't have felt differently? You would have thought I was an arrogant, egotistical jerk, and that I was boasting about my position and success."

Elizabeth blushed and looked away. He was right and she knew it. After his comments at the beginning of dinner, she would have thought nothing but the worst of him. Elizabeth sighed and looked Darcy in the eye, "You're right; I'm sorry to say I probably would have jumped to that conclusion."

Darcy smiled. "I'm sorry I misled you and you found out the way you did. Let me make it up to you."

Elizabeth, disarmed by the emotions just his smile was producing, asked how he intended to do so.

"Have lunch with me. I'm tired of eating alone on my balcony, and I would very much appreciate your company."

Elizabeth looked hard at him. He seemed sincere, but at the same time, she wouldn't be able to bring herself to go if he was going to interpret it as a date. She wasn't ready for that just yet. "I thought I told you, Mr. Darcy, that I cannot date you."

"Good, because this wouldn't be a date."

Shocked, Elizabeth replied quicker than she had planned, "It wouldn't be?"

"No, I am asking you to lunch as your new friend, one of the few I have in Meryton, I might add."

Laughing at his logic, Elizabeth unconsciously slipped her suit coat off, grabbed her purse, and followed Darcy out of the door. As they walked out of the office and to the elevator, neither noticed how every eye in the office followed them out.

Chapter 10: An Unexpected Intrusion

Posted on Sunday, 5 December 2004

Elated that Elizabeth agreed to have lunch with him, Darcy was nervous that her co-workers' natural curiosity would make her skittish. He pushed the elevator call button twice, eager to be away from the prying eyes of her fellow employees. Not wanting to allow a pause in conversation lest she back out of their lunch date, Darcy asked her where she would prefer to dine.

"Well, there are several places around this area; it just depends on where you want to go." Elizabeth assumed that Darcy would want to go someplace much more elegant-and more expensive-than her usual haunts.

"Where do most of the local people go for lunch?"

"Well, there is the food court in the mall, but it's terribly crowded this time of day. Then there are a few restaurants around here that serve everything from tacos to burgers to Italian dishes. We probably don't have the kind of places you're used to."

Darcy, confused by what she had been insinuating by her last statement, thought of the times he saw her with her friends eating on the circle. "Where do you and your friends normally go?"

"Generally, we go to the City Market, but I don't know if you would like it. It can be an acquired taste," remarked Elizabeth. She couldn't imagine someone of Darcy's affluence feeling comfortable in such a downscale eating establishment.

To her surprise, Darcy quickly agreed to her suggestion, "That's perfect, should we drive or walk?"

"It isn't too far. Why don't we walk there?" Elizabeth glanced at Darcy to see if he was comfortable with her suggestion.

"Sure, I haven't been able to see much of the city since I have been here. This way I can have a look around on our way," Darcy smiled, trying to put an obviously restless Elizabeth at ease.

The City Market was a small open-air market with a wide variety of people and items, from food vendors offering gyros to fresh fruits and vegetables as well as kiosks filled with art and handmade objects by local craftsmen. Elizabeth loved the atmosphere and exotic foods available there. As she and Darcy walked the few blocks to the market, the rich aroma of different mouth-watering foods competing with each other reached them before the steel gates could be seen.

"Welcome to the City Market," Elizabeth waved her hand with a flourish as they entered the gates. "There are a wide variety of foods to choose from," she added as she steered him towards the food section.

Darcy took the entire scene in. He had never encountered such a place. He had been invited to open-air antique markets near his home several times, but he never went. Nevertheless, he felt sure that this place was different. People of every conceivable nationality bustled around, in all manner of dress, from business suits to what could only charitably be called cast-offs. Reggae blared unapologetically from the dreadlocked fruit vendor's booth and a little Thai woman stirring a large simmering pot yelled at her daughter scooping rice into a container for a customer. In the middle of what Darcy considered to be a tiny, provincial town, there was a mini-United Nations, thriving with the dishes and goods of a dozen countries. The best part, though, was how Elizabeth looked --she seemed so at home among all these varying people. She gracefully moved around the market place, nonplused by the crowds that threatened to engulf her. William stood momentarily amazed that she could be so at ease in such a situation. It just proves how amazing she is.

"William?" Elizabeth tried to get his attention for the second time. This was a mistake, he is uncomfortable here.

Darcy relished the simple way she said his name. Many women who addressed him said it sharply or in a high pitch that made him cringe, but Elizabeth's address had a simple and warm way about it, like a caress. She could embrace him without her body ever touching his. He liked it. His reply was warm and firm, indicating that his voice reflected the pleasant nature of his thoughts, "Sorry, I was lost in thought ... What were you saying?"!

Smiling, Elizabeth repeated her question, "What would you like to eat?" She was relieved to see that he did not seem to be agitated or unwilling to get food from such an establishment.

"What do you recommend?"

"I was going to go for a gyro and Greek salad, but you can get whatever you'd like. There are plenty of things ... hamburgers or pizza if you're not feeling too adventurous, but there's a great Thai roasted chicken over there ... You name it, you can probably find it."

"A gyro and Greek salad sounds delicious; I think I will have the same." Darcy couldn't remember if he had ever tried such a concoction before or not.

"Why don't we get our things to go, and have a picnic in the park?"

Generally, the market was too crowded to sit and enjoy a lunch hour, which was why many chose to go to the circle to dine. However, Elizabeth, still too nervous to talk their mutual glance-stealing over the last weeks, did not want to have to go there, where his balcony would be clearly visible. Mainly, she didn't want to have to talk about something that had the possibility to make her--and likely, him-awkward and embarrassed.

"Sure, that sounds great," Inside, Darcy was torn. I wish we could have gone to the circle. I've been watching you for so long, wishing that I could join you. To sit next to you there, I could have fulfilled at least part of my fantasies. While disappointed, Darcy rallied well, and reminded himself that the important thing was that he was getting to spend time alone with her.

Elizabeth and Darcy got in line and proceeded to order. Playing it safe, Darcy asked for the exact same thing as Elizabeth. I wonder if I should pay for both of us. Would she take that the wrong way? She would probably correct me that we aren't on a date again. All right, Elizabeth, you can have your way ... this time.

Darcy watched Elizabeth proceed to the cashier. Every instinct told him that he should offer to pay, but he held back, not wanting to send Elizabeth running away again. He turned his attention back onto his lunch as it was being prepared. In the bottom of the container they placed warmed pita bread, heaped with generous amounts of tender dark pieces of lamb on top. Then, what Darcy could only assume was a sauce mixed with feta cheese was added. The lid was closed and another container with his Greek salad joined it as he paid for his meal and then followed Elizabeth as she confidently made her way through the herds of people out to where he could finally see where they were going.

They headed north of the main hub of downtown and walked to a nearby park. The day was beautiful. The sky was a baby blue, with large white clouds that resembled cotton balls. The park was empty except for the occasional runner or mother pushing her child along in a stroller. Elizabeth led Darcy to a small bench that faced into the park.

"It's beautiful today." Elizabeth wanted to break the silence that they had maintained since they left the City Market.

"Yes, it is. The weather has been wonderful. Is it generally so nice here during this time of year?"

"Yes, most of the time. I just wish I had more time to enjoy it."

"Why don't you?"

"Well usually, work keeps me pretty busy. On the weekends, if I am here, I try to get out as often as possible."

Darcy, wishing to know anything that would give him insight as to what Elizabeth did with her time, asked if she got to spend time outdoors last weekend.

"Oh, yes! I have a small garden at my house, so I puttered out there Saturday, planting some new flowers. Then I spent all day Sunday on the trails in the Smoky Mountains. Have you gotten a chance to explore the mountains yet?"

Darcy did not want to reveal that he could not remember his drive through the mountains because he had spent the whole time daydreaming about her; so he answered as obtusely as possible. "Yes, some, but I hope to see a great deal more. I would prefer to have a guide than to allow myself to get lost."

"Yes, I can see your point. Well, while you're here, maybe you will get a chance," Oh! Why did I just say that? Great, Liz, now he is going to think that you are hinting for a date.

Darcy perked up at Elizabeth's inadvertent aside. Is that an offer? Because, if it is, Elizabeth, I would be more than happy to take you up on it.

Elizabeth, grasping for something to say, asked the first thing that came to mind. "So, how is it that you know Senator Rossemmee so well?"

"He was a good friend with my parents. So, I guess I have known him my whole life. When I took over for my father at the company, I started to work with him on several different ventures. Then he decided to run for office, and such a good man deserves support, so I often donate to his campaign," finished Darcy, who started to blush a little on the tips of his ears for revealing the tricky situation they were now in.

Now I really can't see him outside of work!! What would people think? The senator's press secretary dating one of the senator's largest campaign donors? That has scandal written all over it. Better to find that out now, Lizzy, than to lose your heart to him and regret it!

"I see, and how did you become involved in the Small Business Fairs?" she asked, while chewing her lip, hoping that her troubled state wouldn't reveal itself to him.

"He called me, and I thought it was a worthwhile venture." That and I knew you worked for him, and it was the perfect way to get closer to you.

"Ah! Well, it should be interesting, to say the least. No one around here has ever attempted such a seminar, so we will have to see how worthwhile it proves to be."

"I'm sure under your leadership it will be a big success, Elizabeth."

Elizabeth's breath caught in her throat. Though she had been determined to keep this lunch professional, hearing him say her name made her feel like he was looking straight though her and they were no longer talking about the business fairs, but themselves. His voice conveyed interest and intimacy. And that scared her. Nervously, Elizabeth glanced at her watch and declared that she had better be going or she would be late.

"Why don't I walk you back, then?"

"Oh, I wouldn't want to make you late for anything," Elizabeth's breezy tone only partly belied her desire for some distance from the feelings Darcy was evoking in her.

"It wouldn't make me late for anything. That's the advantage of being your own boss, I guess. What kind of gentleman would I be if I didn't escort you back to the office?" Darcy was trying to make Elizabeth comfortable again. What did I say that caused her to become so edgy?

They talked about inconsequential topics on their walk back to Elizabeth's office building. Not wanting their afternoon to end just yet, Darcy insisted on walking Elizabeth to her elevator. He knew that this was his last chance to make Elizabeth more relaxed and end their lunch on a hopeful note, but try as he might, the only thing that he could think of to say that might not scare her had nothing to do with them at all.

"Do you know if Charles and Jane will be doing something this weekend?" asked Darcy.

"Oh, I don't know. I would guess so. Why?"

"I was just curious. Maybe we will see each other again then, this weekend," Darcy could not keep the hopeful tone from his voice. I know I'll be seeing you again soon, but it can't come soon enough for me.

"Yes, maybe. Well, thank you for having lunch with me. And until we see each other again." Still hoping to remain professional, Elizabeth offered her hand for Darcy to shake.

"Yes, until then," Darcy closed his left hand over their joined right hands and gazed meaningfully into her eyes. He did not break his eye contact until the elevator doors closed and whisked her up to her floor. Dejectedly, he made his way out of the building and along the brick sidewalk that lead to his hotel.

Darcy replayed the entire lunch scene over in his mind. While he knew he should feel happy that he spent some time with Elizabeth, he still felt empty when she left. No matter how much time he spent with her, he did not think he would ever be sated.

"So, how was he?" asked Kristin and Monica at the same time as Elizabeth came back into the office.

"Who? I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about..." quipped Elizabeth airily, enjoying teasing the girls as she made her way back to her office.

"Don't pretend you don't know who we mean," Monica insisted.

"Mr. William Darcy! Was he everything you read about in the magazines? What wouldn't I have given to have lunch with him?" Kristin was clearly excited at the prospect of getting to work with a celebrity. "And think about it, Lizzy! You not only get to work with him all the time, but you get to be seen with him at events, too."

"Yes, a great honor," Elizabeth pursed her lips into a droll smile. "Seriously, girls, he was nice, and we had a pleasant time, but that is all you're getting out of me."

"Fine, keep the good stuff to yourself. See if I tell you anything the next time a gorgeous man asks me out," Monica good-naturedly feigned a pout as she headed back to her desk.

Kristin, noticing that Elizabeth was somewhat subdued, simply asked if there was anything else Elizabeth needed. When a negative reply came, she made her way back to her desk to wait until Elizabeth needed her. As her trusted assistant, Kristin knew that Elizabeth would come to her when she was ready.

What am I going to do? I really think I like him, and I wish I could get closer to him. But, now that he is working with us on the fairs, would it be right to try to see if I could pursue a relationship with him? And am I even ready to think about trusting someone again?

Elizabeth pondered that last thought all afternoon, tending to her work like an automaton. Still in a daze, she grabbed her things, and left work an hour early. She reached the street and subconsciously chose to walk to her car via the circle. She glanced up to Darcy's balcony and was bothered to see that he wasn't there.

It was through the disappointment she felt at being deprived of seeing him that she found the answer to her dilemma. She would try to move into a place in her life where she would be open to a relationship. Whether or not it was with Darcy had yet to be determined, but what she was feeling was enough for her realize that she actually wanted to date again.

No, Darcy wasn't on his balcony in time to see Elizabeth, but it wasn't for a lack of trying.

Slowly, he had made his way back to his hotel. He wasn't in any hurry to go back to the room he occupied by himself. The emptiness of his room-of his life-was magnified after even a short time with Elizabeth.

"Good afternoon, sir," said the doorman as he opened the hotel's doors for Darcy, but Darcy didn't hear him as he wallowed in the void left by Elizabeth's absence.

Darcy reluctantly crossed the polished marble floors of the hotel to the elevator. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a voice could be heard throughout the entire lobby that grated on him like nails on a chalkboard.

"I understand he isn't in, but what do you mean you won't give me the keys to his room?"

"I'm sorry, ma'am. I've called both rooms several times, and no one answered. It's against hotel policy to give you room numbers, much less keys to a room that is not in your name or that you are not a guest in; you will have to wait for one of them to come back. If you'd like, we have a very comfortable lobby, and we'll be happy to provide you with a beverage," The concierge nodded towards the lounge.

Caroline Bingley impatiently looked around the lobby as the man behind the counter offered his apology, but quickly lost all interest when her eyes beheld the prize she had been looking for.

"Oh! WILLIAM! There you are!" she squealed as she walked across the floor as quickly as her stiletto heels would allow.

Darcy looked for somewhere to run or hide behind, but alas, all he could do was watch her gracelessly cross the newly waxed floors and hope she would slip.

"Good afternoon, Caroline. What brings you to North Carolina?" Darcy put on a gallant face despite his rising dread.

"Don't be silly, I came as soon as I heard that Charles decided to buy a business here. Can you believe it? North Carolina, of all places! What on earth would bring him here is beyond me. It's too bad we didn't arrive on time, we could surely have talked him out of it," Caroline babbled as she took possession of his arm, and led him toward the elevators, in the obvious hope that he would escort her up to his suite.

Darcy, trying to put distance between the two of them, extricated himself from her clutches and seated himself in a nearby chair. He thought it would be wise to select one that wasn't surrounded by anything she could sit upon. "Actually Caroline, I think it is an excellent business deal. It will be a great venture for Charles." Unfortunately for Darcy, he miscalculated when selecting his seating, for left with no other options, Caroline coyly perched herself on the arm of his chair.

"Well, of course, but North Carolina! You must be exceedingly bored with the lack of things to do. I'm sure the locals' idea of a good time is a truck pull." Caroline rolled her eyes and gave a disdainful sniff. "You must long for culture and refinement."

Darcy smirked as he answered, "Actually, I have been quite entertained."

Put out, Caroline tried to retract her earlier statements. "Well, I'm sure there are some people in the local population that one could stand to be around, but seriously, there couldn't be anything here that could compare to places in New York or Los Angeles."

Charles arrived in time to save Darcy from having to continue to make conversation with Caroline.

"Caroline? What are you doing here?" Charles was obviously not expecting his sister's arrival.

"I thought I would come and spend a few days with my brother. I came earlier and I was hoping to freshen up, but the neanderthals that run this hotel wouldn't let me up to your room!"

"Why didn't you get your own room?"

"Well ... I guess I could have." Caroline adopted her most petulant face. "But, Charles, now that you are here, could you be a dear and get me a room?"

"I guess so, just wait right here."

As Charles left to arrange for Caroline's room, she tried to make small talk with Darcy. As was his usual mode in Caroline's presence, he continued to remain silent at her snide remarks about the area and population. Out of respect for the feelings of his friend, he ignored her intimation about how close they were.

"Here, Caroline, you are in the suite next to mine," Charles returned with Caroline's room keys, tossing them nonchalantly in her lap.

"Oh? And how far am I from you, William darling?"

"I'm two floors below you," Even Darcy's strong sense of politeness couldn't disguise the relief he felt.

Upset by her room placement, Caroline tried to get Darcy to ask her out to dinner. Fortunately, Darcy had the excuse of having to work and left Charles to dine with his sister. Instead, Darcy went to his suite, where he sat at his desk and for the first time since he set eyes upon Elizabeth, was able to get a considerable amount of work done.

Chapter 11: An Offer She Can't Refuse

Posted on Saturday, 11 February 2006

After a turbulent night's sleep, Elizabeth had gone into work early. Nothing particular had been on her mind, yet at the same time, it seemed as though everything was on her mind. Her thoughts seemed to be a mess, and despite trying to concentrate on anything but him, her thoughts kept wandering back to William Darcy. So, after not being able to focus on anything she finally gave up and got ready for work.

As she walked along the brick sidewalks, a cool mountain breeze blew through her hair, tossing it about and the wind brought with it an uneasy feeling. Elizabeth tried to shake the sudden melancholy that had filled her heart by comforting herself that nothing was wrong. With one last look behind her, to reassure herself, that indeed, she was alone, she entered her office building.

The day was moving slowly for Elizabeth as she waded through seemingly endless piles of paperwork and as the monotony was starting to get to her, she was startled by a knock at her office door.

"Elizabeth, do you have any plans for lunch today?" asked Senator Rossemmee.

Shocked by the sudden appearance of her boss and his question, Elizabeth stumbled out that she had no plans.

"Excellent! I need you to join me for lunch with Tom, Harris, and David. Be ready in ten minutes," said the Senator, who left just as suddenly as he had appeared.

As Senator Rossemmee's request began to sink in, a giant weight settled in the pit of her stomach. Why am I meeting with four of the most influential men in our state? And, why do they want me there? With these thoughts, all of the morning's feelings washed back over her in full force. Elizabeth nervously gathered up her suit coat and handbag and left for lunch.

As the group finished ordering, talk of business started at the table. The restaurant was quiet as it only had a smattering of customers due to the early hour, yet Elizabeth still became distracted by watching the comings and goings of the restaurant's employees and thinking about her luncheon companions.

Head of the political party in North Carolina, Tom Kellogg was a short balding man, who had boundless energy. He had married young and he and his wife were known as two of the most eccentric people in the political arena. They would often take off for parts unknown whenever the whim overtook them. It wasn't uncommon to see him one day and learn the next that he was halfway around the world

Harris Wile, a young man of 33, was incredibly intelligent having graduated at the top of his class with both his bachelor's and master's degrees. His insights into the nuances of a political campaign were constantly in demand. Yet, for all of his intelligence and experience, he often seemed shy and unsure of himself.

The third man, Dave Lake, a highly respected political consultant, had been Elizabeth's mentor since the moment she had interned with him during her sophomore year in college. He had been her guiding light through the rest of her education and had given Elizabeth her first job. Elizabeth held Dave in high regard, and knew that if this meeting was going to be bad news, he would have talked to her first.

"Elizabeth, you are probably wondering why we have asked you to join us," said Tom, startling Elizabeth out of her reverie.

"I am a little curious," she admitted, while finally allowing herself to become comfortable in the relaxed atmosphere that the restaurant provided.

Slowly, Senator Rossemmee looked at each of the people at the table before addressing Elizabeth. "After having some extensive discussions with Tom, Harris, Dave, and various others, I have decided not to run for another term in the U.S. Senate."

Why? That was the only thought that surfaced in Elizabeth's shocked mind.

"Instead, I'm going to seek election as Governor of North Carolina."

Silence ensued as the waiter brought their lunches, thus allowing Elizabeth time to gather her thoughts. I am going to have to find another job! I am going to have to leave Washington, and find a job!

"Elizabeth, the reason we asked you here is because we want you to resign from your current job with the Senate, and become the Senator's gubernatorial campaign chief," said Dave breaking the silence that had drifted over the table, in hopes of reassuring Elizabeth that she was still a valued employee.

"You are extremely qualified, and have been loyal to the party. It is time for you to benefit from your efforts. You'd have almost unlimited resources and Harris has agreed to help you. You'd be able to rely on him, no matter what," responded Tom, in what seemed like an effort to convince Elizabeth to take the job.

Too stunned by the announcement and then the subsequent job offer, Elizabeth could do nothing but stare at each person as they continued discussing her possible job change and future responsibilities.

"Elizabeth," Senator Rossemmee interrupted, "you've always been a valuable part of my team. I'm exhausted with the Senate and I'm ready to start looking for other, possibly bigger, opportunities. With this, I can bring my family back to North Carolina and I can get back to the reasons that we got into the political arena in the first place. However, this will not be easy and I'm going to need those I trust the most and those who believe in me working for me." The senator's soft, yet strong and confident voice drifted over Elizabeth, and helped to calm her nerves.

"I must say, that while I am shocked by this news, it is not totally unexpected. I have suspected for quite some time that you might be interested in running for Governor and I am honored that you believe me capable of organizing and running such a campaign," Elizabeth paused to gather her breath and to collect her thoughts before continuing. "This being said, such a change will completely alter my current lifestyle. Is it possible for me to have some time to think about my answer?"

"We can only give you 72 hours to think this over. After that, we'll need a decision. We are already behind in preparing the campaign," answered Tom.

"Why don't you take the rest of the day off to think about this? I am sure there is nothing pressing going on and if something comes up, Kristin can call you," replied Senator Rossemmee, hoping to make the decision easier on Elizabeth.

"Well, I would certainly like to thank each of you for your belief in my abilities and considering me for this position. I suppose I should call Kristin to tell her I won't be in for the rest of the afternoon. I hope to have an answer for you within the next day or so," responded Elizabeth. With that, she gathered up her things, slowly made her way to her car and then home.

As she made the twenty-minute trip, Elizabeth relived the entire conversation in her head. She picked apart and analyzed what each person had said. As she neared her house she realized that she would have to leave Washington and permanently return home to North Carolina. Suddenly, the magnitude of the decision overwhelmed Elizabeth.

Relieved to finally be home, Elizabeth looked forward to relaxing and the chance to thoroughly think through her decision. However, upon entering the house, the sweet smell of bread baking told her that Jane must have taken the day off.

"Jane, what are you doing?" Elizabeth asked as she entered the kitchen, and saw that Jane was busy making several dishes.

Jane jumped almost dropping the pan of chicken that she was marinating, "Oh! You scared me. When I was talking with Charles yesterday, he mentioned that his sister was in town. So, I decided to invite Charles, his sister Caroline, and Darcy over for dinner. Then this morning I figured I would take the day off to clean the house and make dinner."

Elizabeth changed into an old pair of jeans and shirt and helped with dinner. As she chopped the salad fixings, Elizabeth told Jane about the new job offer.

"That would be a job with incredible responsibility. Do you think you would be able to handle all of the stress?" asked Jane. She knew Elizabeth well enough to worry that if Elizabeth became extremely stressed, she would hold it all in until she couldn't take anymore. The best comparison that Jane was ever able to come up with was that Elizabeth under stress was similar to a ticking time bomb.

"It isn't the stress that's bothering me, it's the changes ... I guess, what I'm really worried about is whether or not I will be able to do the job effectively," answered Elizabeth.

"Well, I think the last thing you will need to worry about is being able to do the job. You have always excelled at anything you put your mind to."

Their conversation continued in a similar fashion until they had finished getting dinner ready and it was time to dress before their guests arrived.

Precisely at seven, the Bennets' guests arrived, Darcy and the Bingley siblings. Darcy, who had not seen Elizabeth in several days, could easily be compared to a man who had been in the desert for several days, finally getting a glass of water; he drank in her appearance, hoping it would satisfy his growing ardor.

Immediately, he could sense that something was weighing heavily on her. Wishing he had the right to relieve the burden, he did the next best thing. "Elizabeth," asked Darcy as he steered her to a more secluded part of the room, "is everything all right?"

Startled by being so easily found out, Elizabeth reassured him that, indeed, everything was just fine. Instead of being able to focus on each other, their attention was soon demanded by another member of the party. Caroline was willing to give the Bennet sisters some of the benefit of the doubt, but the fact that Darcy had his hand on the small of Elizabeth's back, instantly sent her into attack mode.

"This is a nice sort of place, Jane! It is so small, but cozy," sneered Caroline. "Do you have much trouble with criminals in this neighborhood?" she asked in a sickening sweet voice.

Immediately, Elizabeth's ire rose to the occasion. "I was under the impression that you were going to stay in Meryton for the duration of your brother's trip. If you find the society to be so offensive, I wonder at you spending so much time here."

"Well, Eliza," Caroline sneered venomously, "it may be fit for some."

Uncomfortable with Caroline and Elizabeth's discussion, Jane quickly announced that dinner was ready and they all went into the dining room and sat down to what was surely going to be a very trying meal.

Throughout the dinner, Caroline observed Darcy's every interaction with Elizabeth. She quickly saw that for some particular reason that she didn't understand, Darcy seemed to be smitten with "this backwoods chit." Surely, he should know better? Very well, I will just have to remind him who he is and how very inappropriate a relationship with Elizabeth Bennet would be.

"So, Eliza, no one has been able to tell me exactly but what is it that you do?" Caroline asked smugly.

Looking up from her plate, Elizabeth answered with as much grace as possible, "Currently, I am the press secretary for United States Senator Rossemmee."

"Oh! A secretary! Isn't that cute," responded Caroline, looking at Darcy as though she was the cat who had swallowed a canary. "And, exactly what type of education do you need for that job?"

"Well, we all have different experience, but, personally, I received my undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina and then graduated from law school at Duke."

"What do you plan on doing then, with all of that education?" asked Caroline, desperately trying to save face.

"I plan to do the work of the people," seeing the confused look on Caroline's face, Elizabeth continued, "as in public service. So, right now, I enjoy working for Senator Rossemmee, but am currently looking for more politically focused work."

"POLITICS?" cried Caroline flabbergasted. "Surely, Eliza, dear, you must know that politics is no place for a lady!"

A deathly silence came over the table. Charles stared at his sister with a look mixed with horror and surprise. Jane stared at her sister, silently praying for divine intervention to keep Elizabeth's temper in check.

Darcy, on the other hand, was appalled by Caroline's behavior. Knowing Elizabeth would be upset, he did the only thing he knew of to show his support, he placed his hand upon her thigh and gave it a friendly squeeze.

Furious to yet again be told that she shouldn't do something because she was a woman, Elizabeth was ready to unleash years of pent up anger upon an unsuspecting Caroline. That was until a hand came to rest upon her leg. It was by the sheer force of two wills, that Elizabeth kept her temper in check and quickly swallowed the rest of her drink.

Her emotions were in such turmoil; she was mixed between charging across the table at Caroline and at contemplating the hand upon her leg. His simple movement conveyed that he was able to judge what would upset her. While the movement had been very reassuring, it was still very unsettling to her.

The rest of the dinner was a strained affair. Charles and Jane made quiet conversation between themselves, while Darcy monopolized Elizabeth's attention. However, not long after his surprise act, she put her hand on his, intertwining their fingers. Only Caroline was left to herself and she started to feel as though she had missed something important.

Darcy had tried to speak to Elizabeth after dinner, but Caroline had made any type of private discourse difficult. He didn't want to subject her to a public inquisition if she was hurting about something. No, he would have to talk to her later, or at least hope that maybe in time she would come to him with her worries and concerns. Not that I have that right yet.

That night as Elizabeth fell asleep, she made her decision. Caroline's dinner comments brought back all kinds of memories that she had of her mother, Fannie Bennet. Elizabeth's mother and sisters had always thought Elizabeth to be incapable in her career choice. Yet, tonight, unwittingly, Caroline had made Elizabeth face those demons once again.

Smiling to herself, Elizabeth made a mental note to see Tom first thing in the morning before she went into work.

That following week at Senator Rossemmee's office was bittersweet. Elizabeth had moved all of her personal effects to her new office at what was to become campaign headquarters. Slowly, she was training Monica, who was to become her replacement.

Thus, all that was left were her things in Washington. There, she had to clean out her office and move out of the small apartment she shared with two other staff members. Those things, however, would be taken care of that next week; she was hoping that Jane, Charles and Darcy would help her pack up her things on their way home from the mountain festivals that Jane wanted to show Charles.

Jane had not really been surprised to learn of Elizabeth's decision. She always knew and understood Elizabeth's goals and was happy for her; as was her father. In fact the only lament came from Mrs. Bennet, who was, yet again, worried that Elizabeth, with her choice of career, would never find a husband.

By Friday, Elizabeth was ready for a break. The emotional toll of leaving her job had been greater than she had expected. Yet, within the next few weeks, she knew she would be seeing many of her friends again as they were interviewing for positions with the campaign. Once again she was the last person to leave and as she slowly made her way out of that office and along the circle for the final time she thought about how she would no longer have a reason to walk this direction for work.

As she walked around the brick sidewalks of the circle, she looked up and saw Darcy on his balcony. Suddenly, not wanting to go home, but not wanting to be alone either, Elizabeth took a chance and went into the Columbia Club.

Darcy had been watching Elizabeth, silently hoping that she would join him. Suddenly, her path took a different turn. As she neared the Columbia Club, she looked straight at him and just as she entered the building, she waved.

Not having time to straighten the room, Darcy rushed down to meet her in the lobby. Nervously, he invited Elizabeth up for some coffee.

He seems just as nervous as I am, thought Elizabeth. This feels so natural, like I am supposed to come to him when I have something on my mind.

"I am going to call room-service, would you like anything to go with your coffee?" asked Darcy.

"No, nothing. Although, I suppose I could go for something small to eat, thanks."

With that, Darcy ordered coffee and several different types of sandwiches for them. While he was busy placing their order, Elizabeth took a look at the room.

The entire room matched the elegant, and expensive, décor of the rest of the hotel. Yet, somehow, Darcy had made it something more. Everywhere she looked, she learned a new facet of his personality. His coat was neatly hung next to the door, and his computer was precisely set upon the desk.

However, as she approached the dining area table, she noticed that paperwork flooded the table. He has so much to do. So many responsibilities and so young. I wonder how he is able to handle it all without appearing to be stressed out of his mind?

After finishing his call, Darcy joined Elizabeth, "I'm sorry for the mess, here let me clean it up."

"No, no, it was me who interrupted you. I shouldn't have bothered you when you have so much to do. I should go."

"NO!" exclaimed Darcy. "No, really," he sheepishly continued, "it isn't a problem. Besides, I've already ordered us room service. I expect you to stay at least for that," he finished with a smile.

"Well, then, why don't we go out to the balcony? That way we won't disturb your paperwork."

Slowly, the pair made their way to the balcony and the view that had started their infatuation with each other.

Elizabeth looked at the sun setting over the city of Meryton, and suddenly, everything that had been on her mind tumbled out. "Last week, on the day that you came over for dinner, I was offered a new job."

Elizabeth's proclamation startled Darcy out of his reverie.

"Senator Rossemmee has decided that he will run for Governor of North Carolina and has asked me to head up the campaign. I don't really have any experience in campaigns," she said as she slowly turned to face him, "but this is something I have always wanted to do so I accepted."

Continuing, she listed every negative about the job. "It is going to mean a major cut in pay. I am going to have to leave Washington, and friendships I have developed will change now that I am on the campaign side of things." Here she paused and realized she desperately wanted his opinion and for him to tell her it was a good decision. "Do you think I made a good decision in taking this new job?"

Sensing her need for approval he spoke with gentle support, "I think it is important for you to do what will make you happy. It seems as though you have wanted this position for a long time, and now that it has been given to you, you may be worried that maybe it isn't what you really wanted after all."

Smiling in agreement, Elizabeth responded, "You are exactly right, it all seems too good to be true. It has all happened so unexpectedly, no doubt once the campaigning begins I will quickly come back to reality."

"Sometimes, Elizabeth, we just have to go with what feels right. Then deal with the consequences as they come."

Suddenly, Elizabeth felt as though there was a double meaning behind his last statement. Feeling that the conversation was becoming too personal to her, she felt the need to change the conversation, and so she abruptly asked him about his name.

"So, tell me, Charles calls you Darce, and at dinner the other night Caroline called you Darcy. So, why is it that you won't let anyone call you by your first name?" asked Elizabeth in a teasing tone.

"My first name is a secret," he said in a mocking serious manner, as if daring her to continue with her questions.

"Will you share?"

"You have to promise not to tell," he whispered softly as he moved closer to her.

"Agreed"

"It's Fitzwilliam ... Actually, it is a family name that has been passed down for generations. And, before you ask no, not everyone calls me by my last name. My sister, Georgia, calls me William."

"Does anyone call you Fitzie?" Elizabeth asked flippantly.

Laughing outright, Darcy had to say that no one had ever called him by such a name. "But, Elizabeth, you don't have to call me by my last name, you may call me William ... if you would like."

"William..." said Elizabeth as she felt the name roll off her tongue. "What if I called you Willie?"

"No, not Willie," he said laughingly.

Slowly, during this flirtatious conversation, William and Elizabeth had stepped closer to each other to the point where they were now practically touching.

"Well, I have always liked the name Liam. Has anyone ever called you Liam?"

"Not until now," responded William, as he surrendered to temptation and tasted the sweet sensation that was Elizabeth's lips.

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