"Darcy, what the hell?"
"What?"
"Oh don't you dare walk away from me."
"I'm not walking away from you."
"Then why are you moving?"
"I'm just walking. Not away from you. Just walking."
"So your little escape had nothing to do with us?"
"What are you talking about? Just now?"
"To England, you idiot. Scotland Yard, or whatever the hell you were doing?" Darcy scratched his head.
"What about it?"
"You can't just leave cases in the middle. It's not polite. Or just."
"The case was closed."
"And you had nothing to do with that? You and your bloody aunt who apparently runs the criminal justice system?
"I got called to do something else. It's not important. How's it been since I saw you?"
"Five months. Don't try to change the subject."
"What exactly was the subject?"
"I'm yelling at you. Stop trying to distract me."
"Lizzy, you're being ridiculous."
"I'm being perfectly reasonable and you know it. Do you know what you did to us?"
"Elizabeth, dear," they heard from down the hall. "I want to broach a topic with you and I'm keenly interested to learn your opinions on the new theories of computational blood spatter analysis?" Lizzy huffed. Darcy nodded to the door.
"You've been summoned."
"This isn't over."
"Why would I think I could get off that easy?"
Catherine monopolized Lizzy for the rest of the afternoon and dinner. After nine or so, Lizzy excused herself, claiming indigestion. Catherine reminded her that, given the world class cooking abilities possessed by the chefs, it would be impossible for her to be sick from their food. Lizzy feigned lactose intolerance and proceeded to her rooms. She changed into an old t-shirt of hers and let her hair down. She climbed into bed and started to read before hearing a knock on the door. She called for them to come in. Darcy entered.
"Hell do you want?" She asked. He paced slightly, opening his mouth and closing it again. "Spit it out. You look like a fish." He looked at her.
"Marry me." Lizzy laughed. Seeing his face grow red, she stopped.
"You're serious."
"I wish I was not. Surely you can understand my hesitance. Your family, your current state of employment, living conditions. Everything about you screams for me to let you be, yet I cannot."
"I hesitate to see what objections you could have to my family, considering they're all dead."
"You're a lower class obsessed with money. It's plainly obvious. It's enough to watch your sister latch her claws around Charles, but the manner in which your family died—"
"How can you say that of Jane? You doubt her feelings for him?"
"Oh, it's plain to anyone who looks that she doesn't love him. Not a word of encouragement nor love. After his sister died, he groped for any semblance of affection and your sister sunk her teeth into him."
"You think she doesn't love him."
"Of course she doesn't love him. She can't even vocalize the word. She doesn't show her feelings, not even to the man she supposedly loves."
"My sister barely shows her feelings to me!" she shouted. The two were silent for a moment.
"I have clearly misread the situation, allow me cause you no further trouble." He made for the door.
"What did you say about the manner in which my family died?" she asked. He shook his head as he left the room. Lizzy couldn't help but begin to cry. She turned the light out.
Lizzy walked down to breakfast with red eyes.
"Lizzy," Jane asked, "Are you ok? I thought I heard shouting last night"
"It's fine. Don't worry about it." She sat down. Richard looked up from the paper.
"Rough night?" Lizzy stared at him. He looked back down. "He left you a letter, in case you were wondering."
Catherine blustered in in a sea of chiffon and brocade. Lizzy couldn't help wondering who was crazy enough to wear stilettos at nine in the morning, but she brushed the thought from her mind. She ate little and retrieved the letter Richard possessed. She went for a walk on the grounds.
Elizabeth,
Remembering the severity of your words last night, I found it wisest to pose this to you through the written word. You lay several accusations upon me. I felt the need to protect what shreds of my honor remain.
Charles has always been one to win over easily. His family had a penchant for dying young. He took to drinking rather a lot, and the women he met in bars weren't exactly after eternal love and companionship. He was lucky enough to have enough familial wealth to go into whatever profession he chose. Unfortunately, such wealth does come with the women who see you only for the size of your wallet. His wealth has been diminished over the years by such women. That's not nearly as important as his heart, of course. Don't think me callous. I saw him fall for your sister, and her rather distinct lack of affection towards him. I'm a detective; you can't blame me for jumping to a conclusion based on past evidence.
As to my derogation towards your family. I must first inform you that these past five months have been spent in worthwhile investigation, not to destroy the careers of you and your sister, but to investigate the deaths of your parents. Unfortunately, since you are family, I can't share the intimate details of the actual deaths, as most is speculation, but I can assure you of a few things. Your family, it pains me to say it, was not one to be missed. Your father worked in rare books, as you know. He collected them, mostly from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and cut the bindings, bleaching the papers. He would then forge bonds and the like. Your mother worked in similar fashion, petty thievery, embezzlement, and the like. I apologize for the information, but perhaps I just felt the need to explain myself. Perhaps now you'll think poorly enough of me to do what I ask you next.
Having explained thus far, I wish you not to think of these words again. Let it not trouble your mind nor furrow your brow. This is in the past. I am in the past. I implore you. Forget me.
Regards,
William Darcy
"That bastard. That complete and utter bastard. I could just—"
"You're shouting, Miss." Lizzy turned.
"Richard, was it?"
"That'd be me, at your service." He took a bow.
"How long ago did Darcy leave? I'm sure I could catch him if I grabbed a car, he's a far too responsible driver." She began to walk back towards the house.
"He didn't leave." Lizzy turned.
"What?"
"He didn't leave. He's been hiding out in his room all morning. He nipped down for a coffee at one point, asked me to check on you, but he's still here."
"Where's his room?"
"My dear lady!"
"Second floor?"
"Third door on the left." He reached into his pocket. "Here's a key."
"You bastard, you complete and utter bastard."
"Jesus, Lizzy, what?"
"That letter? Are you shitting me?" He flushed.
"Can you give me a minute until I respond?" he asked. Lizzy realized he was wearing a pair of boxer shorts and black socks, nothing else.
"No, you can't just give me that and pretend to be gone and…" she sniffled and wiped her nose. "People don't do that." Darcy looked down.
"I want you to forget me. I'm asking you to forget me. Another agent can be assigned to your case if it's reopened. You can keep working with the FBI, I'll get you contacts, give you a good recommendation. Just leave me and forget me. For your own sake. I've put you in too much danger as it is." Lizzy took a step towards him. "I'll be leaving tonight," he said, "And then we can just continue on with our lives. Like we're supposed to."
"Please stay."
"I can't. You know I can't."
"That's crap."
"You need to let me go," he said, looking at his fidgeting toes. "You just need to let me go."
"You bastard. You complete and utter bastard." She pressed her lips to his. They lingered for a moment before separating.
"We shouldn't do this," he said. She giggled.
"All about the rules, aren't you?" He smiled.
They lay in bed, sheets draped over them.
"God," Lizzy said. "I could get used to California kings in every room." Darcy smiled.
"You're perfect, you know that?
"How could I be anything else?"
"I still have to leave."
"I thought you might say that."
"This wasn't to try to change my mind, was it?"
"Course not. More to reaffirm something else."
"You still dating that bastard?"
"You haven't met him."
"I'm biased."
"I'm not dating him."
"I was happy. Now I'm in bliss." He kissed her on the nose.
Author's Note: Thanks for sticking with me, those of you that have. This time it's for real, and ain't that exciting.
Much love and best wishes,
Zoe