Hi everyone!

Senator Darcy is a contemporary attempt at the story of Pride and Prejudice, where I've imagined that Elizabeth Bennet and her sisters are the daughters of a state Senator nearing retirement. Senator Darcy will combine Southern Charm with Elizabeth Bennet's signature wit, and a little bit of OOC ODC as well.

I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it!

More to come!

xx

Chapter 2

Liz yelped in pain as the woman doing alterations on their gowns for the charity ball pulled the seam a little too tight, and she thought for sure she would never take a breath again. She had put off the fitting as long as she could, hoping that, perhaps, she could have convinced her parents at the last minute to let her skip it altogether. Instead, her mother was sitting in the chair across from her, watching intently to make sure she didn't try to run away.

"I'm late for my shift at the reading center, mother," Liz mumbled through the pain. Her mother waved as dismissive hand and then flipped to the next page in her fashion magazine.

"You run the program, Elizabeth. Someone can cover for you. Besides, it's important that you look your best tonight."

"And why," Liz stopped to groan as the seams were tightened again, "is that?"

Emily Bennet didn't even look up from the magazine. "Because you'll be meeting a young man there tonight, and I need you to look your best."

Liz rolled her eyes with such exaggeration, she was glad her mother hadn't looked up. While Lydia, the youngest Bennet girl, was still a teenager, Emily was intent on making sure that each of her daughters had found a suitable match, preferably before her dear husband Edward was out of office.

While Liz didn't loathe the idea of being in a relationship, she wasn't as invested in the concept as her sisters, and she certainly had no intention of marrying someone who pleased her mother. When she married one day, if she married one day, it would be for all-consuming, head-over-heels, happily ever after love. Nothing less.

"Mother, there is absolutely no chance that I will…"

"Oh, Lizzie. Just give the man a chance. He's perfectly… hygienic," Emily said, refusing to make eye contact with her daughter. It was enough to send Liz into peals of laughter.

"If that's the best compliment you have for him, mother, I might as well take off this dress right now. I can still make my shift if beat the traffic out of here."

Emily slammed the magazine down in her lap and frowned. "Elizabeth Abigail Bennet, do I really ask so much of you? Is it such a burden to spend one evening dancing with a man because it makes your mother happy?"

Liz tugged at the sweetheart neckline of her gown and winced. "I can't even move my hips in this dress. How am I supposed to dance?"

"Like generations of women who came before you. Carefully, and without moving very much."

Liz looked down, and the seamstress glared at her. "Your sisters were a lot easier to deal with."

Liz blew a piece of stray hair out of her eyes.

"I hear that a lot."

The limousine door opened, and Liz waited patiently while Janey climbed out of the back seat first. When they'd left their townhouse in Georgetown, their mother was still fighting with their younger sisters, and Janey had become impatient. In a huff, she'd made Liz leave with her, even though Liz had been forced to finish her makeup on the drive over.

The car had barely pulled to a stop in front of the museum when Janey jumped out.

"He's not going anywhere, Jane! He said he'd be here!" Liz called after her. Liz turned around, fluffing her black gown so that it spread out around her properly.

"I am sure I haven't the slightest idea what you are talking about, Lizzie. Now would you hurry up!"

Liz sighed and scooted out of the limo, almost tripping over her pale blue gown in the process. The mermaid tail got stuck under her heels, and she had to jump up in the air to disengage it, causing the top of the dress to shift slightly. As Liz adjusted the bodice, Janey groaned and turned, abandoned Liz by the car and practically running for the security line. Liz shrugged and chased after her, attempting to look dignified but knowing that she was failing tremendously.

After struggling up the stairs in her Swarovski-studded heels, which didn't properly fit because she had borrowed them from Janey's closet moments before they left the house, she made it to her sister's side just in time to walk through security.

"Jane Bennett," Jane said formally. Then she pointed at Liz, "And this is Elizabeth, but you don't have to let her in."

Liz scrunched up her face, and her elder sister broke out in laughter. "Liz, you are nothing if not entertaining."

"And a bookworm. Don't forget that I'm such a bookworm," Liz responded snidely as the security guard waved them through.

Jane took her sister's hand and gave it a squeeze. "I'm sorry I was such a brat last night. I don't know what came over me. But Charles is just so… charming. I've never met anyone like him."

They approached the entrance to the ballroom, and could already hear the familiar first notes of a waltz wafting out through the doors. "Of course, you've never met anyone like him, Janey. You spend all of your time studying. You've hardly met anyone!" Jane slapped her sister gently on the arm as two men wearing Victorian costumes opened the ballroom doors. When they got a look at what lay ahead, even Liz was forced to admit it was spectacular.

Chandeliers and candelabras were lit with delicately sparkling bulbs, and a classical chamber ensemble played in the corner, their music already encouraging senators and pages alike out on to the dance floor. Waiters circled with trays of delicious hors d'oeuvres, and a wine bar had a line that practically stretched back to where Liz and Jane stood. The warmth and all of the period details overwhelmed Liz, but Janey had her eyes on other things.

"Do you see him?"

Liz rolled her eyes. "Oh, for goodness sake, Janey! We just got here. Give it a second. Get a canapé."

"If I eat anything while we're here, this dress will explode and I'll be arrested for murder by pearl button," Jane said with a laugh as they walked in. As they passed the bar, the bartender set two glasses of rosé on the edge for a man Liz recognized as deeply disliked senator from Texas. When he looked away, she reached out and snatched the glasses of wine, and then hustled to catch up with her sister. She could hear the bartender chuckling as she ran away.

"Here," Liz said as she handed the wine to a confused Jane.

"Where did you… You know what? Never mind. Thank you."

They clinked glasses and proceeded to watch the crowd for very different reasons; Liz to entertain herself, and Janey to look for her handsome congressman. After an hour of people watching, the only people they caught sight of were their parents and sisters, clamoring into the sea of dancers.

"Well, here are my two beautiful angels," Edward said with a kiss on Liz and Janey's cheeks. Emily reached over with both hands and grabbed hold of Liz's dress top, yanking it up further. Liz slapped each of her mother's hands.

"Mom! Come on!"

Emily just shook her head. "I explained to you that you would be meeting someone here tonight. The least you could do is not look like you ran here on foot and took a shortcut through the gardens. I swear, Elizabeth. Why can't you be more like Jane?"

Janey bit her lip in frustration, as Liz took a deep breath to calm her frazzled nerves. "We can't all be natural beauties like Janey, now can we mother?"

"Lizzie, don't…" But Jane wasn't able to finish her sentence, as she was interrupted by exactly the man she had been searching for all night.

"Well, if it isn't the Bennet family! All together! What a delight," Charles Bingley said with a gentlemanly bow. "Senator, what a great joy it must be to have such intelligent and beautiful daughters."

Lydia and Kit immediately began to giggle, though Maryanne approached the situation with her usual air of disinterest. Jane just turned bright red again at the sound of Charles' voice.

"They keep me on my toes, son. Nice to see you again, Bingley. And who, may I ask, is your friend?"

All at once, all of the women became aware of the man standing behind Charles, and Liz couldn't quite figure out how she hadn't noticed him before. He was handsome, of that she was sure, with wavy blonde hair, huge sparkling brown eyes, and the serious countenance of a man with much on his mind. And yet, there was something almost arrogant about him, aloof, and Liz felt a pang of annoyance that he'd been standing there so long without bothering to make his presence known.

"How rude of me!" Charles exclaimed. "This is my good friend, Congressman Will Darcy. Though I suppose I should get used to calling you 'Senator,' shouldn't I?"

Everyone said their hellos, but all Will Darcy did was nod as everyone was introduced. Liz's eyebrows raised at lack of manners, but she said nothing, despite her desire point out how utterly rude he was being.

Charles seemed unfazed, however, and held his hand out to Janey. "Miss Bennet, may I have the pleasure of your company for this dance?"

Janey didn't say a word. She just gave him her hand with a smile, and they turned towards the dance floor, leaving the rest of the Bennet's to stare uncomfortably at one another, and Will Darcy. Finally, Emily cleared her throat.

"Lizzie, why don't you and Congressman Darcy take a spin around the floor together? Neither is otherwise engaged and it is the perfect night for a dance."

Liz could have killed her mother in that instant. If there were a man on the room she was less inclined to attempt to dance in that dress with, she didn't think he existed. But Darcy looked even less interested than she felt.

"I beg your pardon, Mrs. Bennet, but I'm not much of a dancer," he responded in a drawl as smooth as sweet summer honey.

But the famous Southern Charm wasn't working on Emily Bennet, and Liz saw a look in her mother's eyes that meant this conversation wasn't going to end well for the congressman.

"I beg your pardon, Mr. Darcy, but it hardly seems fit to come to a dance such as this and then refuse to take part in the festivities. Besides, when in your life will you ever have a lovelier dance partner?" Emily said, smiling at her daughter. But her attempts at charm served no purpose, and Will Darcy didn't say a word in response. He just turned on his heel and disappeared into the crowd.

"Well, I never!" Emily shouted.

"Really, mother. Keep your voice down. The last thing father wants right before the end of his term is for his wife to cause a scene at a charity ball put on for the First Lady."

"I honestly don't care, Elizabeth. What a rude, boorish man. What right does he have to be so pompous?"

Liz flipped her skirt out from under her heels again, and rolled her eyes at her mother. "He's a politician, mother. That's all the right he needs. Maryanne? Let's go eat handfuls of free shrimp until the seams on our dresses pop!"

Maryanne jumped out from her hiding place behind their father. "You don't have to ask me twice!"

"Girls! Please do not make spectacles of yourselves over the hors d'oeuvres!" Emily called after them, but Liz and Mary were already halfway across the ballroom, cornering a waiter and stealing his tray of tiny appetizers, before disappearing behind the bar.

"Remind me again why we have to come to these things?" Maryanne asked as she stuffed a cheese puff in her mouth.

"Because we don't have a choice, darling sister."

They giggled as they poked through the other appetizers to see what they had stolen, and Liz was just about to suggest getting more to drink, when Maryanne poked her side to get her attention. Just to their left, waiting for a glass of wine was Will Darcy. He looked as put out and bored as he had earlier, even when Charles approached him with a huge, happy smile on his face.

"Good heavens, Darcy. What is the matter with you? It's a gorgeous night, the room is filled with beautiful women, and you're standing over here, scowling into your Cabernet."

Darcy scoffed. "It's Shiraz. And you, my friend, are dancing with the only beautiful woman here."

"What are you talking about, old man? The other Bennet girl, Liz, I think it is? She's a lovely young thing!"

Darcy shook his head and downed the whole glass of wine in one gulp, meager portion though it may have been. "She's hardly as pretty as her sister, and I don't see the point of wasting my time with someone beneath me, Charles. Go back to your dance partner and enjoy yourself. Leave me here with my wine."

Charles walked off, shaking his head, and Liz's hands began to shake with rage. She jammed the tray of appetizers into her sister's hands.

"Hold this," Liz growled.

"Oh, god, Liz. Don't do anything dad will regret... please," Maryanne whispered desperately. But Liz was already several steps away from her sister and stalking toward the bar. When she got within range of Darcy, his eyes went wide at the sight of her, but he didn't say a word. For a moment, it looked as if Liz were going to punch his lights out, her fists balled up in rage. But the second she stopped in front of Darcy, she threw her head back and smiled her most effervescent smile, then she stepped around him and leaned against the wine bar.

"Bartender, two glasses of whatever Congressman Darcy is having," she said with happy lilt. The bartender winked at her as he slid two glasses full of ruby red wine in her direction. Liz picked them up and walked slowly back over to Darcy, making every step count, before handing him one of the glasses.

"For you, Congressman Darcy. Unless…" she paused. "Unless you don't accept wine from those you consider beneath you."

Liz didn't allow him to answer. She just spun on her heel in the direction of her family, and walked away, leaving Darcy to brood alone with wine.