Without thinking, Lizzy rushed straight to William, and almost flung herself at him, as words began fumbling out of her mouth. "Oh my God, I did not need to see that! Ew! Charlotte and Richard - going at it - right in my suite!" She took a calming breath, and then continued in a slightly more even voice: "I mean, they've fucking known each other for only a day, and I never expected this from Charlotte of all people. She's always been so... reasonable! And she's my best friend, and now my eyes are scarred forever..."
When she first rushed back out of the suite and towards him, William, terrified and worried crazy by her cry, had run towards her and enclosed her in a hungry, desperate protective embrace. But now that realization of what had so startled Lizzy finally dawned on him, he could not help but laugh.
Hearing his laughter, Lizzy lifted her head and pierced him with a withering glare. "Yea, you think it's funny. That's because you didn't have to walk in on your cousin going at it with my best friend. What's more, they're doing it in my suite - and I can't possibly go back there now. Disgusting! So what am I supposed to do, huh?" She challenged him, staring intently into his beautiful brown eyes.
William's heart fluttered as he realized that she was effectively asking him where she could go while the couple in her suite finished their escapade. This was his chance. Attempting to maintain as calm a voice as possible, he replied casually: "You could come over to my suite for an hour or so, and hopefully they'll be finished soon and you could go right back to your room." He gave her a dazzling smile.
His plan sounded reasonable, but Lizzy was in a grumpy mood. "And what if they're not?" She whined. Great, now she felt like a petulant child.
He simply smiled in return. "Then you can check into a different suite."
"Right," she teased, her good humor finally returning, "I forgot that you own the hotel."
He laughed and escorted her to his suite.
As he opened the door and let her in, she passed so close to his alert and receptive body that he felt suddenly overwhelmed by her sweet scent. He inhaled deeply, and lingered in the doorway for an extra moment, attempting to get his reactions under control. It would not do to attack her as soon as she entered his room, however much he wished to do precisely that. But after all, who could blame him for being so fully aroused when the woman of his dreams was right there, amidst his private accommodations? Yet Charlotte's words rang fresh in his mind, and he groaned at the truth in them. Much had been left unspoken between himself and Elizabeth, and despite the undeniable physical attraction between them, their relationship could not possibly proceed until their minds caught up with their bodies.
And to be honest, his own mind was completely baffled. Why did she avoid him in Meryton? Why did she never come and speak to him when she had promised to do so to Georgiana? He could not possibly believe that Lizzy would knowingly lie to his sister. So then what happened? And why was Lizzy acting so strangely towards him, so hot and cold? More importantly, what had been going on in her life those past few weeks? What was she thinking and feeling now? Was there a place for him in her life?
All those questions remained unanswered, but there was one thing he knew with absolute certainly. He needed Lizzy. He needed to get past this frustrating chase, this insane mixture of physical attraction and mental misunderstanding, and finally claim her as his. He needed to clear out their relationship, to make it official - permanent, he inwardly wished.
She walked into the spacious apartment and marveled at its grandeur. She and Charlotte had been given the best suite in the hotel, but it could never match up to Mr. Darcy's private accommodations. The size and layout were similar, but his felt so much grander yet so much more welcoming. The way she felt here - so at peace and so comfortable - was simply... sweet. The furnishings were not like other suites; nothing about them was hotel-like, not even five-star hotel-like. He had decorated his suite himself, and he undeniably had excellent taste. The suite felt like home, even to Elizabeth.
She walked over the over-sized windows and took in the breathtaking ocean views. After a few quiet moments, she felt his hand rest gently on her upper arm. Even though she stayed completely still and in no way acknowledged his touch, she was terribly tempted to simply close her eyes and relish in it. Fitzwilliam's presence was awfully addictive.
"Elizabeth," he spoke softly. "I think we need to talk."
She turned towards him and with a nod encouraged him to continue.
"Elizabeth... you're driving me insane. You know full well how ardently I admire and love you. Please, won't you end my suffering and give me a chance? Let me take you out, let me worship you, let me be your boyfriend or whatever you wish to have me as."
She did not respond immediately. She could not. She was too far lost in his mesmerizing eyes, fighting with all her being the desire to throw herself into this man's arms and take him as hers, even more - to just be his; fighting this desire, yet all the while relishing in it. It was as if he had hypnotized her.
Mistaking Elizabeth's silence for impending rejection, William began to speak more quickly, more heatedly, less coherently, almost desperately: "Elizabeth, you must understand... certainly, you must... These past few weeks have been torture. Not seeing you, not speaking to you - I could barely survive it. And before that, oh God, how you have tormented me! It was a roller-coaster ride of pain and pleasure. But I loved you, I loved you then and I love you now, and won't you just give me a chance? ...Why, Elizabeth? Why are you silent now, why can't you take me and relieve my suffering? For I have suffered enough! Through your silence and through your scorn! You have given me moments of incandescent happiness only to follow them with abysmal misery. That dinner we shared at The Three Crabs - will you believe me if I say it was the best dinner of my life? You made me so happy, and only to follow it with a dinner with that Greg kid the night right after! Did you do that on purpose, Elizabeth?"
Greg's name suddenly brought Elizabeth out of her trance. "What?" She asked in a shaky voice. "What did you say?" She repeated, anger rising in her chest. "You are asking me to go out with you? You want me to forget all about my boyfriend and go off with another man? Do you have no consideration for anyone except yourself, Mr. Darcy?" By the end of her speech, Elizabeth was almost shouting, amazed at this man's audacity and enraged by it.
"Y-your b-boyfriend?" He stammered out, shock flooding over his handsome face. He had not realized that Lizzy and Greg's relationship was quite that serious. He had erroneously assumed that she just kept the boy around to make him jealous. But apparently they had progressed quite smoothly after he was gone from their lives.
"Yes, my boyfriend," she bit back acidly. "I suppose we can consider the matter closed?"
But no! He could not let that happen. "God no, Elizabeth! Can't you see? I love you, adore you, worship you! I need you, for God's, and I can see that you want me too! Can you really reject me just because you're with that... that boy? Can't you see that you could have so much more?"
'The nerve of that man! Did he just declare himself more worthy than Greg? But on what grounds? Insufferable, arrogant jerk!'
"And what could I have that would be 'so much more', Mr. Darcy? Your own precious self?" He was too confused by her sardonic tone to respond, so she continued: "And what makes you so sure that you're better than Greg? Your money, your fame? I don't give a damn about that! I hate your arrogance, and I'll have you know that I am quite happy with my present boyfriend. Goodnight, sir." She then determinedly headed for the door.
But she did not make it even halfway across the room before she was abruptly stopped by two large, strong, manly arms. There was nothing gentle about his hold on her now. No, this embrace was almost rough, devised specifically to prevent her from escaping this room, from escaping from him.
"Come on, Elizabeth," he tilted his head to her ear and spoke into it quietly but firmly. "Do not deny it - you are attracted to me. I would never believe that you are equally attracted to that boy toy of yours. Can't you see? You could have so much more with me. He's just a tepid amusement. I could be more, much more, everything and anything you want. He does not deserve you, he's not suited for you. You could never in your right mind choose him over me!"
The amount of disdain he put into the word "him" made a new wave of anger and indignation surge in Lizzy's chest. She forcefully shook off Fitzwilliam's arms, and turned around, facing him now, and shooting daggers at him form her beautiful hazel eyes.
"How dare you?" She yelled. "How dare you speak of him as if he's some piece of trash, a mere amusement, not even a person? What makes you so mighty and righteous, Mr. Darcy? Why are you better than others? Just because you're rich and famous? Well, no amount of wealth or fame would ever tempt me to accept you, you horrible, insufferable, arrogant man! You have absolutely no consideration for the feelings of others! But then, I should have expected as much, after all you've done - to George Wickham, to Jane."
His face suddenly paled. "What did you say?"
"You heard me. I wish to have nothing further to do with the man who has ruined my beloved sister's happiness."
"I don't understand," he said softly, in no more than a whisper. 'What have I done?' He thought frantically. 'What is she accusing me of?'
"I heard you! It was all your fault!" And she poked an angry finger into his chest. "It was your fault that Charles left Meryton - and Jane. I heard you the morning before he left. The things you said about my sister - oh God - how dare you! You called her a... a gold-digger!"
For a moment, William simply stood before her, dumbfounded. What was she talking about? He always liked Jane, and never said anything remotely disparaging about her. Then he suddenly remembered the conversation he had with Charles, asking him to leave. Elizabeth had heard! And she had completely misunderstood everything! No wonder she was so upset with him. William felt suddenly light and cheerful. He had found the source of Lizzy's reticence towards him, and that source was a simple misunderstanding - something that could be so easily explained and done away with. His overworked nerves could not support such a sudden relieve, and gave way to hysterical laughter.
His laugh only increased Lizzy's wrath. She spun around and dashed determinedly towards the door.
"Wait!" He called after her as soon as he recovered from his mirth. "You misunderstood. Let me explain!"
"Save it," she answered bitterly, "I've heard enough. After all you have done, you dare to laugh about it!"
She was about to open the door, but William would have none of that. He did the one thing that was sure to shut her up and make her listen. He kissed her.
Their first kiss was forceful and desperate. He held her firmly in his arms and thoroughly worshiped her lips with his, her mouth with his tongue. She was squirming and attempting to extricate herself from his grasp, but her treacherous lips opened willingly, eagerly under his, and her mouth welcomed the forceful invasion. He was claiming her, unable to resist any further all the frustration she was bringing on his exhausted body. And she was at last giving in - to him, and to herself, to her own feelings. After they drew apart both were panting and grasping for air.
"Now you listen to me, Miss Bennet," he said sternly once he recovered from their mind-blowing kiss. "You are obviously not very good at eavesdropping, my dear. What you heard that morning was a conversation I had with Charles about his sister, Caroline. She was growing increasingly desperate in her attempts to seduce me, and when I found her in my bed nearly naked one night, I had had enough. Charles is my good friend, and is always welcome in my house. For his sake, I had tolerated his sister also, as she has no real job and too much spare time, and tends to follow him around, idly spending his money on her spoilt lifestyle. But I felt that I had to tell him: she was no longer welcome at my home. No amount of friendship towards her brother would induce me to tolerate such an invasion of my own privacy. So I asked Charles to take her away, which he did." He paused and drew a deep breath. "Do you understand now?" His facial features softened now, and love and hope shone through them.
"I... I don't know w-what to say," she stammered. William's explanation made perfect sense. After all, she had only overheard bits and pieces of their conversation, and automatically assumed they had been talking about Jane the entire time. But they could have just as easily been discussing Charles's own gold-digging sister. But then, thinking back to that day and Charles's subsequent departure, she asked in a small, uncertain voice: "But he left so abruptly, and didn't even talk to Jane. She only learned of his departure from Caroline's note..."
William shrugged and frowned. "That I cannot answer for. Only Charles can explain his own behavior. But do you believe now that I have done no harm to your dear sister?"
Confused, Liz simply nodded. After all, she had no proof to the contrary, and no real reason to suppose he was lying. Then she remembered the other drudge she held against him, and asked quietly, almost uncertainly: "What about George Wickham?"
"What about him?" Lizzy almost shuddered when she noticed the sudden darkening in Fitzwilliam's features. The anger that shone from his eyes was quite menacing.
"Um... I... I met him when I met Greg's family... he's Greg's cousin, you know. And he told me that he was once very close to your father, and later fell in love with your sister. But that you hated him and broke them apart... and then... then you got him expelled from the boarding school you father had sent him to. Now he has to repeat his last year of high school, and he's all alone in the world... and... er..."
Lizzy felt somehow silly recounting this story; all of a sudden, everything she was repeating sounded strange and unlikely to her. So she hurried to add: "I didn't believe him at first, really I didn't. I mean... I didn't know what to believe. I was going to ask you about it. But after hearing what you said about Jane - or what I thought you said about Jane," she corrected apologetically, "I decided that he must have been correct. If you really broke up your best friend's romance, who's to say you didn't do the same to your sister? But now that you have explained the situation with Charlie, I was wondering... if maybe... well, perhaps there's something in the Wickham case that I'm missing too?" She finished softly, almost hopefully, looking at him with her large, beautiful eyes, which were beseeching him to exonerate himself here as well, wanting him to prove his good, his worthiness.
He was quiet for some time, thinking how best to answer her, and calming his raging emotions: passion towards this delectable yet frustrating woman that had built up inside him, and anger that had surfaced in his mind at the mere mention of George Wickham's name.
"I suppose I should tell you the entire story. You deserve to hear it, Elizabeth," he said at last. "But please promise to be discrete about it. It is not just my story to share."
She nodded vigorously. "I will not tell a soul, I promise, William."
"George was indeed my father's favorite. He was a bright and lively child, and when his parents - my father's good friends as you may know - passed away, my father took George under his wing. I fully supported that decision, even though it somewhat vexed me that my father, who never had enough time for his own children, was so willing to indulge in this stranger. It felt almost as if he spent more time with George than with Giana, whom he sent to boarding school early on. But that was not what formed my dislike for the youth. You see, as George matured, I began to notice some worrisome tendencies. There was a new girl every time I came to visit, sometimes even several that he would be seeing when he went out. Now, I know what you must be thinking - I have been cruel to women myself. But you know that I was completely unaware of my own vices. I thought I was swarting the ambitions of cunning creatures, not breaking young girls' hearts. I was fairly reticent, and you must believe me when I tell you that I do not have as vast an experience with women as is often portrayed. I have slept with perhaps a dozen women in total in my entire life, and I never dated more than one girl at a time. I was also studious, perhaps to a fault. But George - he did not seem to care about his studies at all. And his grades clearly told that he spent more time with girls and buddies than with books. When my father passed away, I became Giana's guardian, her only parent-figure. I was young and not used to such responsibility; I took it perhaps too seriously, and was overly protective of her. I did not like seeing her with George, and as they began to date, I grew increasingly more skeptical of him. But I would never even dream of breaking apart a loving couple, least of all one of which my darling sister was a part. No, George and Giana stayed together until one morning she called me in tears. She could hardly remember what happened the night before - but one thing was clear... she had passed out... he... must have spiked her drink... and... and... He date-raped her, Lizzy." He choked out the last bit, his voice filled with emotion. And Elizabeth was pained to see the tears in his eyes.
"I'm so sorry," she murmured, taking his hand gently in hers. "I didn't know."
There was a moment of silence as they looked into each other's eyes.
"I cannot fault you for not knowing, Elizabeth." Then his voice became sterner: "But I can fault you for not wanting to know, for not even giving me a chance to explain the truth."
"I... I am sorry, William," She pressed herself against him, wrapping her arms around his waist. But he pushed her softly away.
"You are tired, Lizzy. Why don't you sleep here for tonight? I'll leave now and you can stay in this suite. You have just heard a lot of new information, and you need some rest. Come on now, go lie down."
He then led her to the bed, placed a barely perceptible kiss on her forehead, and walked towards the door.
Elizabeth felt suddenly empty and alone, missing his presence. "William, won't you stay? After everything you told me... I... I think I need to talk to you..."
He shook his head ruefully. "I think you have said quite enough for one night, madam." And he closed the door.
With a heavy sigh, Lizzy lay down on the pillow. It smelled distinctly of him. And as she drifted to sleep, she murmured softly, reverently, wistfully: "William..."