CHAPTER 7.

Lizzy would not admit it but she dressed with extra care for the barbecue, knowing that Will would be there. Her dark blue jeans fitted her like a glove without looking trashy, her boots over the jeans accentuated her shapely legs, and the emerald green cold shoulder cashmere top made the green of her eyes stand out, she added a brush of mascara and some lip gloss to give a natural fresh face look, she missed her long hair but still the short hair was edgy and easy.

Jane smiled as Lizzy came downstairs, "Lizzy you look beautiful!" she said.

"So do you Janey" Jane always looked good. Her blue wrap detail shirt fitted her slim figure well, with crisp white capris and white sneakers, she also only applied mascara and lip gloss, a beauty like hers did not need make up.

Lydia and Kitty came downstairs, and amazingly they did not look like tramps, both of them had on boyfriend jeans that were loose even by Lizzies standards, converse sneakers, Lydias pink, Kittys peach, white off the shoulder tops with vests underneath that matched their sneakers. Again amazingly they had copied Lizzy and Jane with minimal make up, they both looked beautiful. Before Mary got sick their dress style was questionable, verging on Teenage Tramp, but now they were more conservative and appropriate for their age. Lizzy felt so proud of her younger sisters and how they had stepped up in this time of crises.

They turned to look up the stairs and said "Tada!" Mary appeared at the top of the stairs, dressed similarly to Kitty and Lydia, except her sneakers and vest were yellow. She looked beautiful as well, but vulnerable and young. The five girls hugged, and started giggling.

"My girls! I think I need to invest in a shotgun now" they turned to their father who was coming out of his study.

"Dad, really?" Lydia exclaimed but her exasperation erased as she bounced over to her father to give him a hug.

"Girls, I am so proud of all of you, it would have been so easy for each of you to become selfish and seek attention, but by standing together you are gotten more attention that you realise." Their father had tears in his eyes, as he addresses his girls, his pride so evident in his face and voice.

"We are late! Why are we all standing around" Matilda Bennett could be heard though out the house, never mind that they were running late waiting for her. Everyone grabbed a bowl of something and the family piled into their cars, Mary, Lydia and Kitty travelling with their parents, Jane and Lizzy taking Lizzy's pickup.

They put their bowls in the kitchen, greeting June and offering to help with the food preparation, hugs and greetings were exchanged and Mr Bennett did a disappearing act to join Tom outside at the fire.

"What do we have here?" June asked, as she looked at the bowls the Bennet's had brought

"Deep dish layered salad, pickled peppers, Moms special savoury bread, Chocolate Gatteau and a Strawberry Trifle' Jane indicated to each bowl, "and some steaks for the barbecue"

"Lovely, I am so glad you brought the bread, you know that is Toms favourite, I must get the recipe from you" June was grateful, you could always count on the Bennetts to bring ample food, and making her job as hostess easier.

Everyone made their way out of the kitchen into the living area and patio. The Netherfield party was already there, Charles and Theo were outside at the fire with Tom, Mr Bennett and George Wickham. Caroline was sitting up close and personal to Will on one of the couches, with Louisa sitting opposite them trying to explain one of the line dances to Caroline. Louisa's face lit up on seeing the Bennetts and she made a bee line for Jane, and the two of them walked out to the fire, where Jane could greet Charles, Theo, Tom and George.

Lizzy looked at Will, if she thought his face was dark and broody on the night she met him, it was ten times worse today, and he was glaring at George from where he was sitting. His whole body was tense and he was ignoring whatever Caroline was trying to talk to him about.

"Hi Will, Hi Caroline" Lizzy greeted.

"Hello Eliza" Caroline sneered, looking Lizzy up and down. Lizzy was offended, considering that Caroline had dressed as if she was going to a formal event, with a tight very short black dress and high heeled black shoes, more make up that all of the Bennett girls put together and her hair in an elaborate up do.

"It's Lizzy, or Elizabeth, NOT Eliza" she was irritated with Caroline. Caroline just smirked and shrugged.

Will stood up and walked over to her "Hello, did you sleep well?" he smiled but he looked sad and tormented.

"Yes, thank you, and you?" Lizzy stared at him in concern.

"Well my dreams were delightful, there was a green eyed sprite that keep teasing me" his smile reached his eyes as he said this. But then his eyes move back to the group standing outside and his face fell.

"What's wrong?" Lizzy was really worried. Before Will could say anything Lizzy felt herself being hugged from behind.

"Hello my Lizzy" George breathed into her ear. She pulled his arms off her, turned around and stepped back.

"Hello again George, and I am not your Lizzy, we broke up remember, you left remember? We are just friends"

"Don't you remember how good we were together? Don't fight it Lizzy!" George turned up his charm, something that would always have worked back then.

"I remember a lot of things George, especially the part where we broke up" Lizzy's voice was low and it hummed with anger.

"Ah, a lovers' tiff, don't stay angry with him Eliza, I have heard all about your epic love affair" Caroline had made her way over and had slipped her hand into Wills.

Lizzy looked at their intertwined hands, she could hear George talking to her in that voice he always used when he was trying to talk her into having sex with him, her mother talking loudly outside about how much the family liked George, and she could not wait for him to be her son-in-law; she looked up into Wills face, so much hurt and pain was reflected there; he was trying to remove Caroline's hand from his, She turned and walked outside, she could not deal with all of this, not after the morning she had had. She crossed the stream at the end of the property and walked into the woodlands adjacent to the property, following the path to the swing that had be put up by one of the Merryton residents for the neighbourhood children. Pulling herself onto the swing, she tried to quieten her thoughts. She knew Will was not involved or even attracted to Caroline, but Caroline's behaviour was off putting. She did not want to get back together with George and she wished he had not come back to town, her mother never understood why she did not follow George when he moved, her mother had planned their wedding by their third date.

"Am I intruding?" she heard Wills voice, she looked up, she was not aware of how much time had passed, he was standing just off the path, looking at her. "No, I am glad you followed me" her heart seemed to beat a little fast to see him standing there. George had never followed her, not once, she was always the one to reconcile.

He walked over to the swing and started to push her gently, "Are you okay? You looked really upset back there, is there anything I can do?"

"You are already doing it, thank you, I have had a rough morning, Mary was not feeling well so I took her to the doctor, without telling the rest of the family, if they find out they will be angry with me, well my mother will be angry because I did not tell her. And then George shows up after two years and wants to pick up where he left off" she did not know why she was telling Will this, but she felt so safe.

"Is Mary okay? What did the doctor say?" she could hear he was genuinely concerned, not just being polite, he did not ask about George although she suspected knew he wanted to.

"Yes, she is just stressed, but he wants us to make sure she gets enough sleep and eats healthy, generally just take care of herself, which is why that situation back at the house freaked me out so much. Mary does not like George and I promised her I would not get involved with him again; and there he is acting all possessive and loving, I just don't need her to start worrying about me"

He was silent, she wondered if her trust was misplaced, maybe he did not want to hear her troubles, or about Mary, perhaps it was just physical.

"I think Mary knows that was not of your making, she was concerned about you, but when she saw where you were walking she visibly relaxed, she knows you well" Lizzy was amazed, in that whole situation Will had taken the time to be cognisant of how Mary was doing. She slipped off the slide and moved to stand in front of Will, right up against him, put her arms around his waist she put her head on his chest, his arms came up around her and his head rested on top of hers, she felt him gently kiss the top of her head.

"Thank you, thank you" she whispered.

"Let's go back to the others, people are going to wonder where you are" he said gently removing her hands from his waist and taking the one hand in his, her hand was tiny in his. He lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed the back of it. She smiled up at him and he knew that he had just lost another piece of his heart.