To Dance in the Rain

Tamsin

Posted on Tuesday, 10 July 2001, at 8:18 p.m.

Elizabeth shed her coat, leaving it trailing off either side of her chair. The hot afternoon sun that shone into the restaurant made wearing her coat uncomfortable at her table next to the big window. Propping the menu against the napkin dispenser, she rolled the sleeves of her sweater up let the cool air-conditioned air of the restaurant prickle her skin. The sun, however, soon warmed her as it continued to shine forcefully into the restaurant. Elizabeth glanced up and down the street, looking for any signs of her sister's car.

Her inspection of the outdoors did not stop there. Having decided that her sister was late she leaned her head against the cool glass and looked at the sky above. It was blue and clear, not a cloud in sight, as was always the case. The area was experiencing a drought and, while the lack of moisture was not overly noticeable in the city, beyond the city limits the seriousness of the situation was glaringly apparent.

The ringing of a cell-phone drew her attention away from the sky. She looked at the man across from her, sitting at another table and, to all appearances, made as uncomfortable as she by the sun beating down on him. He was tall, broad shouldered, with dark brown hair that curled onto an aristocratic brow. His gentle chocolate eyes pulled her in. The stranger wore a white dress shirt unbuttoned at the top, his tie was discarded on the table, and the sleeves of his shirt were rolled up to his elbows revealing his muscular arms. His sports jacket was draped over the back of his chair. Elizabeth thought he was one of the finest male specimens she had seen in a long time.

The stranger gave her an apologetic smile for the annoying ring of his phone. She smiled back and then restrained her laughter as a muffled ringing could be heard from her purse at her side. Elizabeth glanced back at him to see a similarly amused expression on his face as she answered the tenacious ringing. "Elizabeth Bennet speaking."

"Lizzy, I'm not going to be able to meet you for lunch. Sorry. The meeting is going on far longer than I had expected," Jane Bennet whispered apologetically into the phone, aware of Charles Bingley smiling at her across the room. Charles rolled his eyes. It would appear his friend was giving a lot of resistance to the plan.

"Very well, Jay. Do you have any idea when you'll be done? Please tell me I am not going to have to brave Friday night dinner with our parents without your moral support." Elizabeth noticed a smirk spread across the stranger's face. He was listening to her conversation and she could not prevent the blush rising in her face. She remained unaware how charming the stranger thought her heightened colour looked.

"Well," Jane paused. "Charles has asked me out tonight..."

"Traitor!" Elizabeth hissed.

"Do stop whining, little sister. Set your mind at ease. I have invited him to join us so you will not be without me to hold your hand. He's inviting one of his friends to come along."

"You're setting me up!" Elizabeth and the stranger exclaimed simultaneously and another look of amusement passed between them.

Their phone conversations had drawn to a close with both protesting angrily that they did not need help, however kind the intention, finding someone. Elizabeth slipped her phone back into her purse, determinedly switching it off just as the stranger shoved his phone into the pocket of his sports coat.

"I've been stood-up," Elizabeth confided, conspiratorially to the stranger.

He smiled, saying in a rich, thick accent that sent a shiver down her spine. "I thought I heard you say you were being set up but I must have heard wrong. Well, whoever he is, he is very foolish to abandon you." Will Darcy, you are fishing for information. Stop it.

Elizabeth blushed again. "Well, my sister just phoned to say she couldn't make it for lunch." Too bold woman! I could not be any less subtle than if I launched myself into his arms at this moment.

"Oh, your sister... The traitor?" he asked, feeling his heart leap for joy as she laughed at his question. Standing up, William moved to her table. "I hope you don't object to my joining you... Elizabeth, isn't it?"

"Oh, please do. I would enjoy the company. And yes, my name is Elizabeth. You must have really good hearing." The waitor interrupted them at this point and, after ordering their meals, Elizabeth went on to say, "Jay, the traitor, is held up at a meeting. She is bringing her boyfriend to a family dinner tonight and I have the sneaking suspicion that I am being set up, although Jay denied it. What about you?"

"Well, I dare say I had more luck than you. I managed to get out of a very similar meeting."

"What is your secret?" Elizabeth asked in mock amazement.

"Not a secret really, more of a useful lie-slash-trick. I said I had met this lovely woman whom I was hoping would accompany me to dinner." William grinned, seeing the disappointed grimace cross Elizabeth's face, and continued saying in an unconcerned tone as he stirred his coffee. "Then, you see, I joined her at her table and found she was booked for dinner with her family for the evening, so I am utterly heart-broken..." Sure, throw your entire personality out the window, Will. Reckless... You are being reckless, you'll scare her off at this rate. She'll think you are some deranged psychopath out to harm her.

Elizabeth's eyes widened in shock as she gave a nervous laugh. "I see... Well, you could always join us for dinner. I could foil my sister's plans and shock my family senseless." Subtlety, think subtlety Elizabeth! Jeez!

"I would love to come to dinner with you, Liz."

"I'm glad to hear it." Elizabeth smiled at him. "Although, there is one little technicality that is proving to be a bit of a problem."

"That is?" William asked, suspicious of his companion's smiling countenance.

"I can scarcely introduce you when I don't even know your name."

William nodded his head in understanding. "It's Darcy, Will Darcy."

"Really? Do you find that the 'Bond, James Bond' line usually works on women?" Elizabeth's eyes twinkled in amusement as she raised her eyebrows.

William laughed, "Well, I am hardly 007 but you must admit it was worth a try."

"If you say so, but you really need to work on your introduction or you shall have to explain that many times over." Elizabeth squinted as the sunshine moved into her eyes.

"It is a bit much, isn't it?" William said as he closed the blinds over the window, smiling at the realization that she looked just as gorgeous in the dim light as she did in the sun. Elizabeth had dark blue eyes that made quite a striking impression against her fair complexion and dark auburn curls that wound their way down her back. The light lilac coloured shirt she wore only drew more attention to these fascinating features.

"Yes," Elizabeth sighed in exasperation. "I like warm and sunny days as much as the next person but I am rather sick of them. I would love some rain. The drought has gone on much too long."

"I know what you mean. I miss the rain and would gladly welcome some of it. The dryness is not so obvious in the city but it is horrible out of town. I live in the country and commute into the city. On windy days the dust just blows across the yard - hot, uncomfortable, dusty. If I have the misfortune to be standing outside at such a time I usually get all that dust blown into my face; not the most pleasant sensation ever dreamed up."

"I know what you mean. When I visit my parents' farm every Friday for dinner, like I am this evening, I am reminded how dry everything is. The dust that is stirred up simply by walking through their garden is appalling."

William nodded his understanding and glanced through the blinds. "And that is another thing." He pointed at the skyline. "The clouds that do actually appear, out of them we get a couple of drops of rain at most."

"Indeed, the clouds look so promising but nothing comes of it. When I was little and I'd wake up to find dark clouds gathering on the horizon, I would anxiously wait for the first sign of rain. As soon as the first raindrop fell I would badger my mother into digging my boots and raincoat out of the closet and I'd drag my sister, the traitor, out into the rain. We would run around in the rain, splashing in puddles. Jay would always come back slightly ruffled but I, on the other hand, would come back soaked. My boots would be squishing with water, my clothes sticking to me and my hair plastered to my head and face - I would look as if I needed to be thrown into the dryer!"

William laughed heartily at the picture in his mind of a young Elizabeth. He could see what a sweet child she had been. She was just as charming now. The waiter returned with the food and the two of them ate in a friendly silence, well aware of the fact that they had rarely felt at such ease with another person with whom they were not well acquainted.

Crunching up the paper napkin, Elizaberh discarded it on her plate and pushed them away. "Well, that was a good meal." She glanced down at her watch. "Not wanting to get rid of you, Will, but do you have to be getting back to work? We've had a rather long lunch hour."

"I have the afternoon off. I hope you don't have to be going..." William was close to panicking. He did not want to be separated from her, even if she was serious about his joining her at her parents'.

"Oh, I'm glad! I have the afternoon off, as well." Elizabeth heaved a sigh of relief. She disliked the idea of parting company with William as much as he did not want their time together to end.

"Well, in that case, how about another coffee?"

"That would be nice." Elizabeth smiled at him, making his heart beat faster as he ordered the coffees.

Elizabeth and William spent the next few hours at the restaurant table talking about any subject that came to mind. As the minutes slipped by the couple became more and more at ease with each other.

Elizabeth was so comfortable in William's presence that she took to brushing the curl of hair that fell into his eyes off of his forehead and she said his name whenever the opportunity presented itself. She smiled slightly and rolled her eyes when William sang along to the song playing in the restaurant, going slightly off key. Elizabeth fell in love with him that day without even realising it. All she knew was that she was not going to let this one get away.

William was no less affected by Elizabeth. He noticed how her scent lingered in the air. Her perfume was far from overpowering but rather natural and sweet. William watched mesmerized as she described one of her favourite movies, tears forming in her eyes as she related, almost word-for-word, the romantic closing scene. The way her eyes sparkled with laughter made his breath catch in his throat. She was beautiful and everything he ever wanted. He fell in love with her then and there. He was never going to let her go.

Leaning back and stretching his arms above his head, William looked through the blinds. The clouds had taken over the sky but he had been fooled before. It might look like rain but it would be as dry as always. However, this day had been so perfect, who was to say it wouldn't rain? William opened the blinds, watching as Elizabeth looked up at the sky.

"Oh, I do wish it would rain, Will." Elizabeth's eyes focussed on a single raindrop that was sliding down the window and she smiled slightly. She was used to the few raindrops that pattered to the ground, causing everyone to pause and expectantly wait for more to come. Elizabeth forlornly traced the path of the water drop down the window, not seeing how William watched her, the affection he felt for her visible in his face.

"It could rain, Liz," he whispered, turning his eyes from her to the outside world. The few drops splashing onto the ground had turned into a steady drizzle. "Liz, it is raining. Look."

Elizabeth dutifully looked out at the street, a large grin spreading across her face and lighting up her eyes. "Oh Will!" Jumping up from her chair she suggested like an excited child, "Let's go dance in the rain."

Taking her hand in his, he lightly ran his thumb across her knuckles. "I'll meet you out there, Liz." As he released her hand she rushed from the restaurant. William watched Elizabeth rushing onto the sidewalk, turning her face up towards the rain that was now pouring down and starting miniature rivers running down the street.

William walked up to the front of the restaurant to pay for their meal. He handed his and Elizabeth's coats and her purse over to the waiter. "We'll be back for these."

"Anything else, Mr. Darcy?" the waiter asked, looking at the restaurant's most respected customer.

"Yes, there is something you could do. Can you play a song for me?"

"Of course, sir."

"Thank you, Peter."

William propped the doors of the restaurant open, signalling Peter to turn the music up. He stepped out of the restaurant into the heavy rain, blinking as it splashed his face in a refreshing way that seemed unfamiliar. Slipping his arms around Elizabeth's waist and pulling her closer to him, he said,

"You invited me to dance in the rain, Elizabeth. I thought we could use some music." He placed a kiss on her forehead.

I like the feel of your name on my lips
And I like the sound of your sweet gentle kiss
The way that your fingers run through my hair
And how your scent lingers even when you're not there

The onlookers watched the couple dancing in the street; some smiled at them, others walked on muttering about the indecent display, while still more looked at them, wondering what could have possessed them to dance in the rain. William and Elizabeth were oblivious to this. At that moment they were the only people in the world and the rain was the wall surrounding and separating them from all else.

And I like the way your eyes dance when you laugh
And how you enjoy your two hour bath
And how you convinced me to dance in the rain
With everyone watching like we were insane

But I love the way you love me
Oh baby
Strong and wild, slow and easy
Heart and soul, so completely
I love the way you love me

And I like the sound of old R&B
And you roll your eyes when I'm slightly off key
And I like the innocent way that you cry
From sappy old movies you've seen thousands of times

"Don't deny it, Liz. You rolled your eyes when I was singing off key and you were blubbering over those 'sappy old movies'," William whispered into her hair.

And I love the way you love me
Oh baby
Strong and wild, slow and easy

Elizabeth looked up at him, quite pleased with what she saw. He was gorgeous with that rebellious piece of hair sticking to his damp forehead and his now soaking shirt clinging to his body. She said, with a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth, "Just shut-up and kiss me, you dolt."

"As you wish, milady," William said, lowering his lips to hers.

Heart and soul so completely
I love the way you love me

So listen to me
And I could list a million things I love to like about you

Breaking free, Elizabeth laid her head against his chest while William rested his chin on her head. "Liz... I was wondering..."

But they could all come down to one reason

"I like sapphires and diamonds... I'm not averse to emeralds or pearls, either." William could feel Elizabeth smiling wickedly against him and he laughed.

I could never live without you

"Well, diamonds and sapphires it is, but first you really ought to introduce me to your parents so that I might ask their permission." Looking down at Elizabeth's damp face, he said, "I feel I must thank your sister and her boyfriend for their efforts, after all. If they hadn't tried to set you up tonight we might never have begun our conversation. Her name is Jay, I believe you said. What's his name?"

I love the way you love me
Oh baby

Elizabeth's nose wrinkled adorably at this question. "My sister is Jane Bennet and her boyfriend is Charles Bingley. Why do you ask?"

Strong and wild, slow and easy

William laughed loudly, pulling her even closer to him. "Oh, that is just too good. Liz, my dear, I was the guy your sister and her boyfriend were hoping to set you up with. I remember now that Charles said I should meet Jane's sister, Elizabeth Bennet. He said I would like her very much."

Heart and soul, so completely

Elizabeth giggled. "Imagine what a surprise they will have when we show up together. I think we're going to have fun with this, Will."

I love the way you love way me

William and Elizabeth linked arms and together they walked down the street, totally unconcerned by the rain pouring down on them.

I love the way you love me...*

Finis

*I Love The Way You Love Me - Boyzone
Written By: Victoria Shaw and Chuck Cannon

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