Disclaimer: I don't own Pride & Prejudice.
"At his best, man is the noblest of all animals; separated from law and justice he is the worst."
~Aristotle
The blaring alarm broke the somewhat silence of the dark bedroom. It was dutifully alerting the sleeping corpse that it was 6:00 in the morning and time to rise from the dead. Will struggled under his sheets; having wrapped himself in a tight cocoon, and finally managed to bring his bleary eyes to his bedside table and stare at the annoying, blinking alarm in front of him. With a groan he reached out an arm and brought his hand heavily down upon the machine, regaining the silence that had previously reigned in the room. He was about to roll back into bed when his eyes fell on another item that he kept on his bedside table. Will stared at the photo of Lizzy; he didn't have the heart to put in a drawer and so he tortured himself by waking up and falling asleep to gazing at what he had lost. Tearing his eyes away from her smile, Will buried his head back into his pillow and brought the covers back up to tuck under his chin.
He had no classes that day and he meant to sleep in - the alarm he had meant to turn off, but forgot. Just as he began to drift back into sleep, the shutting of cupboards and the clinking of glasses disturbed his rest. The noise was coming from the kitchen and he knew only too well who had woken him. Resigned to being fully awake, Will pushed off his comforter and stepped out of his room, shutting the door behind him. He walked the length of the small hall until the space opened up, showing him his living room to his left and the kitchen, where his cousin was rattling cereal into his mouth straight from the box, to the right. Wiping the remaining sleep from his eyes, Will sat at one of the stools that surrounded the island counter. He motioned for Richard to hand over the box, and obligingly, he slid the morning meal across the counter into Will's open hands. Imitating his cousin, Will didn't bother with a bowl or milk either, just ate straight from the box.
"How long will you be staying?" Will questioned when he had finished pouring the crunchy oats into his mouth.
"All your cutlery is dirty." Richard said in lieu of an answer. He waved a hand to the sink where the evidence was indisputable. It was piled so high that it was in danger of tipping over and causing quite a mess.
"You're welcome to clean it." Will said, chugging more cereal into his mouth. Richard only raised a brow to that and before Will could finish his 'meal' his cousin snatched it from his hand.
"What?" Will snapped. He tried to reach for the box, but Richard closed the tabs and moved it out of his cousin's reach. Not in the mood to battle over a box of cereal, Will sat grumpily on his stool watching Richard flip through the morning paper.
"Anything good?" He inquired after a moments silence. Richard shrugged, sweeping a hand through his thick hair.
"The usual." He answered. "Nothing you won't hear about in an hour or two."
Will nodded and continued to sit on his stool, lazily watching his cousin read the paper. He was still half asleep and didn't have the energy to load the dishwasher and make a proper breakfast, so he just sat. Richard had flown in from England last night, making his routine check on his cousin, and was now bunking on Will's couch. The apartment was nice enough; nothing fancy, but clean and practical. Will had had the option of staying with his father's cousin on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, but he had chosen to find a place of his own. The dorms at Princeton didn't hold any interest for him either and he knew next to nothing about New Jersey, so he decided on a nice little building (that wasn't that little) in Midtown. It didn't match his aunt's standards, but that made the choice much more appealing. There was a doorman though, and he had his own washer and dryer in his apartment - a nice bonus. The only downfall to his living arrangement was his commute to school tended to take an hour, give or take a few minutes. But he concerned himself little with that, he wanted to be in a place he was somewhat familiar with and he also wanted to be surrounded by millions of people who had no idea who he was and vice versa. And the further he was from Princeton, the better - at least a certain young woman who got it into her head that Will would be the ultimate conquest. He mainly wanted to stay away from her; one, Natalie Bray.
"Have you heard from Georgie lately?" He asked, drumming his fingers against the counter. The times that he could speak to his sister were sparse; the timing had to be just right, which often meant that he was phoning her in the middle of the night so that she would be awake and at the Collins's. Because of this he sent her e-mails more often than not and she was able to check them on Charlotte's computer. As of late, however, he had been focusing mainly on finishing his studies and passing his exams to be able to fly back to England and be reunited with his sister.
"I spoke to her just the other day." Richard said. He kept the knowledge (that he acquired most persuasively) that his youngest cousin had contacted a certain Miss Bennet from Will, not knowing exactly how it would affect him.
"How did she sound? Was she upset that I haven't contacted her in a little while?" Will posed the questions with a ready glare, daring his cousin to lie to him. Richard shrugged a shoulder only and said, "how you'd expect. But a ring wouldn't go amiss." He quirked a brow at him causing Will to run his hands down his face.
"Listen, you're twenty-one now so when will you be leaving to get Georgie?" Richard pointed out.
"I'll finish the term and then I'll return to England. As you say - I'm twenty-one and no longer a puppet to my aunt's clever hands." Will halfheartedly smirked. He slid off his stool and began the grueling task of loading the dishwasher. The precarious piles and stacks of cutlery made it a more difficult task of not upsetting the balance of glasses and plates. One by one Will dismantled the mess and cleared the space in his sink whilst Richard returned to his paper. The kitchen had been silent for this time, except for the the clinking of dishes and the crinkling of paper, and was broken only when Richard cleared his throat a little too obviously.
"What?" Will questioned, not bothering to look at his cousin. Richard sniffed and looked up. "Nothing...just - it's an interesting article is all." His voice was neutral, but Will knew he was on about something.
"And why's that?"
"It's talking about the White Washed Wave and how well it's done." Richard bluntly told him, knowing that Will was bound to see it sooner or later. Will faltered a moment but continued with the dishes. Richard took this as his moment to broach the subject he had been wanting to bring up for discussion for quite some time.
"Have you read the book?" He asked, watching Will's every move. Will finished loading, closed the door and pushed the button to start the appliance. Turning to face his cousin with arms crossed, he braced himself against the counter.
"No, I haven't."
"I suppose you've been busy with your studies." Richard shrugged. Will nodded and then wondered. "Have you read it?"
"I have." Richard revealed. "And I thought it was very good. So do a lot of other people." He added.
"Well, that's good at least." Will attested. He pushed himself away from the counter and went to the fridge, rummaging around until he found what he was looking for; a carton of eggs, orange juice, and butter.
"Do you want anything?" He offered. Richard shook his head and continued to observe his cousin. Will started the stove and was pouring a glass of juice when Richard questioned him again.
"Are you going to read it?"
Will set down the carton and closed his eyes. "I know what you're doing, and I thank you for the effort. But I'd rather you just leave it."
Richard appeared at his shoulder, having jumped from his stool, and brotherly pulled Will into an unwanted head-lock.
"Will do." He chuckled.
The staring match seemed to be going on for an eternity when in truth it had lapsed the time of half a minute. Lady Catharine sat, in all her glory, in the quaint living room of the Bennet house hold. She looked completely out of place with the simple furnishings, not to mention the space that was less than a quarter of a quarter of one of her own sitting rooms at Rosings. Lizzy sat opposite her and was the only other person in the room. All the rest had been unceremoniously restricted from being privy to their conversation that was about to be held. Lizzy tried not to fidget in front of the lady and succeeded for the most part. She didn't flinch at Lady Catharine's gaze and she sat calmly, waiting to hear the reason for this unexpected - and unwanted - visit.
"Miss Bennet," Lady Catharine began, "let us not pretend that we are on good terms."
"I wonder who said we were?" Lizzy pointed out.
"But at times we each find ourselves in awkward positions one would rather look away from, but cannot." She continued, ignoring Lizzy's interruption.
"I'm afraid I don't know what ye mean."
Lady Catharine gave a weary sigh and cast her eyes upon the room, noting all it's deficiencies. Shaking her head, she brought her gaze back to Lizzy and her look hardened. "I am aware that my niece contacted you a week ago; she has told me," Lady Catharine held a hand to silence what would have been a contradiction from Lizzy. The lady lowered her hand and mulled over her next words. "I do not like it Miss Bennet. I do not like it one whit, but I hate it even more - seeing my niece so depressed."
"Yer the cause of it." Lizzy burst, unable to help herself. "If ye just let her see her brother she wouldnae be so alone."
Lady Catharine's eyes became hooded and Lizzy saw her jaw clench. She realized she should have held her tongue, but what was done was done.
"You are very free with your words. Especially when it involves things that you can't understand."
Lizzy opened her mouth but quickly shut it once more begging herself to stay quiet. Lady Catharine continued, "Whether I allow my niece to communicate with her brother is none of your business." She spat, her cheeks rising to a pink flush. "But as it is," she said, calming herself somewhat, "it is not Georgiana I wish to punish, but William."
Lizzy listened, but shook her head in confusion. "I don't understand. Why are ye here? Telling me all this?"
"Because Miss Bennet," Lady Catharine groaned, "I have a request."
There was a beat of silence before Lizzy gave an unamused chortle. "Do ye realize how ridiculous that sounds? Ye have a request to make of me?"
"Oh please Miss Bennet, do not act as if you are the victim in this. If word of your liaisons had gotten out it would have brought scandal reigning down upon the houses of Rosings and Pemberly."
"How?" Lizzy argued. "Who would care? It's not as if the king was marrying a scullery maid."
"It might as well be." Lady Catharine countered. "And as for who would care - all the people who mattered would care. They would flock to the gates and give their condolences for such a match. They would have looked at you as the failure of the family; something that had to be swept under the carpet and kept quite. You, as well as William, would have been the butt of jokes, looked upon as outsiders who belonged neither here nor there. So do not tell me, Miss Bennet, that no one would have cared."
Lizzy could feel her cheeks burning and despite all her attempts she could feel a sharp prickling at the back of her eyes. Swallowing hard, she cleared her throat.
"Then let me ask ye again; why are ye here?"
Drumming her fingers against her palm that lay in her lap, Lady Catharine pursed her lips and continued with her original train of thought.
"Georgiana is depressed." She said, stating what was already known. "I have called upon you today to bring you to Rosings with me to stay for a duration of time for the purpose of keeping Georgiana company. When can you be ready?" Lady Catharine asked, not pausing to think that she would be refused. Lizzy just stared at her for the longest moment not believing her ears.
"I'm sorry, what did ye just ask of me?"
"Do not pretend to be daft Miss Bennet, I know you heard what I said." Lizzy collected her thoughts and pressed her lips together.
"Ye'll allow me to see yer niece but when it concerns yer nephew I'm banned? How's that?"
"Miss Bennet perhaps you are daft," Lady Catharine sighed. "Your relationship with William would have been scandalous as it was...romantic. But a mere companionship is common. Now, do not make me ask a third time - when can you be ready?"
"I'm not going to Rosings." Lizzy challenged. "Why can't Georgie come up here?"
Lady Catharine barked out a mirthless laugh. "Don't be ridiculous. You are the companion. You must come to her."
"I'm not going to Rosings." Lizzy repeated. Flashes of memories already filtering through her mind's eye.
"Then we are at an en passe Miss Bennet."
Lizzy thought for a moment and came up with an idea. "London is not so very far from Rosings. I have an aunt and uncle who live on Lovat Lane; I will stay there and on the days that Georgie wishes to be with her companion she can come up and visit."
Lady Catharine shook her head. "Or you can stay with your aunt and uncle and when Georgiana wishes to have a companion you will come down to her."
Lizzy raised her brows. "Lady Catharine, I am not going to come to Rosings. So it depends on ye; if ye want yer niece to be entertained by me then she will have to make that small journey to London or not see me at all."
The lady released a large amount of air. "I will forever rue the day that my nephew met you Miss Bennet." She said glaring at Lizzy, "but in the present circumstance I see that I have little choice if I am still to keep William away." Lady Catharine thought it over a second more and nodded. "Alright Miss Bennet; I agree to your terms. Now - when can you be ready?"