Disclaimer: However much I wish otherwise, the characters belong to Miss Jane Austen.

Chris and Georgiana, unlike their cousin and brother respectively, were lively conversationalists. They presented Elizabeth with pleasant company during dinner while Jane and Charles had eyes only for each other. And for some unknown reason William was staring at Elizabeth while Caroline was trying to gather his attention. This did not go unnoticed by Chris. Knowing his cousin so well he thought, Fitzwilliam must really like her but he's doing a pretty awful job showing it.

The dinner consisted of Cream of Tomato soup and vegetarian lasagne. The consideration on Charles part earned him an appreciation from Jane. "You and Elizabeth are vegetarian," said Charles dutifully, "Besides Darcy, for some unknown reason, is not eating meat for the past couple of weeks," Fitzwilliam nearly choked on his lasagne at the mention of his name and tried to hide it by coughing. Chris laughed thinking that he probably knew the reason for his cousin's reaction.

"Well, I really appreciate the gesture," said Elizabeth.

"So what do you guys want to do after dinner?" asked Chris after a few moments

"Let's watch E! News," Caroline pitched in. (A/n: I have no idea if E! News is broadcast-ed in England...I just searched for a celeb gossip show on Google)

"How about some board game? Paying our tributes to childhood sleepovers," suggested Charles.

"I am game," said Elizabeth and Jane, Georgiana and Chris also expressed their approval. Georgiana turned towards her brother and said, "What about you, brother?"

"Yes, of course," were the first words spoken by William during the whole dinner.

Caroline was quite put out for being ignored in such a vital decision.

After dinner, Charles got a LOT of games to the drawing room. "So I have – Monopoly, Life, Cluedo, Snakes and Ladders, Ludo, Scrabble, and Uno and well you can see the rest. What do you want to play?" asked Charles to no one in particular.

"Wow, it's been a while since I played Snakes and Ladders," commented Chris hinting towards the said game.

"Let's start with Snakes and Ladders then," said Jane.

Caroline did not participate in any of the games but instead watch television. Everybody else picked their pawns. Elizabeth moved her hand towards the red pawn, so did William, unintentionally of course! "Oh sorry, you can take it Miss Bennet," said William.

"No, no please take it," said Elizabeth, "I'll take blue,"

"It's okay. Please take it. I insist," said William handing over the said pawn to her.

"Thank you," said Elizabeth after reluctantly taking it.

"Let's start," said Charles with the first roll. The game continued in a very animated manner. Some climbed the ladders; some slipped down the snake while some did both. Eventually Georgiana won. During the whole game, not once did William's gaze left Elizabeth. She kept adjusting her hair and looking back at Will hoping that at least now he will stop staring. But he didn't.

After that they played several rounds of UNO.

"What next?" asked Chris.

"I want to play Scrabble, if anybody is interested," said Elizabeth.

"I'll play," William said shocking everyone.

"I think that's enough for me for today. I want to turn in," said Georgiana.

"I think I will do the same," said Jane. "Me too," said Charles, "Come, I'll show you to your rooms,"

"Well I guess I'll retire for the night as well," said Chris with an evil look in the direction of Fitzwilliam before disappearing into the lobby. There's no way I can misinterpret Willy-boy, he thought and decided to give him a slight push.

"Do you want to play? Or…" asked William expectantly.

"I'll play if you want to,"

"Well then let's play," and so began the battle of words, quite literally.

"I believe we must have some conversation, Fitzwilliam," began Elizabeth.

"What topic do you suggest, Miss Bennet?" offered William after a full minute of silence.

"WOW! This is harder than I thought," said Elizabeth after a few moments.

"Books, perhaps,"

"Perhaps,"

"What genre do you like to read?" asked Fitzwilliam.

"I like to read everything from thrillers to comedies to classics. What about you?"

"Similar to you, I also like to read a bit of everything," William said, smiling for the first time that day.

"Do you have a favourite author?" asked Elizabeth, returning the smile.

"I'd have to say Shakespeare and Dickens,"

"Mine too!" exclaimed Elizabeth.

Awkward Silence.

"Well… what about… movies?" Fitzwilliam desperately attempted to save the day- night.

"Oh! I love good comedies, thrillers and romances. But most of all I love James Bond movies,"

Fitzwilliam smirked.

"What? You don't like them,"

"I like a few. But I think the rest are overrated,"

"I agree not all are equally… best," said Elizabeth. William laughed and Elizabeth continued, "But most of them are good and as a franchise- they are the best,"

"I will see all of them and come back to you on that one," said Darcy smiling.

"You haven't seen all of them?"

"No,"

"Well, then I suggest you do and I am sure you'll retract your earlier statement," said Elizabeth as matter-of-factly.

"As I said, I'll watch them and get back to you,"

Elizabeth just nodded smiling at Will's stubbornness. It was quite matched by her own, she thought.

"Wait, that's not even a word," cried Darcy.

"Sure it is," Elizabeth replied in Giovanni Capello style. (A character from Mind Your Language series)

Darcy quickly took out his phone and typed the word EUOI in the Oxford Dictionary Search Box.

"It is not in the Oxford Dictionary,"

"But it is there in the Colins Scrabble one," replied Elizabeth

"How can you possibly know that?"

"A friend of mine plays professionally. I picked up on some unusual-s,"

"Well, next time we specify a dictionary…That is if we play…" William completed apprehensively.

"Sure,"

They finished the game and Elizabeth won the game 250: 238.

Fitzwilliam congratulated her. Whatever he was or was not, he sure wasn't a sore loser.

"Are you hungry?" asked Fitzwilliam.

"Uh…no…thank you," answered Elizabeth.

"Okay…well then… Good Night,"

"Good Night," replied Elizabeth and walked towards her room.

Her thoughts about her boss were not quite clear. She could not understand his behaviour. One moment he is all insulting and the other all polite. He was handsome- of that she was sure. His comments – although made in a jest, had hurt her pride.

Maybe... just maybe, he is not such a snob and just a little shy, she thought as she dozed off to sleep.

Elizabeth was a morning person. She loved to rise up early and absorb the beauty of nature. She loved to take early morning strolls whenever time permitted. The day before she had taken directions for a nearby park from Charles and decided to venture for an early morning walk. She got ready and headed towards the kitchen for a glass of water.

Surprise! Surprise! Who else is a morning person?

Fitzwilliam Darcy, of course!

"You're up early," Darcy began.

"Good morning to you too," said Elizabeth.

"Are you going somewhere?" asked Darcy.

"Just for a little stroll," said Elizabeth while drinking her water, "I heard the walks here are very pleasant,"

"They are, especially the ones behind the house,"

"Good to know. Are you going somewhere?"

"Uh…I...am going for a stroll as well," he answered like he wanted to be as far away from her as possible. No, definitely a snob, Elizabeth thought.

"Oh," sighed Elizabeth, "Well, I guess I'll see you later then," as she walked away.

"Yeah,"

Happy Reading!