Chapter 28
"You are already dressing up," Lydia noticed as she entered her sister's bedroom.
"Oh, hi, Liddy," Elizabeth glanced over her shoulder. "I didn't hear you come in from school."
"You're looking pretty," she said quietly. "New dress?"
"Yes," Elizabeth turned her back to the mirror to check that everything was in place. "William is taking me to the theatre and I didn't have anything to wear. I hope this is the appropriate thing."
"It's classy," Lydia sat on her sister's bed. "It fits you perfectly."
Now Elizabeth faced the mirror and smoothed the fabric down her hips. "So how was school? Just one more day and you'll start the break."
"Fine," Lydia shrugged.
Elizabeth stole a quick glance at her sister and through the mirror she realized that she looked upset. "Anything wrong?"
"No, it's just that ... never mind." Lydia's pout grew bigger.
"Come on, Liddy, you can tell me."
Lydia dropped her body back so she was lying flat on the bed. "Mary is not my friend anymore."
"Mary King? Why not?"
"Well, she is, but we can't tell anyone because her mother doesn't allow her to mingle with me anymore. She says I'm not good for her daughter."
So the consequences of her acts had already started. Elizabeth tried to sound light, not giving too much importance to the subject. "That will pass. Maybe when you show her you're not so bad, that you learned your lesson, everything will be fine."
"No, it will never be the same. She'll never allow Mary to come here again and she'll never receive me in her house. And as I'm grounded for the next two months, I'll never be able to see my friends out of the school again."
"Well, Liddy, you can't expect to come out of this unpunished."
"And George never called me again."
That made Elizabeth's alarm bells start ringing. "Do you want him to call?"
"I don't know." Lydia said thoughtfully. "He said he loved me. I thought he would call to see how I was."
"And what do you feel for him? Do you love him?"
"I thought I did, but now I know that I don't. How can I love him after what he did? He never called me again, he doesn't care about me!" Lydia sat up in bed.
"Liddy," Elizabeth sat on the bed next to her sister. "Maybe George loved you, in his own selfish way, but that relationship wasn't healthy for you. He's thirty-three, you are sixteen, you must see guys your age."
"But it's not the same, Lizzy. George is a real man, he's gorgeous, the guys are so ... like children."
"Lydia," her sister said firmly, "he used you. He took pictures of you. He even filmed a nude video of you so he could obtain some money. He used drugs and he forced you to have dirty sex with him. That is not real love, Liddy."
The youngest Miss Bennet remained silent for a while. "I guess you are right."
Elizabeth thought best not to continue on the subject, fearing that her opposition would provoke Lydia's rebelliousness and incite her to go back with George. She walked to the vanity and finished her make-up.
"You didn't sleep with George while you were dating him, did you?"
"No, I didn't." She spread some powder over her cheeks.
"Why?"
"For many reasons." Elizabeth sighed, "I didn't like him that much and also, I don't like to sleep with a man until I'm sure of my feelings and his. As for George, I always thought that there was something wrong about him, that he was hiding something. I didn't trust him."
"I was in love with him, that's why I did it." Lydia was trying to justify her actions.
Again, Elizabeth didn't reply.
"William seems to be a great guy."
"He is." Elizabeth smiled, her eyes bright.
"Did he say something about me?" She asked.
Elizabeth understood her sister's apprehensiveness concerning William Darcy. He rescued her from a very promiscuous situation and any other man would think that her little sister was a complete slut. But if Darcy was going to be more in touch with her family from now on, it would be better if she cleared up this subject with her.
"No. William is a very reasonable person. He knows that you were only duped into this. He knows George quite well and blames him for everything that happened."
"George is not the only one to be blamed for this, Lizzy, I knew what I was getting into about that modeling thing. I just never thought that he would turn so ... sexual."
"Do you want to talk about that?" Elizabeth asked quietly.
Lydia let out a soft chuckle. "I'm not traumatized, if that's what you are afraid of, just disappointed, because I trusted him."
Elizabeth turned around to face her sister. Lydia was 'just disappointed' with George when she should be hurt and mad with him. Though that comment was enough to worry her, Elizabeth preferred not to make this bigger than it was. Maybe it would be better if she applied a sharper watch over her little sister, observe her more closely. She would discuss this with her mother, but for now, it was better not to make a big deal of this subject.
"That's life, Liddy. It happens to everyone. Maybe yours occurred too early, you chose the wrong man to fall in love with, but disappointment is something that everyone goes through. Don't worry so much, just learn the lesson and try not to make the same mistake again. You are only sixteen, don't jump all the steps at the same time. Once you are an adult, you can't bring your childhood back. Now," she smiled brightly, "I'll finish changing. William will arrive in only a moment."
"What are you going to see?"
"The Phantom of the Opera." Elizabeth looked for the lip-gloss over her vanity.
"That's cool."
"I heard that it's fabulous."
"I never thought you liked William this much," Lydia commented. "You seemed upset with him when you returned from Kent."
"Yes, we were having a fight at the time." She applied the loss over he lips.
"He's cute," the young girl shrugged, "not as handsome as George, but cute."
Elizabeth smiled. She made the same comparison once. What an idiot she was at the time, as if Darcy and George could be compared.
"You must feel excited for dating someone so famous."
It was odd, because Elizabeth couldn't think of Darcy as the movie director he really was and his recently acquired fame. "He's just a normal guy, you'll see."
"And tall. I was quite frightened when I saw him at the cottage," Liddy smirked.
Elizabeth chuckled, "I understand how you feel. I was also afraid of him when I first met him."
"Well," Lydia sighed thoughtfully and rose from her sister's bed. "I'll see if mom needs help in the kitchen."
"All right." Through the mirror of her vanity, Elizabeth observed Lydia as she left the room. This would be a tough transition for her poor sister.
"Liddy!" Amanda yelled from the bathroom, "Will you please answer the door? I'm sure it's William!"
Lydia rolled her eyes. Elizabeth was still in her bedroom, her mother in the toilet and she was the only one available to open the door. Just when she was watching 'Friends'. "All right!"
She walked towards the door, trailing her winter slippers as she walked. She opened the door when the stunning image of William Darcy in a dark suit materialized in front of her.
"Oh, hi, William." She felt instantly embarrassed with his presence.
"Hi, Lydia," Darcy also found the situation quite awkward. The last time he saw this girl she was in the middle of a nervous breakdown because the man that she loved abused her. But Darcy was a man of the world and if he was good at something, it was putting uncomfortable people at ease. "I guess your sister isn't ready yet." He said with a smile.
"She was, almost, when I last saw her," Lydia moved from the door so he could come into the apartment, "I'll tell her you are here."
"Thank you."
Amanda chose that moment to emerge from the bathroom. "Oh, William!" She greeted him effusively, "you are already here! And looking so handsome!"
"Hello, Amanda." He smiled.
"And Lizzy?" She looked around. "Where is she?"
"Lydia went for her."
His eyes went to the door where Lydia had disappeared into and his entire face lit up when he saw Elizabeth walking towards him. He was speechless, she couldn't look more beautiful. She was wearing a simple cocktail dress, in black silk, with a square neckline, glued to her curves like a second skin. Her hair was loose, only secured by very thin black hair band. Black stocking and shoes completed the image. Just beautiful.
If Darcy was completely dazed with her, Elizabeth was fluttering with the sight of him. Tonight, he was wearing a dark gray suit, an even darker overcoat and the Bordeaux scarf matched with his tie. His hair was very short, like the first time she met him and miraculously in place. Oh, boy, he was looking indeed handsome.
Slowly, she walked to him. "Hi," she said.
"Hi," se replied.
Oblivious to the other two in the room, he leaned down to kiss her lips, but Elizabeth, not wanting to stain him with lip gloss -and to make such an exhibition in front of her relatives-, pulled back before he touched her. That made him hesitate and retreat a couple of inches. But then, she regretted her evasive maneuver and moved forward, only to find him out of her reach. Such an unsynchronized greeting occurred a second time before Darcy took hold of Elizabeth chin and gave her a fairly unchaste kiss, where he didn't give a damn about makeup, lipstick, mother or sister.
He pulled back and Elizabeth wiped the lip-gloss from his lips with her thumb.
"William," Amanda, dazed by the scene, interrupted, "do you want something to drink before you leave?"
"I thank you, no," he replied, his hand on the small of Elizabeth's back. "We better go if we want to be there on time. The traffic is awful at this hour."
Elizabeth couldn't believe he had just kissed her like that, in front of her mother and sister, and that he was looking so absolutely proud of doing so. "Yes, we must go."
She went for her coat and the couple left the apartment.
Darcy pressed the button to call the elevator and turned to Elizabeth, taking both of her hands in his. He stepped closer so their chests were almost touching, their arms hanging on their sides and fingers entwined.
"You are looking deliciously pretty." He smiled as he leaned down.
"And you are acting uncommonly naughty," she replied playfully. "This time you managed to shock my mom."
"I don't think she cares."
As they waited for the elevator to come, he kissed her and Elizabeth thought it pointless to worry about her makeup this time. She was too happy, he was deliriously happy and they needed to make it up for almost a week of not seeing each other.
"How's your sister?" Darcy asked as they drove towards London. "She looked fine when I saw her."
With a sigh, Elizabeth expressed her fears about Lydia and the possibility that she was still romantically attached to George. "She's doing a lot of thinking about what happened, sometimes she even looks repentant, but what worries me is that she still thinks of him with affection. We talked a little before you arrived. From something she said, I noticed that her resentment is more based in the fact that he hasn't call her since that night, that he doesn't care about her, than in the fact that he abused of her. I'm afraid that if he calls her, she'll accept him."
"I know how you feel, because something similar happened with Georgiana. It took her some time to understand that he was trying to take advantage of her."
"And how did you convince her?"
"I didn't, she finally realized it on her own. But in the meantime, while I tried to make her see her mistake, we argued constantly."
"I can't imagine how an argument between you two might be." She smiled.
"Pretty silent," he chuckled, "at least from her part. And frustrating sometimes, because if she breaks eye contact, the conversation is over and no matter how much I yell at her, she won't see what I'm trying to say."
"I can't imagine Georgiana giving you a hard time or you getting mad at her. She's such a sweet girl and you seem to get along very well."
"We do." Darcy smiled with evident love for his sister. "I think that that was what helped her to overcome that moment. Poor thing, she cried for hours when she realized that he was only using her."
"I don't know what I would do if he calls Liddy again." Elizabeth sighed as her fears came back to her again. "Lydia can be so stupid sometimes."
"Give her time, Elizabeth," he reached out for her hand and squeezed it. "Don't worry so much. Everything is too recent."
"I guess you are right."
Darcy brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. For a moment, he pondered if he should tell her the extent of his dealing with George and his interview with Christopher Brandon, but he preferred not to do it right now. This was their night, their date and he didn't want to spoil it by discussing subjects that weren't nice and that would only put her ill at ease. He wanted this to be a perfect, romantic date, the beginning of a relationship that -he hoped- looked beautiful and promising. They would surely spend some time together during the weekend, Amanda should also be informed about this too, so George and his ugly life would be discussed some other time. Tonight it was just for them.
Darcy left the car in a public parking lot and the couple walked the distance towards Her Majesty's Theatre. He was in the spotlight now, the paparazzi recognized him immediately -it was not unusual that celebrities would attend this show- so the photographers stationed at the door illuminated them with their flashes, not missing the chance to photograph this now famous director and the young woman with him. They posed together, Darcy even signed a couple of autographs and they entered the theatre.
Once inside the magnificent theatre, Elizabeth became more and more enveloped by the enchantment of the place, by the glamour of the attendants and the power of the man whose arm she was holding. William Darcy was William Darcy, the famous director, the most imposing, handsome, charming man of all. All eyes were drawn to them as they walked down the aisle towards their seats and whispered comments were made as they passed through. And then, the light turned off and the magic began.
The play was just magnificent. Visually, it was impeccable, musically, outstanding. By the first interval Elizabeth was dazed and by the end she was close to ecstasy. She cried, laughed, clapped. Every scene, every word, every song was lived as she were a part of it. It was so intensely dramatic that she had to hold Darcy's hand when she thought that she couldn't take any more. And when they left the theatre, she was floating on a cloud.
After the theatre, they dined at 'Ivy', an exclusive restaurant usually attended by fashionable people during opening nights. Dining with him in such an absolutely beautiful place was another story. Champagne, excellent food and an incredibly seductive man sitting across her.
During a good part of the meal, Darcy spoke about his current projects. Every day, he was becoming more involved in the pre-production of 'Appearances' and for the first time since that project came to him, he was feeling the need to tell Elizabeth what the movie was about and only her reluctance to talk to her father was detaining him. The story was a loose adaptation of what really happened between Elizabeth's parents in the past, but he feared that knowing that John wrote that down could ruin everything. In spite of that, he talked a lot about the new film without giving up the plot.
"That sounds like an absolutely great movie, William," She said with evident enthusiasm. "Maddy didn't tell me much about the script, but she said that it's a beautiful story."
"It is. It's a very intense romantic drama. We are still working hard on it. There are still many decisions to make, we must design scenes and work on the dancing numbers, build sets, make the storyboard, design the wardrobe and all. We have a lot of work ahead. It's a huge production. Much bigger than 'The Secret of the Mountain'."
Hearing him talking about this movie with so much excitement brought back that tickling sensation she always felt while they worked together, in Africa. She missed the adrenaline, that amazing feeling of being part of something so grand, of creating something that would last forever. She really missed that.
"Would you like to work with us again?" Darcy called her out of her reverie.
"What?" She couldn't believe her ears.
"Not as my AD, you would be too much of a distraction," his rakish smile made her chuckle, "but in the producing area. The sets are huge, we must cast over 100 hundred people between actors, extras and dancers, hunt props, design the wardrobe and Sam will be too immersed with the technical aspects to have time to worry about the artistic side of the production. Would you like to help us with that? It would be great to have you back on the team."
Her heart started racing at the prospect of working again in moviemaking. "Are you serious?"
"Of course I am." He smiled at her perplexed expression.
"Do you think it's convenient for us to work together?"
"What's wrong with that?" He frowned.
"Well, we are dating and I don't know if it's appropriate if you were my boss again and ..."
"All right, then," he shrugged. "We'll break up before even starting."
"No!" She laughed.
He chuckled. "OK, you don't want to work with me again."
"I didn't say that! I'd love to do it! It's just that I ... what will people think? They'll say that I slept with you to get that job!"
"Elizabeth, I don't give a damn to what they might think and you shouldn't either." He took her hand over the table.
"I know." She bit her lower lip.
"There's no need for you to worry. We practically won't see each other until the shooting starts, only in the pre-production meetings, I won't harass you sexually -at least not at the office- and I promise I will take it out on someone else when you do something wrong."
"Would you mind if I think about it?" Her heart was telling her to say yes, but she wanted to meditate about this before making a decision.
"Take your time," she said softly.
"I'm sorry, Will. I wish I could reply right now, but I want to think about it."
"All right," he sighed in feigned boredom, "I can wait until tomorrow for your positive reply."
"You always obtain what you want, don't you?"
"Not always." There was no way she could resist his charming smile. "But I usually do if I work hard enough."
Elizabeth smiled as she squeezed his fingers. This man was working hard to win her heart, and he was very close from making it completely his.
They finished dinner and Darcy helped her into her coat. On their way out of the restaurant, they met, quite unexpectedly, with one of the ghosts in Darcy's past that Elizabeth didn't have the courage to ask about. Ann de Bourgh.
"William," Ann greeted Darcy with a kiss on the cheek. "How nice to see you. I thought you were at Pemberley till after the holidays."
"Annie," he smiled broadly as he placed his hand on the small of Elizabeth's back, "what a lovely surprise."
Ann had noticed that he was with someone, but she had not seen her clearly and only then she saw that the woman accompanying him was someone she met before. She couldn't recall the name. "Hi," Ann smiled, "you worked at Rosings, didn't you?"
"Yes," Elizabeth smiled too, "with Richard. I'm Elizabeth Bennet."
It was then when Ann made the connection. "Oh, yes, I remember now, you also worked with William in Africa, you were his assistant."
"That's right." Elizabeth replied.
Ann's eyes went from Elizabeth to Darcy and back again. She immediately put two and two together and decided that vanishing would be the best choice. "Well, I should be going, my party is waiting for me." She pointed at a group of people that was sitting near the window.
"We won't detain you," Darcy offered gently. He wanted to end this exchange as quickly as possible, not only for his and Ann's sake, but for Elizabeth's. "Bye Ann. Take care."
A warm, genuine smile came to Ann's lips. "You too, Wills. It's nice to see you looking so well. Good bye, Elizabeth."
They left the restaurant and, silently, they walked towards the car. Elizabeth was thinking about this recent encounter with Darcy's ex and Darcy was allowing her to process this part of the evening before deciding his next move.
"So you are Wills to her," Elizabeth said when she couldn't hold back any longer.
"I'm Wills for many people," Darcy replied in a casual tone, though the irony in her voice didn't pass unnoticed to him.
"Yeah, right. Annie is just one of them."
He bit his lower lip to repress a chuckle. She really looked jealous.
"At least Annie thinks you are looking well."
This time he couldn't hold back and the snort just came out. "All right, Elizabeth, tell me what's bothering you." He stopped and faced her.
"Nothing," she replied stubbornly, not meeting his eyes.
"Before you start making conjectures you shouldn't, I'll tell you this. Yes, I dated Ann in the past, that's not news, but it's over, and we are only good friends right now, that's all."
"Ha!" she smirked. "Good friends. Where did I hear that before?"
"Lizzy," Darcy rested his hands on her shoulders. "It's over. We broke up definitively."
"When?" She crossed her arms over her chest.
"When what?"
"When did you break up with her?"
Darcy frowned as he tried to recall. "Well, the first time we didn't exactly break up, we just stopped seeing each other, but that was more than two years ago. Then, we saw each other for a brief period this year. It started when I went to LA, in October and I broke up definitively with her not four weeks later."
At lightning speed, Elizabeth checked the dates. So their 'encounter' happened in between their argument in Kent and the moment she found him in Derbyshire. How convenient, Mr. Darcy found someone to shag instead of pining for her. "Right." She turned and walked away from him with decided steps.
Darcy grabbed her by the arm and spun her around. He brought her closer to him and wrapped his arms around her so she would not walk away again. "I made a mistake, Elizabeth, I allowed circumstances to overwhelm me and I found refuge where I shouldn't. But it's over, definitely and forever. I never loved her, never. After kissing you in Kent I realized that I couldn't be with someone else, that I couldn't love someone else that's why I ended it soon after it started, Elizabeth. I love you and only you."
Elizabeth was still refusing to look up at him. She knew she had no right to be mad at him, they weren't together at the time, but she couldn't help it. "But you slept with her."
"I'm sorry, it won't happen again." He teased her, that was the biggest pout he had ever seen on her lovely mouth.
She shrugged herself form his embrace and slapped his arm. "Of course it won't! I can't believe you slept with her and you are mocking me about it!"
"Well, I am a man!" He cried, failing to look serious. "Aren't we supposed to be stupid and weak?"
Smiling, she walked closer to him and held the lapels of his overcoat. "You are a man indeed, but absolutely not stupid or weak."
"And this man is absolutely crazy about you." He lowered his face to kiss her lips, which, of course, he kissed, quite ardently for their present location.
The rest of the walk towards the parking lot was done with their arms around the other's waist. They sat inside the car, but Darcy didn't turn the engine on.
"Well," he said in a casual voice, "should I take you home right now or are you up to a cup of coffee?"
"Coffee?" The smile playing on his lips was so wicked that she was almost guessing where he was heading to. "I'd love that. I wonder where we could go."
"My flat is not far away from here."
"Your flat." She smiled knowingly. There were butterflies twirling inside her stomach and a ticklish sensation making itself obvious between her legs.
"Yes. We can have a cup of coffee, cuddle for a while and then I can take you home, if that's what you want."
For the look in his eyes, Elizabeth could guess that he wanted more than coffee and cuddling, that he wanted to make love to her, but that he was letting her make the decision. If she said only coffee, it would be only coffee. If she said cuddling, it would be just that. She held his stare and felt a rush of excitement, of love combined with lust that she didn't want to repress. She wanted to go to his place, to belong to him, make love to him and be the recipient of that passion and desire that were darkening his eyes. She wanted to make love to him.
Elizabeth moved closer to him on the seat, placing her hand on his thigh. In his ear, she whispered a seductive, "I'd love to go, William."
Darcy felt the impact of that reply in his loins. That was a full meaning 'yes' and while spending the night with her had been in his dreams for tonight, he thought that it would take a little more work from his part to convince her or that, at least, he would have to bring out some of his seducing artillery. But who was he to argue with her if she was so decided?
"Let's go, then," his voice was hoarse with desire. He started the engine and they left at full speed.