Chapter 44

Aunt Meg was chatty at the breakfast table on Friday about the day's plans for the Institute but LizE could only pay her half a mind. She considered that if Will was going to introduce GEO to her it was likely in the next two days since they were to leave after a half day on Monday. If GEO were due to arrive Friday, she would want a day to settle in so it was likely that GEO would come to meet her on Saturday.

They barely had time to put away personal items at the Institute before they were summoned to a meeting. The largest conference room at The Lambton was nicely furnished and had a large window with a beautiful view of landscaped front where employees made a show of their best and most spectacular botanical finds though that view also included the parking lot. A quiet Dr. Choi sat at the conference table with Scarlet at her side. Dr. Heemskerk was pacing at one end. He did not greet LizE and the Gardiners at all but impatiently waved them to a seat. What began can only be described as a grilling as the Institute director put hurried question after question to the group, but especially to LizE, about their foray to Pemberley Estate. This time there was no stony unreadable face, his obvious displeasure at the turn of events came through in his manner and mode of address. Dr. Choi remained silent during his questioning and part of LizE wondered at the contrast to her being so outgoing, such a busybody in all other respects, that she could only ascribe it to some personal issues with Dr. Heemskerk.

LizE dithered about what she had said to Will about the Institute but Dr. Heemskerk felt her answers inadequate. Aunt Meg, at least, stepped in to defend LizE stating "plans change, Will Darcy showed up and we never got the chance to talk to Esme Reynolds again. Plans change! You have to allow for eventualities." She appealed to her mentor but Dr. Choi just said, "Well, I wasn't there, we were with Mr. Villars, so…" her voice trailing off. LizE was amazed at not feeling more discomposed and not defending herself against Dr. Heemskerk's attacks.

She realized her underlying feelings were distracting her from the general conversation as though she was in a small bubble of her own in that big conference room not heeding. While they might all be considering Pemberley they had different ideas as to what that meant, and LizE could only consider its owner. He had changed so much. She thought of their time yesterday. His animated face as he spoke so kindly, even joking, with her uncle about fishing. He had been so concerned when Meg hurt her knee, his comm screen at the ready to summon help. If she had met him for the first time yesterday as a visiting scientist she would have painted a far different picture of him than the one she had previously sketched of him in black and white.

She had many more colors with which to fill in his portrait, to use in the areas of her canvas: Esme Reynold's account of his generosity; Ned and Anne's words of love, really, for Will's firm support and friendship. He had to be good at all those spreadsheets and numbers and running a large empire like Darcy Rail for even Will had said the company had some of their best years under his leadership.

She even thought about their time together as they walked on his estate. They had not looked each other in the eye much; there was an underlying embarrassment which prevented that. But she could feel him, always sense him, next to her, and hear his voice as though they were connected. Every word he said was imprinted on her and she went through every conversation from the previous day over and over.

Dr. Heemskerk began to really push LizE about reaching out on a personal level to Mr. Darcy arguing she should use all of her skills and talents to influence him to allow them access to Pemberley. LizE was disgusted by his request and stood up, turning away from the group to look out the front window. She saw a familiar silver car in the parking and said, still calm, "well Dr. Heemskerk, I think you can ask him in person for permission." She then turned around to inform the group of Will Darcy's visit.

Meg Gardiner looked at the suddenly commanding presence of her niece at the head of the conference table with amazement. There was something in the way she held herself (and given the circumstances at Pemberley the day before) which solidified for her the idea that LizE and Will Darcy got to know each other very well during that Marin trip. Something had gone on between them, enough, at least, that Will Darcy was quite interested in LizE. There must have been a lot of things LizE did not share about that trip.

Dr. Heemskerk began pacing the long length of the room and Dr. Choi sat up a little straighter and Scarlet Deane's anticipation at the visit was evident.

Will Darcy and his sister GEO were shown in by a wide-eyed staff member. His eyes immediately found hers at the other end of the conference table and he smiled with his them before turning to greet the other occupants.

Darcy explained he had come by to introduce his sister as she was in town and beginning to take on a larger role at Darcy Rail.

GEO was tall and with the same coloring as her brother and stood with her head erect staring forward into the room but not catching any one person's eyes. LizE, who knew her history, could understand why people talked about her as proud when she could also be reckoned shy. LizE, directly across the room from GEO, caught her eye and smiled warmly which made GEO's shoulders relax and a smile cross her face. LizE's eyes darted to her arms to see if there were any obvious signs of her cyborg parts but GEO's long sleeves hid her arms and LizE could find none and then felt very ashamed for having looked.

GEO had very beautiful expressive hands which LizE's eyes followed as they said more than GEO did with her few words. At first she clapped her arms to her chest holding on to her elbows when she first walked in the door but by social necessity had to shake hands with the eager Dr. Heemskerk and the more polite Dr. Choi. The Gardiners had waved their hellos from their position at the table. The hands had relaxed to clasping and unclasping her forearms as people talked and even drilling a small pattern on the tabletop once she sat down. GEO's eyes focused forward but never on any one person and more often than not Will answered questions that were put to her.

Dr. Heemskerk invited the Darcys to sit. LizE, Will and GEO all came together to sit along one long edge of the table though they were separated by the Lambton Director. He was frantically comming all the while talking to the Darcys about the Lambton's recent work and highlights and discoveries. Will looked at ease, attentive and back in his CEO role. GEO still looked uncomfortable and LizE wished she was seated nearer to her to talk.

Will's comm screen suddenly lit up with a series of beeps for which he apologized and he answered them, going back and forth with the recipient in a short flurry of comms before he smiled and put his screen away. Five minutes later the same startled employee showed Chaz Bingley into the room while she also brought in an array of appetizers and even wine despite the early hour.

Dr. Heemskerk seemed torn as his refreshments fell flat due to their inappropriate nature because of the hour of the day and the excitement at the new visitor.

Chaz Bingley was sheepish but cordial in his greetings to the room, but especially to LizE. She made a formal introduction of him to Dr. Heemskerk as friend to William Darcy but also as the new underwriter to the Netherfield Institute and she could see the dollar signs in Dr. Heemskerk's eyes.

Chaz drew a seat next to Scarlet but across from LizE and launched a series of questions to LizE beginning with her family though he did not name Juno specifically. The Gardiners were excited to see Charles A. Bingley, Esq. in person as they had heard so much about him and looked and listened to both him, Will Darcy and the mostly quiet GEO with interest. The suspicions about Will Darcy and LizE required observation though it appeared to Ezra's eyes that the owner of Darcy Rail was quite in love with his niece. Meg, true to her scientist nature, had to weigh more evidence before coming to any rash conclusions. And her niece seemed more confused and even a bit overwhelmed by the layers of conversation in the room.

Dr. Heemskerk continued to discuss current results while he nodded at the anonymous employee to pass out the wine glasses. "California wine, locally grown," he declared, smiling to hold up his glass in a toast. LizE had to suppress her snigger and Scarlet dutifully passed her a tissue as LizE coughed over her merriment looking to see if Will would drink the wine. It sat for a long time untouched before him but he eventually drank and gave Dr. Choi, who seemed to be eyeing him intently, a smile.

There were two levels of conversation, Dr. Heemskerk directing one centered very much on the Lambton Institute and its marvels of research and discovery. In this he was assisted by Scarlet and Dr. Choi who hemmed in LizE and Chaz on one end of the table. The Gardiners were having a quieter discussion with Will and his sister at the other end and LizE felt cheated by the seating arrangement. Chaz directed one or two more questions her way whenever there was a break in the scientific discussion to inquire about other Meryton friends, expressing in his final question some regret at not having seen everyone since the 12th of November at the party. LizE took this as a sure sign that he was thinking of Juno, since he could exactly remember the day he had last seen her, and that he still cherished her sister.

The one time LizE was able to really study Will she saw a content, comfortable man talking to her family. She was struck by the change in his bearing considering their last ugly encounter. Even during her observation of him back in those days of quarantine she had never seen him so animated, seemingly able to woo the whole room, for everyone hung on his words. Dr. Heemskerk turned increasingly away from Chaz Bingley, as a potential donor, and more towards his known backer. The burning question on Dr. Heemskirk's mind was finally asked outright and Will Darcy said that he could allow a few scientists one or two day of access to Pemberley while he and his friends were in town.

"I've had the good luck to observe LizE Ben in the field and know her to be hard-working," he did not look at her but addressed Dr. Heemskerk, "and Sam was impressed with Scarlet's contributions yesterday. Why not send the two of them over for the next two days to see what results you get? My friends and I are not considering staying long."

Dr. Heemskerk's face went through a mixture of emotions: excitement, disappointment, a little shock even, and then finally weaving itself into wearing 'acceptance' even if others knew his dream team and far-flung plans had been knocked down. Scarlet had the look on her face of the cat who had got the cream and beamed at Will across the table.

The Pemberley party rose to go, Chaz being the most talkative at the end said he had barely scratched the surface of what he wanted to share with LizE and looked forward to seeing her in the course of the next two days, if her work permitted it. LizE considered that his enthusiasm could only be accounted for by his still tender feelings for Juno.

As soon as the silver and blue cars had departed, Dr. Heemskerk rounded on LizE with a long list of desires to expand the project to his original version or even beyond to some permanent access to Pemberley for anyone from Lambton. She looked at the Institute director who once again sat next to her. He had no distinguishing characteristics, regular features in his face; slightly greying dark blond hair he wore on the long side, perhaps to cover the tufts of hair in his ears. She frowned, considered standing up, and then stated in as straight-forward a manner as she could.

"Dr. Heemskerk, I came here for a week-long opportunity with my fellow scientists, who are also family, to take part in networking opportunities. To share ideas, to learn, to meet, to renew. I am happy to help out the Lambton Institute by participating in a little field research in the spirit of collaboration but that is all I will do. We only have two and a half more days for this trip; I can easily leave early." She did not saying anything about Will and whether or not she wished to impose on him. Dr. Choi was smiling at her and went to lengths to catch her eye then she saw the same encouraging smiles from Aunt Meg and Uncle Ezra even if Dr. Heemskerk was a storm about to break when she did look his way.