Chapter 1 Embarrassing Moments
"Fucking shit!"
'Well, nothing to do but to wait until the grinder was finished before entering the room and start anew,' Elizabeth thought, blessedly oblivious to the footsteps entering from behind...
Elizabeth slipped back into the room to cut a new piece of the hockey puck, weigh it and cut it into smaller pieces before putting it in the grinder.
Remembering this time, to put in the beaker to collect the finished product. She push start and sped out of the room to watch through the explosion-proof glass in the door.
Her luck was about to run out though and she collided with a very tall, manly chest, right outside the door.
"Sorry," she exclaimed while raising her eyes to the face of the bodily obstacle.
Much closer than considered comfortable, stood the most handsome piece of male flesh she had ever seen...
Looking down at her with a significant frown between his eyebrows.
Involuntarily taking a step back and musing on the luck of meeting this sublime specimen of man in a threadbare lab coat, goggles, no make up and her hair in a dishevelled bun on the top of her head...
Before wondering what of her previous outburst he might have heard.
An unwelcome, familiar voice was coming from behind said specimen of man.
"Miss Bennet, this is not your job is it!"
The shrill voice of the grand dame herself, CEO of Lebon Explosive Company, Lady Catherine de Bourgh was chastising her and the manly tower moved to the side.
"Where is Charlotte? Shouldn't you be researching something? I don't pay your wages to do the lab technicians job!"
"I am researching but I had to wait until the HPLC* had finished its run when the hockey pu... I mean M7 arrived and since Charlotte was having a late lunch, I thought I should get started on the vacuuming of the fluids.
You know it's urgent since the production are awaiting the results in order to proceed.
Give me a minute to finish and I will be happy to help you Lady Catherine and..."
Waving her hands towards the silent, herculean hunk.
She redirected her hand to greet him properly with a handshake and pronouncing:
"Hi! I am Elizabeth Bennet in the research and development department."
"How is the Russian spy project going?"
Charlotte chose that moment to resurface from lunch with her head stuck in her purse, frantically searching for her office keys, not noticing the illustrious company.
"Charlotte, glad you are back. I have just grinded the M7, it is ready for the vacuum cabinet."
Charlotte glanced into the room and noticed the batch on the floor.
"One for the floor as well I can see, you really are so easily distracted you could be mistaken for a professor..."
"Yes, I will keep that in mind Charlotte for further educational possibilities. Now, if you will excuse me? I must return to the HPLC to check my results."
Elizabeth trailed down the long corridor, cursing Charlotte's impertinence and the general bad luck of the day.
Aware that she had not been appraised of the intriguing males name.
The last drop in the beaker would be if the run on the HPLC was ruined.
The run was indeed finished with exciting results. She clapped in shear glee and headed towards her office to calculate the exact amounts she had found.
Skipping merrily to the department's boss office, Edward Gardiner, her uncle, and the reason for her early employment in a high position at such a young age.
He had pleaded her case and she was allowed to work while attending school, to finish her degree in chemical engineering.
"Any luck with your assignment?" Uncle Edward asked unnecessarily, the look upon her face spoke volumes.
"Yes!
Remember Tuva, the Norwegian exchange student my father invited years ago?
She worked on a plant who produced an irregular form of dynamite for particularly difficult conditions.
The plant is closed now and she was snapped up by an international pharmaceutical company but I visited her last summer and I remember something she told me..."
"Yes, I remember her vaguely. Your point is?"
"The HPLC results shows the presence of both nitroglycerin and nitroglycol.
The freezing point of both are rather high and above zero degree Celsius. But when combined the freezing point drops significantly. Tuva told me about a special dynamite they produced to build the Oslofjord tunnel.
Since the tunnel was located beneath sea level it was a very cold climate to work in and required a very specific explosive to detonate.
This particular mixture would tolerate temperature down to approximately 35 degrees below zero which again indicated that the Russians were either blowing up the Siberian tundra or they were creating an underwater tunnel...
Take your pick, I will leave the speculation to you.
By the way, the IR spec was nothing out of the ordinary. I will run the atom abs now, on the salts but I am not expecting anything extraordinary. Any questions before I'm out of here?"
"Yes, what exactly is a hockey puck?" Said a deep, baritone voice from behind (the kind of voice that would make your knees grow weak whilst reading the telephone directory). Elizabeth spun around and faced the devastatingly handsome man from the previous encounter.
"It's not actually a hockey puck of course", she stated flatly.
"It's a sample from the ballistic department. If the acetone level is according to spec it will be pressed into long tubes to be used as rocket fuel. It just looks like a hockey puck..."
"Have you been introduced Elizabeth?" She shook her head in denial.
"This is Fitzwilliam Darcy, Lady Catherine's nephew. He will be covering for the grand dame until a more permanent solution can be found. She wants to have more time off vacationing... And eventually retire."
"So the facelift was just a rumour then?" She heard a low chuckle from behind as she had turned to face her uncle again.
"Mr Darcy, this is our wonder child, Elizabeth Bennet who also happens to be my niece. She is currently on a combined work and school program, she has one full day of school a week and work the remaining four. In addition, she takes several evening classes to complete her degree in chemical engineering. If she will leave it at that, hasn't been decided yet."
'Great, wonder child. Now the mouth-watering piece of candy would perceive her as a child...'
"How are you holding up Lizzy, your schedule does not leave much time to be social or carousing about?"
Elizabeth snorted, typical of her uncle to humiliate her in front of her bosses nephew and a potential new boss as well.
Frankly, she had managed the task of humiliating herself admirably, to the degree of utter mortification, no help needed in that department...
Gardiner saw Elizabeth's usually plump lips set into a fine line, took the hint and changed the subject.
"Well, there will be an occasion for you to exhibit some of those expensive stilettos you collect but never use, in three weeks time...
There will be a celebration of the grand Dame's twenty-five years as head of the company which will be celebrated with dinner and dancing.
Free drinks and all. Bye the way, maybe you should refrain from the alcoholic beverages, knowing how little you can hold..."
Elizabeth groaned, uncle certainly had it in for her today.
"I can hold my liquor, alright!"
"Not in my experience you don't! I remember a certain barbecue..." Gardiner said with a twinkle in his eyes.
"I said I can hold it, I said nothing about drinking it!" Elizabeth muttered something inaudible and practically ran out of the office, fire blazing from her eyes.
"Fine, no chance of making a favourable impression on the corporate stud. Not that she had a chance in hell anyway but it would have been nice with some new material for her night-time fantasies...
Of course, nothing more humiliating could possibly be added to the abundance this day had concocted. That was her firm believe until glancing down to her shoes.
Great, crocs...
Not the fancy, inbuilt platform, sneakers that compensated for the shortcomings of her drop from butt to floor with the much needed centimetres."
Heading into the atomic abs lab, at least she would be left in peace there, everybody shunned the room because of the highly explosive gas acetylene that were used to drive the flame.
Rather peculiar really, regarding the nature of the plant's production.
Finally, the day ended without further mishaps and Elizabeth went home, curled up in the big wingback chair by the fireplace with a cup of tea in her hands, sighing over the events of the day. No peace and quiet for reflection was to be had though, the rest of her family were at home.
The next day went blissfully uneventful until lunch...
Strolling with her confidence back in place, Elizabeth entered the cafeteria of Lebon Explosive Company only to discover Mr Darcy at her favourite table, by the window, with the sea view...
He was not alone. Opposite of him sat a red-headed, merry looking, slightly younger guy. Another man she hadn't seen before.
Jane was nowhere to be seen so she picked up a newspaper to peruse while waiting for Jane. Not deliberately trying to eavesdrop but she was none the less...
"Have you met the head of human resources yet Darcy? She's an angel." The newcomer pronounced dreamily.
"Yes, I have met her. Quite beautiful but she smiles too much..."
"Honestly Darcy. I have never met anyone as finicky as you when the ladies are concerned. You are going to wake up an grumpy old man one day, entirely alone, regretting all the lovely ladies you never spared a second glance."
"It isn't gold everything that shimmers you know." Darcy looked a little miffed.
"I do but sometimes the gold doesn't shimmer."
Elizabeth choked down a snort, it was obviously the day for the lame proverbs.
The newcomer looked up an discovered Elizabeth, discreetly pointing her out to Darcy.
"Isn't that Jane's sister? She's one of the girls from Jane's screensaver.
Let's ask her to join us, perhaps she's waiting for Jane... We could have a double lunch date with the enchanting sisters?"
The newcomer was grinning widely for a few seconds. Mr Darcy looked at her briefly and stated.
"She's half-decent but not in my league. She looks like a miniature of the nutty professor."
Elizabeth could hear the newcomer gasp while swallowing hard to repress her own, only to be saved by Jane's timely arrival.
"Lizzy, there you are. I thought you were waiting for me at the office."
"I was but you were late as usual so I decided to kill some time with the news while waiting. Let's grab something to eat, I'm starving."
Moving swiftly away from the offensive gentlemen, they stocked their trays with edibles and searched for an empty table, Elizabeth consciously trying to avoid the window row, Jane steering decidedly towards it.
Jane won the tug-of-war, Elizabeth felt a small victory in landing the chair with her back to the insulting gentleman, not in the mood for polite pleasantries.
"Oh, I forgot my teabag. Can I get you anything while I'm up Lizzy?"
Elizabeth suspected she had forgot on purpose to get another chance to swipe by the gentlemen behind and to flash them one of her brilliant smiles.
"Yes, I'd like some nuts thanks. I'm in the mood for cracking some. Pistachios, the ones with the shell on... Makes you eat less since you're fingers get sore after about ten..."
"Why, are you dieting, Lizzy?"
"Of course not, don't be ridiculous, why would I be dieting Jane?"
"My thoughts exactly, any less of you and you could hide behind a lamppost undetected."
"Thank you Jane for pointing that out, any more ridiculous notions you might like to add before bringing me my nuts?"
Elizabeth glared at Jane with one challengingly lifted eyebrow. Jane giggled and could not stop herself from adding...
"Well, there are a feature who would stick out... Your curious nose."
"Heavens Jane!"
"Okay, I'm walking Lizzy."
Jane held her hands up in mock surrender and glided elegantly away but was back within a blink of an eye. Elizabeth snapped the nuts out of her hands and started cracking them, feeling a little bit better for the joy of destructing something while pondering the idea of cracking the nuts of the idiot behind her.
"My, you are in a bad mood today Lizzy, have your courses come early?"
"No!"
"I didn't think so, we are usually synchronized and mine haven't come yet..."
"Jane! Change of topic please." Elizabeth looked exasperated at her prattling sister.
"Lizzy! Good, I caught you before you left."
Charlotte was approaching, balancing a tray.
"There is a ship with glycol coming in..."
"Yes!"
"Wait until you have all the facts before you answer Lizzy. It's probably going to dock at 2 am, Sunday night, which means we need to start up the lab at midnight..."
"It's still a yes Charlotte. I have a pair of Christian Louboutin with my name on it at the shoe store. This will get me the funds to obtain them. Besides, it's been a while since I've been cursed at in Italian or maybe it was Polish the last time... Why aren't Tommy taking this delicious opportunity for some overtime?"
"I thought you could tell if it was Italian Lizzy, didn't you take some lessons? By the way, Tommy has a date..."
"With a woman?"
"Yes, Lizzy."
"One that is breathing?"
"Yes Lizzy, I think that's a must, don't you?"
"Well, she could be inflatable," Elizabeth muttered.
"Hardly need to hold off a Saturday night for that, what's your problem with Tommy by the way."
"Oh, nothing he is just so shy. I didn't think he could muster the gut to ask anybody out, that's all.
The Italian course I've been taking is to better understand the music I listen to, not likely to contain swearing, I assure you.
Gees, I got to run, bye ladies."
"Wait a minute Lizzy, what new shoes... The spiked ones?"
"Yes, the spiked ones..."
"So the black Audrey Hepburn number is coming out of your closet at last. How long has it been there, two years? What's the occasion. Oh, the company Gala in three weeks?"
"Yes."
"Lovely to get so many yesses from you Lizzy, are we going get treated with some salsa on this occasion perhaps?"
"No, you are not. The heals are at least, six inches... I'll be happy if can walk from the door to the bar in them. Dancing is out of the question, there is luckily no one to partner with either...
I have to go now, bye."
Turning to exit, Elizabeth suddenly realized that Mr Darcy had been sitting in the chair directly behind her listening in through the whole conversation. His opinion of her was most definitely not improving...
On her way out the door, she heard Charlotte call after her.
"But honestly Lizzy, more shoes? I thought you might be saving for a house?"
Reluctantly she turned in the doorway and shouted back to Charlotte.
"Yes I am saving my regular wages for a house but this is extra, a girl must have some fun..."
Hearing Charlotte still questioning the soundness of fun to be had with shoes and books, Elizabeth warily left the cafeteria.
In a corner on the other side of the cafeteria, sat Edward Gardiner with a deep frown between his eyebrows. He hadn't heard much of the conversation but had watched the emotions drifting over his favourite niece's face.
Combined with the rather unusual behaviour from earlier, he felt that there was something troubling her and wonder how to approach the subject, without her getting defensive.
Perhaps it was a job for the heavier artillery, he would consult his wife...
Elizabeth was off-kilter but had no idea why. Heading back to her office, she was mulling it over when she suddenly realized that Jane hadn't participated in the conversation after Charlotte arrived. She had sat, glancing dreamily over her shoulder... Ah, something must have caught her eye, the newcomer of course. He sat on the table behind her. Jane must be enamoured with him, that was cause for some prodding later.
Elizabeth grabbed her preliminary results and studied them closely. She was still missing about 2% of some hitherto unknown substance. She leaned back into her chair and closed her eyes to gather her thoughts...
Something heavy plumped down on the desk in front of her and sighed. Cautiously opening her eyes to espy the cause of the thud, her sister appeared with the previous dreamlike expression on her face.
"Oh, he is everything a young man ought to be Lizzy... Sensible, good-humoured, handsome..."
"Who?"
"Mr Bingley! Haven't you met him? He was seated right behind you in the cafeteria with Mr Darcy"
"No. I mean I noticed someone with Mr Darcy but I didn't know who he was... So, who is your Mr Bingley?" Elizabeth asked while wiggling her eyebrows seductively at her sister.
"He is the corporate lawyer and Mr Darcy's best friend. Owns the law firm actually..."
"Isn't he rather young to be owning his own law firm? Somebody must be pulling your leg..."
"Apparently he inherited the firm before he finished law school. An orphan or so it seems." Jane put up a rather sad face after making that contemplation.
"Yes, and conveniently rich," Elizabeth grinned.
"You know I have never been driven by want of a lot of money Lizzy." Jane admonished her sister.
"Of course not Jane, I am only kidding."
"Well, he invited me and Charlotte over to their table after you left and..."
"So it's only me he doesn't tolerate then..."
"What! I thought you said you hadn't met him..."
"I haven't. Pay me no mind, I'm full of nonsense. If I could only find this last ingredient in the Russian explosive... Hmm."
"What explosive? Please do not say you have mislaid any dangerous explosive around, have you?" Jane looked alarmingly at her sister.
"No, no I am just missing a link of the puzzle that's all. I have yet to figure out what the last unknown 2% is. Maybe I should call Tommy and see if he has time to detonate some for me, just to check its powers."
Elizabeth seemed deep in thought but Jane was on a mission and did not give up that easily.
"Mr Bingley said that..."
Was all she managed to get out before Elizabeth interrupted her again.
"May we please continue this conversation later Jane? Preferably at home? I am swamped and I need to get this finished."
"Are you dismissing me from your office Lizzy," Jane was perturbed, not used to Lizzy not being willing to talk.
"I am sorry Jane, I'll make it up to you when we get home... I promise."
And talk they did, well at least Jane did, but that was after climbing into bed at night, continuing until the early rays of sun graced the horizon.
Elizabeth felt a bit guilty for evicting poor, enamoured Jane from her office but the need for contemplating in solitude won out...
Feeling a general sense of uneasiness that disturbed her normal equilibrium. A trip to the bunker would cheer her up nicely though...
Pushing the button for detonation was always a thrill. Yes, that was what she needed.
Picking up the phone to check if Tommy was available lifted her spirits and she was soon heading out of her office with a smile and a small amount of the Russian explosive in her hand.
Tommy was happy to see her, working mostly alone, visitors were rarely rejected, being young and pretty was not an objection either.
Tommy was in his mid-forties, single and painfully shy. Elizabeth had a native ability to put people at ease, which hindered the naturally reticent blaster to clamp up like an oyster which was his usual behaviour in female company.
"Tommy, I am on a secret mission and I am desperately in need of your assistance."
Elizabeth didn't shy away from blatant flattery when in need of a favour...
"I've got this Russian explosive from uncle and I am trying to figure out its content. Must keep up with the competition you know and see if they have created something new and inventive.
From what I have gathered so far it's a civil, not a military explosive, similar to dynamite but with a twist..."
Elizabeth flashed him a mischievous smile that she knew he couldn't resist.
"And you want me to detonate it to check its prowess and you want to push the detonation button?"
Tommy wiggled his eyebrows and Elizabeth laughed.
"Guilty as charged Tommy, a girl must have some fun..."
"Come along then, let's see what damage a couple of gram of this Russian stuff may do to a clog. One might say, figure out if you want to step on it or not..."
"Tommy I don't wear clogs..."
"No but I am out of crocs," chuckling at his own joke Tommy ducked into the bunker and Elizabeth followed merrily. Happy to have her good mood restored.
Settling in to her office the next morning, tired from the late-night thanks to Jane's unending chatter about a certain Mr Bingley.
Elizabeth was no closer to resolve the mystery of the missing 2%...
What next? Well, she would have to brave it and smell it, to find out if that could give her a clue. Not particularly looking forward to the headache she knew would follow the endeavour...
Luckily it paid off and a couple hours later, tests confirmed her suspicion of Diesel. Paperwork finished and delivered on her uncle's desk she headed towards the cafeteria...
Charlotte was awaiting her at the door and they quickly filled their trays and went for their favourite table.
Yet again occupied by Mr Darcy and his friend. Sighing, Elizabeth chose the second favourite table and slumped down on the chair, back to back with Mr Darcy. Sucking in her disappointment of losing out on her favourite table for the second day in a row, Elizabeth forged on before the bad mood settled.
"Have you seen Jane, Lizzy?"
"She's on cloud number nine," casting a glance in Mr Bingley's direction, "and my wings does not reach that far. We will just have to see if she turns up."
"So she didn't pick up her phone and wasn't in her office?"
"Exactly!"
"You could have just said that Lizzy..."
"I come with great news Charlotte. I have finished my secret assignment. No need to go into detail, these walls have ears but I didn't get a headache after smelling it. Cause for celebration don't you think?" Elizabeth wiggled her eyebrows.
"Why on earth would you smell it anyway?"
"Focus Charlotte! I have heard about this amazing new Nikkei sushi restaurant in town. Combining the Peruvian with the Japanese kitchen, melted cheese on sushi, if that isn't orgasm on a platter then I know nothing...
I am paying too so you couldn't get any better offer than that."
Elizabeth smirked at Charlotte who muttered something about preferring a real orgasm to the one served on a platter.
"Bet I can help you with that too, there is bound to be a naughty shop in London. They have invented a lot of usable stuff in rubber nowadays. Apparently, they vibrate too or so I've been told."
Elizabeth was at this point giggling merrily at Charlotte's discomfort, unluckily, Charlotte was about to turn the table on her.
"Oh my, are we merry today Lizzy! Have you made a secret conquest that you have yet to inform me about? Maybe you should take him eating all this weird stuff, hmm?"
"Hardly," Lizzy snorted.
"Sounds like you need to get laid Charlotte."
"And you don't Lizzy?"
"No!"
"Why not?"
Elizabeth uttered the indelicate response of "Yuck," followed by a wrinkle on her nose.
"Well, I have found someone for you Charlotte... There's a new guy in accounting that's a distant relation of mine. His father is my father's second cousin or something like that. His name is Bill Collins, I can introduce you to him at the company Gala if he chooses to attend?"
"Is that the son of the man who wanted to take Longbourn from your father?"
"The one and only but the father died a couple of years ago so he is living with his mother now. I think he's about thirty. My mother suspects him of wanting to marry one of my sisters to get his hands on Longbourn you know."
"Then why are you passing him over to me exactly?"
"Well, he's a little short for Jane..."
"Sounds like his perfect for you then Lizzy. What's the catch, I am smelling foul play..."
"Alright, he's kind of stupid..."
"Great, stupid I can work with..." Charlotte didn't seem to be put off by that at all.
"Well... A matter of fact he is utterly ridiculous, in a no-brain no headache kind of way. I think I would prefer to be stripped naked, painted in honey and tied to an anthill before I went on a date with the sorry excuse of a man."
"And you wanted me to date him because... Why exactly?"
"To get my matchmaking mother off my back before I am floating face down the Thames just to get some quiet."
"Why is she so intent on getting you all married? Lydia is fifteen for heavens sake, is she expected to marry as well?"
"My mother wants to sell Longbourn and buy an apartment, preferably on Ibiza. She wants my father to retire and Lydia to move with them. Lydia isn't complaining that's for sure, she is after all the favourite."
"That bad hey... Can't your father dissuade him?"
"He is far too amused by my discomfort to interfere. Although I can hardly see him selling Longbourn, it is his inheritance. He is putting the argument off by using his innocent daughters as bait. He argues they can't sell Longbourn as long as we are still living at home. Maybe I could move into the old dowager cottage for a while..."
"I think you will miss the comforts of electricity and running water rather quickly," Charlotte commented dryly, as always the practical one.
"Candles and shower at work," Elizabeth muttered under her breath.
"But why is she not shoving him towards Jane, she is the eldest after all."
"Of course not, don't play daft Charlotte. Jane is beautiful and that saves her from my mothers pestering. She will certainly attract a suitor without my mother's help. It seems to be only this daughter, whom by my mother's words... Is too headstrong, sharp-tongued, too short and do you believe it? Too clever to attract someone who will whisk her away from the nest.
Apparently, men prefer girls with heads filled with a whole lot of nothing. My parent's marriage should make a perfect example of the fact."
"Is he at least handsome?"
"No comment." Elizabeth sighed.
"Are you at least up for some sushi tonight?"
"Yes. I am going to milk you dry for this favour so you just keep it coming, my friend."
"Oh, Charlotte you are a lifesaver, literally, in every sense of the word,"
Elizabeth jumped up from her chair to go around the table to hug her friend. Instead, she jumped right into the chest of Mr Darcy...
Slowly lifting her eyes up the male form in front of her, reaching the intense, deep blue eyes she muttered: "I've got to stop doing that."
If she meant the bumping into or the girl talk that obviously should have been held in private, she didn't say... Spinning around on her heels, she left the cafeteria, leaving her tray for Charlotte to tidy up.
Darcy stood rooted to the spot, oblivious to Charlotte's mumbling curses.
Those eyes, that had slowly been unveiled from her luscious, lashes... Dark brown with speckles of gold or maybe it was the night sky reflecting in her orbs the twinkling from a thousand stars. He was mesmerised. Why hadn't he noticed them before? Of course, she had worn the yellow goggles the last time he had been so close...
Charles addressing him snapped him out of his musings of the fine eyes and he sat down again, forgetting why he had risen in the first place.
Charles, on the other hand, was not tongue-tied...
"Darcy? Do you think all girls talk like that? About guys I mean, they were rather harsh on the poor fellow..."
"I have met him, they were spot on actually. One of my aunt's sycophantic admirers."
"Really! Do you think they are going to that shop..."
"Charles! I am leaving, see you tomorrow!"
Elizabeth walked mindlessly in the direction of her uncle's office to get some feedback on her last results. Gardiner confirmed that her spy mission was accomplished satisfyingly while stating that her next assignment would be testing wastewater from the production and calibrating equipment in the lab.
Starting with the calibration of the pipettes, she was anticipating a girls night out with Charlotte and the fact that it was Thursday,
Friday being her day at the university.
Friday at lunch, Elizabeth entered the cafeteria of Lebon despite her supposed day at school. Lectures had ended early due to the teacher getting sick and Gardiner had called her wanting a word with her.
Now accustomed to her favourite table being occupied, she dumped her tray on her second favourite table, in front of Jane and Charlotte and made a happy twirl on the floor.
"How do I look?" She grinned at the stunned faces of her sister and friend, the friend finding her voice first.
"Like a train wreck! Elizabeth Victoria Antoinette Bennet what on earth are you wearing? By the way, shouldn't you be at school today?"
"Great! You couldn't resist to bring up all the queens, could you... We finished early, sick teacher..."
Elizabeth sat down and took a big bite of her sandwich.
Jane finally woke up and asked surprised:
"You want to look like a train wreck?"
"Yes! Mary King got her inheritance a couple of days ago and invited me and several others from class to the PunkRock restaurant in London.
Do I look like a punk-rocker or what?"
Charlotte and Jane eyed her suspiciously taking in her appearance with more disdain than awe. Dressed in black leather pants, a tight black low cut top and a black fringed leather jacket, her chocolate coloured curly hair flowing unrestrained down her back.
"Look at these boots." Elizabeth swung her leg above the table to show off her knee-high, black leather army boots.
"Look at the sole, wouldn't slide in the mud with this chunky pattern. Got them for a tenner on sale. It's a bargain don't you think?"
Elizabeth put her leg back down underneath the table, noticing that Mr Darcy was looking at her quizzically. Peculiar that he had changed seats with Mr Bingley, compared to the previous days. Maybe he was trying to put a safe bumping distance between them...
"Hardly," Charlotte snorted, looking less than impressed.
"Not a lot of mud in the streets of London, I think you could safely have gone for something a bit more sophisticated."
"Why? That wouldn't scream punk, would it? I am planning to blend in at the restaurant you know. It's very hip.
They do not have a fixed menu. You pay a fee to enter and get whatever courses the chef choose to cook that night. I have heard it can be up to 20 courses. And Mary said that one time they had served Russian caviar by spooning it on to the back of your hand and you had to lick it off and wash it down with a shot of pure vodka. "
Elizabeth was demonstrating by licking imaginary caviar from her hand.
"You should lay off the vodka, Lizzy." Charlotte admonished.
"Of course, I am the designated driver, no booze for me..."
"So that's why they invited you, needed a driver did they," Charlotte snickered unbecomingly.
"Well, it doubled the female participation so maybe I was asked to level out the heavy overload of males in the party. Frankly, I don't care why as long as I am in."
"Are you sure it's safe Lizzy, I think it sounds rather dubious. Not the kind of restaurant you usually frequent." Jane's natural protectiveness kicked in.
"Do not to worry Jane. A couple of the guys in our party are quite brawny, they will protect me I am sure if it."
"Protect you or attack you I wonder," Jane was not convinced.
"Honestly Jane. I bake the best brownies, it's in their best interest to get me home unscathed or there will be no more cakes in class on Fridays..."
There were several others listening in on their conversation, Lizzy's unusual appearance had drawn some attention. One of them were approaching.
"Sorry to interrupt you but I couldn't help overhearing your conversation...
I am George Wickham, the new guy in the military explosive department."
George winked at Elizabeth while eyeing her cleavage. Elizabeth unconsciously pulled the jacket close.
"I am an old friend of Mary King. Please say hello to her from me. And by the way, the restaurant is fantastic. Really eclectic interior.
Headless dolls hanging from the ceiling, antique vases combined with rubber ducks decorate the tables. It's a once in a lifetime experience."
"I will tell her I saw you," Elizabeth nodded and Wickham strolled off.
"What an incredibly handsome man. I have heard Rita saying he was hot but didn't know who he was."
"I'll give you that he's handsome Charlotte but in a more feminine rather than masculine way. Reminds me of Bieber... Lydia would be ecstatic," Elizabeth smirked.
"Lizzy," it was Jane's turn to admonish her.
"One of these days, someone will catch your eyes, and then you'll have to watch your tongue."
In fact, someone already had... Mr Darcy was watching her intently with dark, thunderous eyes.
Elizabeth wondered what his problem was, she hadn't bumped into him for nearly 24 hours, what could be his complaint now? If he didn't like her look he could easily look away. Elizabeth decided to pay him no mind, nothing was going to spoil her weekend.
Gardiner finally turned up and sat down next to Elizabeth.
"New school uniform, Elizabeth?" Gardiner could hardly contain his mirth over the scowl Elizabeth answered that statement with.
"Good you could drop by in your busy schedule. I've actually been a little worried about you and wondered if you could come visit your old aunt and uncle, perhaps tonight?"
"Oh, I am sorry uncle but I am helping Mr Rodriguez with a salsa class in an hour, his rheumatism is flaring up again and then I am going out to a restaurant with some of my classmates.
Saturday, I plan to sleep in and have a Sex In The City marathon with Jane and Charlotte before we have a boat coming in after midnight. Sunday, I am taking Chevy up to Oakham Mount. This weekend is really busy, may I take a rain check?"
"What salsa class, maybe I will tag along and check out the hot guys."
"Be my guest Charlotte, it's the 13- and 14-year-olds. Perfect if you are in for the acne and a high pitched voice kind of guy, although it might be considered cradle robbing."
"No thanks. Thought you danced to meet hot guys, not old married men and adolescents. I don't understand why you bother."
"The entertainment is unparalleled. The adolescent boys will be mortified by the more mature adolescent girls and I will be highly amused."
Elizabeth leaned back in her chair, looking as smug as ever.
"Elizabeth, don't be cruel. Why would the girls mortify the boys?" Jane admonished.
"It is a truth universally acknowledge that girls mature at least a decade before the boys, of course, they will suffer. By the way, any plans for Saturday girls?" Both Jane and Charlotte shook their head in the negative.
"I am going to sleep in and then I thought we could have a Sex in the city marathon?" Elizabeth wiggled her brows enticingly, making Charlotte groan.
"Still have a crush on Mr Big, Lizzy?"
"Of course, he is conveniently unreal."
"Why on earth would you want a guy that's not real?" Gardiner asked astound.
"On and off switch and not to mention the fast forward over the proud and insufferable bits. It's the ideal relationship really."
Elizabeth laughed at her uncle's incredible facial expression.
"Don't worry uncle, you are in good company with fifty per cent of the human population, not understanding women. Luckily you have aunt Madeline, she loves you regardless.
Now I have some adolescent boys to scare senseless, you will have to excuse me."
Kissing her uncles cheek, Elizabeth said her goodbyes and balanced confidently out on her high heels.
*HPLC: High-performance liquid chromatography, used to determine compounds dissolved in solution.