He rang the doorbell and a few seconds later Lizzy opened the door. She looked like a goddess.
Unlike their Scottish trip where she was simply utilitarian throughout, a night at the opera brought out the glamour in her.
She wore a slinky red, spaghetti-strapped gown which clung to her bumps and curves. She matched this with a pair of opera gloves. Her brown hair was magnificently styled and she added to her height with a pair of Loubotin shoes.
She introduced him to her uncle and aunt. They had heard of him - who in London had not? He seemed pleasant enough said Edward to Madeleine later.
"But his eyes were only for Lizzy", Madeleine pointed out.
As they departed, she handed him her full-length Johnson's of Elgin cashmere coat and he helped her to put it on. His hands touched the naked skin of her body and he tingled.
He wanted to seriously ask her to cancel the opera and go back to his place and fuck like rabbits all night long. His body ached with need for her.
Instead, he said "You look gorgeous."
He couldn't hide his naked admiration and Lizzy's eyes flirted with his. She slowly looked at him up and down in his tailored tuxedo and responded, "You scrubbed up well."
She was glad he wore his tux just for her. So her hands went up to his tie to fix it.
He grinned. "Shall we?"
XXX
They arrived at the opera with plenty of time to spare. As they ascended the stairs to where the private boxes were, several people accosted Darcy with the pretence of business but really more out of curiosity of who his companion was. The Darcy box was rarely used.
Once they reached the Darcy box, Lizzy whispered "You're a very popular man."
Darcy shook his head with a smile as he opened the door.
There was a table set for two. Lizzy looked at him with surprise.
"I thought we'd have dinner before the opera started." He explained.
Lizzy was impressed. He was pulling out all the stops for their first official date tonight. She grinned and she kissed his cheek in appreciation. She loved this romantic Darcy, she really did and it was only now she appreciated his efforts.
XXX
He could feel the eyes of his peers on his box, and on his companion. The last time he had used the box was with Georgiana. His friends used it but he rarely used it.
He didn't realise their presence would cause so much commotion but this was London, and anything he did attracted attention. But Lizzy was his reason for his presence tonight and she looked absolutely delightful, delectable and desirable.
She grinned at him, "I've never been in a box before. Thank you."
Darcy slowed his breath and inhaled her sweet perfume. This was going to be a long night.
XXX
During intermission, they both went down to the bar to freshen up and get some drinks. Darcy noticed their sly looks and the way they judged Lizzy. He felt a touch of possession as the eyes would linger far longer than was respectable. When she returned and she smiled at him, his attraction for her grew. After tonight, he thought, things between them will change - for the better, he hoped.
XXX
For the first time, in a long time, Lizzy knew unequivocally she was ready to move on.
Her aunt had asked her about it the other day but tonight she could honestly say that she had.
As the dying Mimi's aria's notes reached its emotional peak, she quietly wept and said goodbye to George.
The once searing pain that she would feel when she recalled any memories of her dead lover had dulled. She no longer felt it was a betrayal to his memory or to their son that she should move on and love another.
She was ready to open her heart again to this living, breathing and impossibly handsome man beside her.
Darcy had been - apart from Elgin but she was over that, she really was! - the perfect gentleman since her arrival in London. And tonight, he just blew her away with his thoughtfulness and attentiveness. She kicked herself for not noticing it before.
He had behaved liked that in Scotland, and he showed it at the opera tonight again. Lizzy's heart was touched by all the cumulative things he had done for her, to be with her. Her aunt was right. He liked her! And she... liked him back. Maybe even more if she spent more time with him.
How could she have been so wrong about him and his feelings for her?
As the soprano's aria ended, he noticed her silent weeping and handed over his monogrammed handkerchief - FWD.
She thanked him and looked at him with such tears in her eyes that his heart broke.
He looked away and returned his focus on the stage.
XXX
For the first time, in a long time, and no matter how much he tried to show her or convince himself otherwise, Darcy now knew the unvarnished and impossible truth: she would and could never feel for him.
Scotland was a dream. She had treated him platonically there and he had hoped for more when she never wanted it. She had always been polite - no, brutally honest - about his attentions to her.
Yesterday when he asked her out and tonight, he thought, there was maybe a change in her and a chance that maybe she felt something different for him?
But he missed and misread all the signals.
The reality was, he could never compete with a dead man.
Although the roles were reversed, the parallels between La Boheme and Lizzy's situation were too strong to be ignored.
She was weeping for the loss of her dead lover and no one, not even the most eligible bachelor across three continents - FitzWilliam "rich as Croesus" Darcy, scion of the Darcy dynasty - could ever take his place in Lizzy's heart.
It was unfair. He had waited so long to find the one who matched him, who understood him best, who kept him on his toes, whose witty words he would recall to make him laugh long after she had made them...
He thought she never existed. Yet she did. She made him...happy. She brought out the positive aspects of his personality. He was less judgmental as a result.
Being around her made him become a better man. If life was the pursuit of happiness, the pursuit of Lizzy made him happy...until tonight.
She was sitting less than a metre away but never did he feel that physical distance to be an unbreachable emotional gulf at that very moment.
He loved her with a depth that terrified him... because he now knew unequivocally that she could never love him back or feel for him the same way.
He silently railed at the Gods and reassessed his situation.
If nothing else, Darcy made quick decisions all the time. He resolved to offer his lifelong friendship and loyalty to her and all that it entailed including his resources at her disposal like he did in Scotland.
He would and could never say no to her. He will be another uncle to James and try to compete with Charles to see who was the better father figure in James's life. He internally laughed bitterly at the thought.
The opera ended and the audience showed their deep appreciation.
XXX
When she had collected herself, she stood up and turned to him with that beautiful smile of hers, "Thank you for tonight. It was a wonderful performance."
He gave a slow nod and said "My box is at your disposal during your stay here and any time you are in London. I can never find the time to attend as often as I would like."
She grinned at this. His heart simultaneously melted and broke at the same time.
They exited the box and he proffered his arm as they walked down the stairs to the foyer.
She noticed the performance schedule and observed "Don Giovanni is opening next week. I've always thought it was the continent's version of Hamlet."
"Yes, that hell scene with the Commendatore is brutal. I had nightmares for weeks afterwards when I first saw it as a 14 year old," he responded trying to suppress the fear he felt now that the evening had ended and that he could not, did not want to carry on with this charade anymore.
He didn't want to impose his unrequited presence on her any longer. Lizzy did not want him around. He had ignored her wishes because he was just so persistent wanting to be with her. She never wanted him to be in Scotland at all!
She only wanted him as a friend and no more than just a friend. She said that to him already and he failed to heed her words. She told him not to lavish her, yet he ignored this and did it anyway.
A teasing tone entered her voice, "My friend Marie saw a performance in Prague where Donna Elvira was pregnant and harangued Don Giovanni. She's a far stronger character than Ophelia. Ophelia should have kicked Hamlet's ass."
Darcy smiled. God, he loved her.
"Ophelia is not to your liking?" He couldn't help but tease her back.
"Not at all. A whimpering female manipulated by her entire family? Hell no!" Lizzy responded with mock outrage in her tone.
He stopped and turned to her. She smiled back. He stared at her lips. A million thoughts rushed through both of their minds. Lizzy was anticipating and hinting for an invitation of another night together at the opera, or an apres-opera night cap at the cheese train to prolong this memorable evening, or maybe even a quick kiss in public.
She moved a small step closer to him but the images of her weeping a few moments ago ensured his insecurities came rushing back. His face became impassive again and he stepped back, turned, and he started walking again. This time to the exits to where the valet parking was.
Lizzy's arm was still attached to his so he was now dragging her arm amidst the exiting crowds.
She was left confused. She recalled what her friend Charlotte once said, that if she were ever to secure a man again, she should show him more interest, not less. She once derisively laughed at this. This was the 21st century for fuck's same!
But now, in this situation now, it was Charlotte's words that she recalled. Did this apply to Darcy? She was interested in Darcy but had she not shown enough of her interest in him to pursue a relationship? Was she now chasing him and as a result he fell into his default elusiveness? Had it always been the thrill of the chase for him and now, if she were to do the chasing he would quickly lose interest in her?
This was all very confusing!
XXX
They were silent on the drive back, each occupied with their own thoughts. She was feeling tender musings towards their situation and speculated about the time they could spend together for the rest of her stay in London.
Should she ask what his plans were for tomorrow? Lizzy Bennet was never shy but this new character mode emerged from her. She was never this silent! Had she become poorYorrick who was once full of wit and now silent as his skull?
At the same time, Darcy was continually reassessing the new self-imposed rules of his relationship with Lizzy, and the boundaries he would now place between her and him to protect his heart. He would be one of those men he realised; those bitter ones who grow old with unrequited love.
He resolved not to become a grumpy old man and rationalise his bitterness into something less destructive. He decided to add more busyness to his already busy schedule. He needed to be distracted and if need be, he'll work himself to death to conquer the growing empty pit in his stomach. His family interests were global. He resolved to fly to New York first thing tomorrow morning to make a surprise visit to one of the companies he had recently bought. And give himself as much distance as he can from Lizzy.
He parked outside the Clapham place and quickly got up from the driver's seat, and went round the front of the car to open the passenger door. He was still a gentleman at heart.
He offered his hand so she could easily alight from the car. She took it. He dropped his hand back once she stood up. They stared at each other for what seemed an eternity. He moved closer to her face, she moved even closer, then he changed directions and placed his lips on her right cheek.
He stepped back and said "Goodnight Lizzy."
He went back to the driver's seat and immediately drove off. Lizzy was confused and surprised.
What had just happened, she thought. Has she read him wrong all along? She remained standing where he left her and watched his car's tail lights grow dimmer until they disappeared altogether from view.
He never once looked back.