Author's note: This story is in the process of being completely rewritten. I re-read it and hated a lot of parts so I went back and re-worked the entire story. It no longer switches perspective and I think it is easier to follow. Keep and eye out for updates to this story and eventually a re-working of the sequel, "Oh What Men Dare Do!". I am not British, I have no idea how they speak or live, or how the monarchy and nobility works, so please forgive any inaccuracies. I've done my best to be as accurate as possible. The Shakespeare lines (including the title) are from Sonnet 116, Sonnet 29, a Midsummer Night's Dream, and Hamlet.
The Course of Love: A Modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice
Chapter 9
Will brought Elizabeth over to Lady Catherine as soon as they entered the living room. Lady Catherine was a mildly handsome older woman, dressed from head to toe in Chanel. She would still be very beautiful if it weren't for the scowling look of disdain she perpetually wore. Her hair was perfectly coiffed and Lizzie counted seven rings on her fingers. Despite the nice clothes, hair and jewelry, the best word to describe Lady Catherine was severe.
Darcy didn't even have a chance to introduce her before Catherine started in on her grand inquisition. "So this is Elizabeth Bennet. Come closer."
"Good evening, your Ladyship." Lizzie walked over and nodded her head respectfully. "It is an honor to meet you, Lady-"
"You look very young to be friends with my nephew." Lady Catherine interrupted. "You are, at lease, able to dress yourself halfway respectably, though you went too simple on the jewelry."
"Aunt, Lizzie and I met in Hertfordshire. She showed me all the good running trails after we discovered a shared interest in running and we've been friends ever since. She is being so kind as to baby-sit my car for me and take me to the airport."
"Nonsense, you'll use a car service." Catherine said, matter-of-factly.
"No, Aunt. The last thing I need is for some chauffeur to tip off the press. I would like to leave the country in peace." Darcy said firmly. "And I'll hear no more about it."
"Lizzie, will you play a duet with me while we wait for dinner?" Georgiana asked, trying to break up the sudden tension in the room.
"Sure. Though I do not know why you like to play with me, you are ten times, a hundred times better than I am." Lizzie sighed, but made her way to the piano anyway.
"I've told Georgiana time and time again that she must practice constantly." Lady Catherine said with authority.
"She already does so, without any extra encouragement." Will replied blandly, looking over at the piano where Rick was obviously entertaining the two girls.
"Elizabeth Bennet is not very bad, but she is no talent. If Anne or I had ever learned, we would have been excellent players, noted for our skill and taste."
Lizzie couldn't help the giggle that escaped her lips, which set Georgiana off. Annie was clearly covering her laughter with a coughing fit and Rick and Darcy were biting their tongues.
"Now Lizzie, you must tell me what Darcy was like in Hertfordshire." Rick smiled.
"I don't know if you are prepared for this." Lizzie said, mock serious. "I considered having him committed several times."
"So he was driven mad by your beauty?" Richard wiggled his eyebrows.
"Not hardly!" Lizzie laughed. "We met at a club opening. Now, I don't usually do the club scene, but when I go, I try to at least have a good time."
"I'm sure my brother walked around with a sour look on his face all night." Georgiana smiled.
"But I can't really blame him. An evil botoxed deb was trying to get her hooks into him. For the first few months, though, I thought he was honestly bipolar." Lizzie grinned and noticed Will walking over. "Your ears must have been burning. But you don't scare me, Will Darcy."
"I know from experience it is impossible to scare you, except with clowns." Will smiled smugly at her shudder. "I also know you enjoy expressing opinions you don't actually believe in and like to embellish the facts."
"Your brother is being very mean, he'll teach you not to believe a word I say." Lizzie did her best to look reticent but failed miserably.
"What is so very entertaining? I demand to know." Lady Catherine said.
"Lizzie was regaling us with stories from Hertfordshire." Richard explained. "Is dinner not ready yet?"
"I am ready for it whether they like it or not. Come along then." Lady Catherine stood and made her way to the dining room.
"Annie?" Richard offered her his arm. "We didn't mean to leave you out."
"It is a small price to pay for my freedom, Richard." Annie whispered and took his arm, smiling softly.
"Ladies?" Will offered both his arms to Lizzie and to Georgiana. "How are you doing with all this, Liz?"
"If we locked her and my mother in a room together, who do you think would crack first?" Lizzie asked and Will and Georgiana laughed quietly.
Dinner was dreadful. Lady Catherine dominated all conversation. She waffled between thinly veiled insinuations about Anne and Will, instructing Georgiana on everything, and grilling Elizabeth like she was a murder suspect.
Will wondered why he ever had the audacity to say Lizzie's family was badly behaved. His aunt was insufferable. He was pretty sure Lizzie had not gotten more than a bite to eat of several courses, she was peppered with questions – insulting, impertinent, and ridiculous questions.
Lady Catherine had just launched into a tirade about dress lengths when he felt his phone buzz. Quickly, Darcy chanced a look. It was from Georgiana who was sitting a few seats down from him, further away from his Aunt.
"Marry her, please." The text said.
Will fought down a laugh. That was his plan, and watching Lizzie sit there and bear with his Aunt with grace – never capitulating but never rude – was making the idea sweeter and sweeter. His phone buzzed again. This time it was Richard.
"Careful Cuz. When the She-demon returns to her lair, drinks in the lib?"
"What is it? Fitzwilliam! I have told you how rude it is to text at the table." Catherine turned her glare towards her nephew.
"Forgive me, Aunt." Will said, thinking of a lie quickly. "I…my vet is just keeping me posted on one of my horses. We're expecting a new foal, and it should be a magnificent animal if the sire is any indication."
"Yes." Will sent a quick text back.
Finally, with dinner over, Lady Catherine decided it was time to go to bed. The rest of the group pretended to follow her but detoured into the library.
"Oh bless it all." Annie sighed, plopping down into a chair.
Will sat in the other chair and pulled Lizzie onto his lap.
"Who wants a drink?" Richard asked, pulling a decanter of booze and glasses from a cabinet.
Everyone's hand went up. "Double for me, please." Annie said. "I swear, she gets crazier every day."
"At least Lizzie kept her attention away from us some." Georgiana smiled. "And as happy as I am about that, I am sorry you had to suffer through it, Lizzie. Brother, please tell me you warned her."
"Yes, Sister, I did. You and Rick nearly got me in trouble with those blasted texts." Will grimaced and raised his glass. "To Lizzie, for her incredible skill in slaying the she-dragon."
"To Lizzie." The others toasted, making her blush.
"Wait until you meet my mother, then I will be the one toasting you." She grinned.
"Lizzie, you'll have to let us take you and Jane shopping while Will is in New York." Georgiana smiled. "If you two are going public when he gets back, you have a lot of events to get clothes for."
"Ah yes. We are really good at buying clothes. Between this and the jubilee and Olympics next year, I think I'll have a whole new wardrobe." Annie laughed.
"Between the two of you, I'll have a new wardrobe every time there is a dinner party." Lizzie teased.
"Well, you won't let me spoil you directly so I must resort to subterfuge." Will smiled.
"And I have told you over and over that I need no spoiling. I am plenty spoiled as it is." Lizzie shook her head.
"Well, I need more to drink. So, Georgie, Annie, want to join me in the living room for more drinks and perhaps a film? I'll even let you choose." Richard smiled. "Safe flight, Darce. Keep me posted."
"Safe trip, Brother." Georgiana kissed his cheek. "Call me the minute you land."
Annie put her hand on his shoulder. "Have a good flight, but if you call me and wake me up instead of just texting me when you land, I'll kill you."
"Goodnight." Will rolled his eyes. "Come on, I've got to get out of this suit."
"What, you don't want to ride in a plane for hours in a three-piece suit?" Lizzie asked, mock-surprised. "Good, because I am dying to be in my sweats. Meet in your room in ten minutes?"
"Deal."
Lizzie walked into his room, now wearing yoga pants and his sweatshirt and carrying a baseball cap. "Do I look presentable enough to take you to the airport?"
"Very non-descript." Will smiled, trying not to stare too long at how her very fit body looked in the skin-tight yoga pants. "Do I pass inspection?"
Will was wearing a t-shirt and jeans that fit his body perfectly. It was dressed like this that Lizzie thought he was most handsome, because he seemed so much more comfortable and not at all stuffy.
"So do you pack the suit?" Lizzie asked.
"I have my things sent ahead for long trips like this so I don't have to deal with checking a bag." He explained. "And I'll change when I get there, because suits were not made for seven hour plane rides. Now, before we leave, you have to take the pledge."
"The…pledge?" Lizzie raised an eyebrow.
"Yes. Hold up your hand and repeat after me." Darcy instructed and Lizzie did as she was told. "I, Elizabeth Rigby Bennet,"
Lizzie rolled her eyes, but repeated "I, Elizabeth Rigby Bennet,"
"Do solemnly swear,"
"Do solemnly swear,"
"That I will treat the Mercedes,"
"That I will treat the Mercedes,"
"Like it is my own child."
Lizzie gave him a look.
Darcy shook his head. "You have to do it, Liz."
Lizzie sighed. "Like it is my own child."
"And do promise to return it without a scratch."
"And do promise to return it without a scratch."
Will kissed her gently. "That's my girl."
Lizzie rolled her eyes again. "I sweat I think I should be jealous of the car."
"Not at all, my love." Will smirked. "I absolutely love the car more."
"Jerk!" Lizzie exclaimed, hitting him playfully.
Will grabbed her hand and wrapped her up in his arms. "It's not nice to hit, you know."
"It's not nice to tell your girlfriend you love your car more than her." She countered, pouting.
Will kissed her. "God, even when I know you are faking the pout it kills me. Of course I love you more than the car. Much, much more."
"Thank you darling." Lizzie grinned.
"But it is a really, really nice, one-of-a-kind vehicle." He pointed out. "So I would appreciate it if you took good care of you both while I'm gone."
"Any special rules?" Lizzie asked.
"You shouldn't need to do anything other than plug it in." Will shrugged. "If you need it, it takes regular petrol."
The Mercedes in question was a classic 60s 300SL Roadster convertible. Will had a custom engine installed in it, along with a state-of-the-art sound system designed to look like the original radio. It was the only one in existence, so he was, understandably, protective of it. Lizzie actually loved the car, it's silver exterior and red leather interior were absolutely stunning, and the convertible feature was fun.
They drove to the airport talking quietly and holding hands. When they arrived at the airport, it was very quiet because of the late hour. A slip of Darcy's hand to airport security and Lizzie was allowed all the way back to the gate.
"How much did you have to give him?" Lizzie asked.
"It was worth it. And you'll see why in about ten minutes." Will replied. "All the major tabs have an unofficial agreement with airline workers. Report something that makes a get story, get a reward. The better the story, the better the reward."
"And the Earl of Devon showing up at the airport with an unknown woman, clearly a girlfriend, I wager that's a pretty big reward."
"Well, they used to pay upwards of 1,000 pounds for anything juicy on Diana, and that was ten years ago. We'd be worth at least that." He explained. "This will sell papers, so don't be surprised if a grainy shot of you shows up in the rags tomorrow."
"Ah yes. The mysterious love of Lord Darcy, how the rumors do fly." Lizzie teased.
"They might figure it out, if someone puts two and two together with the wedding and all." Will pulled her into a hug, touching her cheek gently. "You could be in for a rough month."
"I am already in for a rough month." She sighed.
"I know the feeling." He rested his forehead against hers. "You can still come with me."
"Exams." Lizzie said. "I can't skip out."
"I could take care of that, you know. You could take them when you get back." Will suggested.
"It's kind of hot when you throw your weight around." Lizzie grinned, kissing him. "But I think even you would have a hard time getting me through customs without a passport."
"How about I make a call and you get to take all your exams early and you come see me in New York next week?" Will pulled out an envelope.
"You already bought a plane ticket?"
"No. It's a voucher for the price of a ticket, good anytime." He smiled. "I rent out a whole penthouse suite so you'd have plenty of space."
"I'll see what I can do." Lizzie nodded and kissed him again. "You better go."
"I have time."
"No you don't. They've called your name twice. If you don't get moving, you will miss your flight." She said softly.
Will kissed her as passionately as he could. "I love you."
With that, he walked over to the gate and boarded the plane, looking back at her one more time before the airline employee made him get moving.
Sitting down in first class, Will felt something in his jacket pocket. It was a note.
Be safe. I love you.
-Lizzie
Will grinned. It was so very Lizzie, short, sweet and possibly the greatest five words he'd ever seen written.
