A/N:
I had this assignment to do a modern version of Pride & Prejudice for my English class, so I though I might as well post it here...
Pride & Prejudice - Modern version
Anne had married George Bennet when she was only 18 years old. Now, almost 30 years later, they both knew that it was perhaps not the best decision they had made. They had, however, stayed together and now had three grownup daughters. Anne who had always been a social woman and always tried to persuade her husband to take her out to dinners and plays, now seemed to take the most pleasure from trying to match her single daughters with handsome rich men.
Jane, Elizabeth and Lydia Bennet were sharing a large flat in central London, near Hyde Park.
Jane who was the oldest with her 29 years liked the company of her younger sisters, especially perhaps Elizabeth, whom everyone called Lizzy. Lizzy was only 2 years younger than her. Lydia, who was 22, was still very childish. Jane and Elizabeth also worked very close to each other, Jane worked in an expensive clothes shop and Lizzy worked just a few houses away at an office. Lydia on the other hand worked as a photographer on a newspaper at the other side of town.
One sunny day in April Jane got a call from her mother.
"Oh, Jane you wont believe what a good man I have found for you!"
Jane, who was used to her mother's ways, did not get too overwhelmed.
"Really?" she said "and who might this excellent man be then, mum?"
Her mother did not get discouraged by the tone of sarcasm in her voice, she was used to her daughters not appreciating her attempts to get them married. But, she reasoned that since they weren't trying hard enough themselves (almost 30 and still single!) she had to do it for them.
"Well" her mother started "your father finally took me to see that play yesterday, you know the one I have been talking about so long, and who do you think I met outside but Hillary Bingley, who I used to go to school with!"
Jane who had often heard her mother talking about her youth said "yes" and wondered what was to come next.
"I was so happy to see her again, and even more so when she told me her son, Charlie, just got divorced!"
Jane thought it was just like her mother to be happy about something like that, just for the unlikely event that he would like one of her daughters.
"So I invited Hillary and her husband over for dinner this Saturday and they're bringing Charlie as well, so you and your sisters will have to come too!"
Anne and George Bennet lived in a house outside London and when Saturday came Jane, Lizzy and Lydia drove there somewhat reluctantly as they did not like the type of men their mother was always trying to match them with.
Their mother met them at the door, she looked very excited.
"Hello dears" she said and then whispered "he brought a friend with him and they are both very charming and both lawyers, so they must have a good income too, isn't it wonderful?"
As the sisters entered the house they were met by their father who was very happy to see them, he loved his daughters, especially Lizzy. Lydia went straight in to the living room with a hope of seeing the men, while Lizzy and Jane stayed and talked to their father.
"Dad, I am so glad to see you." said Elizabeth.
"Not half as glad as I am to see you two, Liz" he answered.
"Is mum giving you a hard time again?" Jane asked.
"Yes, as always, all she's been talking about lately is Charlie Bingley this and Charlie Bingley that."
"Sounds just like Mum! So what is he like then?"
"Oh, they only just got here 10 minutes ago. He seems nice enough though, but I am not so sure about his friend."
As he had said this, his wife came running into the hall.
"Jane, Lizzy, why are you just standing here? Come and meet our guests."
They were led into the living room by their now almost hysteric mother.
On the sofa sat a couple of about the same age as their parents, and standing by the window with Lydia were two men that looked like they were in their early 30's.
One was blonde with very short hair and glasses. He looked nice and was smiling. The man next to him was dark haired and very good looking but he didn't look too pleased about the whole situation.
The man with the blonde hair introduced himself as Charlie Bingley and his friend as Will Darcy. As they shook hands Lizzy noticed that Darcy didn't look them in the eye.
When they sat down for dinner Jane was placed next to Charlie and Lizzy and Lydia on either side of Will Darcy. Darcy was very quiet and only answered yes or no when spoken to.
Lizzy however was by now in a better mood and didn't let Darcy get her down, she could see that Jane seemed to like Charlie and the other way around, so she was happy for her sister.
Maybe her mother's matchmaking would succeed for the first time?
After the dinner when everyone was sitting around the living room, Lizzy went into the kitchen to get some more wine. She walked past Charlie and Darcy who was sitting next to each other talking in hushed voices.
"Hey, Darcy, what is up with you tonight" she could hear Charlie say.
"What do you mean?" answered his friend.
"Well, I know you're not a very talkative person, but this is ridiculous, you have hardly said a word all night, are you not enjoying yourself? The girls are very nice, and" he lowered his voice further "very pretty."
"Jane seems polite I guess, and yes, she is very pretty, but as for the two others I wouldn't say much."
"What about Elizabeth? She seems very nice too" Lizzy quickly took a sip of her wine and looked away so they wouldn't know she'd been listening them.
"Nice? All she does is walking around, drinking way to much wine and speaking to her sisters, and look at her clothes! She's defiantly not my type, Charlie!"
Judging by his silence Charlie gave up trying to get his friend in a better mood with that answer.
Lizzy felt angry at first. Then she shrugged her shoulders, Will Darcy was right about one thing, she wasn't his type and his certainly wasn't hers, so why should she care what he thought of her?
The next day, back in their flat, the two older sisters went through the events of the previous evening. Jane was shocked when Lizzy told her what Darcy had said.
"Lizzy, I can't believe he could say something like that! He probably just had a bad day or something."
Lizzy, who knew her sister always though the best possible of people just smiled.
"You and Charlie seemed to get on very well." She said.
"Oh, Lizzy he is such a nice guy, I really liked him!" and then she added "I gave him our phone-number…"
"So, you are going to see him again then?" Lizzy asked.
"If he calls I will!" answered Jane. Lizzy smiled at that, she was sure he was going to call, judging from the fact that he had been looking at her sister all through dinner the night before.
"You have got nothing against him have you, Lizzy?"
"No, I liked him too, just as long as I don't have to see his friend again."
Two days later, as Lizzy had guessed, Charlie called.
It was Lydia who picked up the phone, and rolling her eyes she gave it to Jane, while she whispered to Lizzy.
"I can't believe Jane actually likes him! He is the most boring man, I've ever met!"
Then she picked up her jacket and went out, she had a date with a young journalist she had just met.
When Jane had hung up the phone she gave Lizzy a huge smile. She was meeting Charlie on Friday at a small Italian restaurant in central London.
At lunchtime on Friday Jane and Lizzy met up to do some shopping, Jane wanted to buy a new dress for the dinner with Charlie. After trying on about ten different ones, she finally decided to go for cream coloured dress that would go well with a pair of shoes she had.
On the way home after work, Lizzy stopped to rent a film and get some ice-cream, she was planning to have a nice relaxing evening since both her sisters were going out. Lydia had another date with Philip, the journalist.
As soon as she stepped through the door Jane grabbed her arm and gave her a dress.
"Lizzy, put this on!"
"What are you talking about?"
"Charlie called, and apparently Darcy had been looking very down all day, so Charlie asked him to come along tonight to make him feel better, and Lizzy, he asked if you could come too, so Darcy wouldn't feel like the fifth wheel.
"but…"
"Please, Lizzy!"
Lizzy who loved her sister very much agreed to come along. She though it was very rude of Charlie to ask his friend to come along when he had decided to have dinner with her sister. But Jane though instead that he was very nice to care so much for his friend.
At 8 O'clock sharp they got to Gino's, the place where they were meeting Charlie and Darcy, who were already there waiting.
"Hello, Jane! It's really nice too see you again" said Charlie while Darcy simply nodded to Lizzy.
The restaurant was really nice and cosy, a quite small place that looked very expensive.
After they ordered their food Lizzy sat quiet and listened to her sister and Charlie talking when Darcy turned to her:
"I hope this wasn't too much trouble for you, I didn't realise until we were here tonight, that Charlie was only supposed to see your sister."
Lizzy, who was quite surprised to hear Darcy talk, and be so polite, simply answered "no".
Jane and Charlie seemed to really enjoy each others company while Lizzy spent most of the evening trying to avoid getting in to any deeper conversation with Darcy, she still remembered what he had said about her at her parent's dinner. She was really annoyed that Darcy seemed to be looking at her from the corner of his eye most of the evening.
"He's probably trying to figure out how much wine I am drinking." She though to herself.
Lizzy was really happy when the evening was over and she was sitting in the taxi on the way home with Jane. Jane however wasn't as happy as Lizzy that the evening was over.
"Lizzy, I really do like Charlie, he is such a nice and sweet guy, he doesn't seem to be like everyone else."
Lizzy smiled at her,
"If I didn't know better I would almost think you were in love with him, Jane" she said.
"Don't be silly Lizzy! I have only met him twice, but I do really like him. Anyway how was your evening?" she asked.
"Oh, lovely!" answered Lizzy. "You know, Darcy is such a nice and sweet guy, he doesn't seem to be like everyone else."
"Stop it Lizzy!" her sister laughed.
The next morning while the sisters were having breakfast Lydia asked what they would be doing in the evening.
"In have nothing planned, how about you Jane?" said Lizzy.
"No nothing, why?"
"Well, you know Philip that I have been seeing, he and two of his friends are going to this club tonight, and I was thinking maybe we could go to?" said Lydia.
"Sure I'm up for it!" answered Lizzy.
Jane was more doubtful, she wanted to stay in, in case Charlie called, but after a while her sisters had talked her into coming along.
"Great!" said Lydia "I'll call Phil later and arrange to meet up with them."
They had decided to meet in pub at 9 pm for a couple of drinks before they went on to the club. Philip and his two friends, Danny and Rick, seemed very nice. Lizzy and Rick got into a deep discussion about this band they both liked. And Lizzy felt that it was going to be a nice evening.
When the got to the club the ordered drinks and sat down at a table next to the dance floor.
Lizzy was talking to Rick when Jane grabbed her arm, she looked up and saw Charlie and Darcy walking towards them. The said hello and Charlie asked Jane to dance. She went with him and Darcy looked for a few seconds at Rick then turned and left.
"Do you know him?" asked Lizzy.
"Well, I used to" answered Rick "we used to be neighbours a few years back.
"Really?"
"Yes, maybe you're surprised that we didn't talk to each other?"
"Well, yes I guess I am."
"We haven't spoken for years, it's a long story but basically he was engaged to my sister for a long time, but all the time he was seeing an other woman behind her back, it really broke my sister's heart when she found out, I don't think she's gotten over it yet, so you can see why I don't like him."
"I can't believe it" said Lizzy " I thought he was a pretty mean man, but I didn't think he was that bad."
"Well now you know."
Lizzy was sitting quiet for a while thinking about Darcy, then Rick asked her to dance.
After the dance Lizzy went to get another drink, and when she came back Rick was talking to Lydia, so she went to look for Jane when she suddenly bumped into Darcy.
"Can I talk to you for a minute?" He asked.
"eh, well, yeah, I guess so." Lizzy didn't want to talk to him but couldn't think of a good excuse not to.
"Rick, the guy you were talking to, do you know him well?" he asked.
"Why? I can't see how that is any of your business."
"Well, I know him rather well, and I just wanted to tell you that you should watch out for him. He's not what he seems to be.
"Oh, really?" said Lizzy "And why should I believe what you tell me?" Lizzy looked angrily at Darcy and left. He stood there looking after her as she walked away.
They didn't get home until 2 am, and Lydia went straight to bed. Lizzy and Jane went into the kitchen to have some tea. Lizzy was eager to tell her sister what Rick had told her about Darcy.
"Are you sure Lizzy?" her sister answered after she ad finished her story.
"Yes, Rick told me everything, and afterwards Darcy warned me to trust Rick, I guess he was scared that Rick would tell what he did."
"But Lizzy, we only met Rick tonight, maybe you shouldn't trust him so wholeheartedly just yet.
"Why not, Darcy is just the person to do something like that."
"How can you say that Lizzy, do you really know enough about him to just assume that a story you heard from a, well, stranger, is true?"
"Yes! Yes, I do!" I told you what he said about me when we were at mum and dads dinner! He thinks he's so much better than everyone else and no one is good enough for him! So why shouldn't he have done it?"
Jane could see that there was not much point in arguing with her sister.
"Lizzy, I still don't think you should judge him just yet, we don't know the full story."
"What more is there to know?" Said Lizzy and went to bed.
The next day Jane was hoping for a phone-call from Charlie but he didn't call, so the sisters spent the day at home, recovering from the night before.
Lydia was talking about Philip, it sounded like she was falling in love with him, but Lizzy and Jane knew better, Lydia had a new boyfriend every two months!
Lizzy was thinking about Rick, she was sure what he said about Darcy was true, and she hoped she would never have to meet Darcy ever again, Rick on the other hand she wouldn't mind meeting again…
On Monday Charlie called, apparently he had to leave town for a few days on a business trip, but would call Jane when he got back. Jane was a little disappointed at that but Lizzy comforted her that she would soon see him again.
Philip called for Lydia the next day and they arranged to go to the cinema in the evening with Danny and Rick. Lizzy was looking forward to seeing Rick again.
They decided to see a new comedy that had just come out and had a nice evening together, only Jane didn't seem herself. When they got home Lizzy asked her what was wrong.
"I'm not sure." She answered "I just have this bad feeling about Charlie, he sounded a little strange when he called yesterday." Lizzy smiled.
"Jane! Why are you worried? He clearly likes you, and he was just going away for a few days!"
"I can't help it, something just don't feel right, maybe he doesn't really like me?"
"Stop worrying about it Jane, he will surly call you again this weekend."
As it was the beginning of May the weather was getting really nice Lizzy decided to go and visit a friend of hers that had moved down to Kent. Lizzy and Charlotte had known each other since they were kids, but Charlotte had gotten married a few years earlier and moved to Kent so they didn't see each other so often these days.
On the Thursday before she was going Rick called and invited her to dinner in the evening, she really liked his company and it was nice to have him to herself, they talked a lot the whole evening, Lizzy was curious to know more about his sister and Darcy's relationship but didn't want to mention it, but when Rick mentioned his family, Lizzy asked how his sister was doing.
"She has been better, I guess, but she is ok, it's been a few months since she found about Darcy's other girlfriend and dumped him, so she's slowly getting over it."
Lizzy said she was glad to hear it, but though that if something like that happened to her it would take her more than a few months to get over it.
On Friday she left work an hour early to get the train to see Charlotte.
She was really happy to see her again, and they spent most of the evening catching up on what'd happened since they last saw each other.
On the Saturday Charlotte had a few things to do in the morning so they decided that Lizzy should go out and have a look around town for a few hours and Charlotte would meet her there later. After Lizzy had been walking around for about an hour she went to have some coffee. She found a nice looking café, it was almost empty and she sat down with a newspaper at a table near the window, when she'd been sitting there reading for a little while someone walked up to her table.
"Excuse me, is this chair empty?"
"Yes." She answered not looking up from what she was reading, she assumed the person needed an extra chair for an other table but when a man sat down opposite her she looked up, it was Darcy!
She couldn't think of anything to say so Darcy after looking at her for a while started a conversation.
"Hello, Lizzy, how come you are here?"
Lizzy, slowly recovering from the chock of seeing him there replied.
"I'm here visiting a friend, and you?"
Then she remembered everything she had heard about him lately, and how much she disliked him, so before he had time to answer she added "not that it's any of your business."
He looked surprised at her but answered that he was there visiting his aunt.
"It's a nice little town, isn't it?" he added.
"I guess so." Lizzy didn't want to be too nice to him.
"Can I get you another coffee?" he said looking at her empty cup.
Lizzy who hadn't noticed she's finished her first cup nodded, but as soon as she did that regretted what she had done, but he had already got up to get them some coffee.
"Why did I have to do that? Now I will have to sit here and talk to him, until we finish our coffee, how could I be so stupid?" she said to herself.
Darcy soon returned with the coffee, he was smiling when he sat down, so Lizzy asked what he was smiling at. Darcy who seemed almost surprised to realise he had been smiling said that it was nothing.
"How are your sisters? I hope they are well." He said.
"Yes, yes they're fine, they are both at home. How is Charlie?"
"He is fine, he just got home yesterday, I assume you know he was away for a few days?"
"Yes, Jane told me he went on a business trip or something."
"Eh, yes he did, something like that. So who is the friend you are visiting, have you known her long?"
Lizzy told him she'd know Charlotte since they were kids, but that she'd moved down here a few years ago.
"I try to visit my aunt here quite regularly, she's getting old, and has no children of her own, so she is very happy to get some company."
"That is really nice of you, I wouldn't have though that of you." Lizzy said and then realised what she had said, but Darcy didn't seem to have got the full meaning of what she said, and if he had, he ignored it.
They talked for a few more minutes then Lizzy said she'd have to leave to meet her friend.
Darcy offered to give her a lift there, but she declined and said she'd much rather walk.
She didn't tell Charlotte about her meeting with Darcy, she didn't want to spoil a nice day with explaining who he was and why he didn't like him.
Lizzy and Charlotte spent most of the day in town, they did a little shopping but mostly they just walked around, discussing things that had happened lately. Lizzy was very surprised when Charlotte told her she was pregnant!
"Why didn't you tell me yesterday?"
"I wanted to, but we had so many other things to talk about."
"Charlotte! I can't believe you didn't tell me earlier! I am so happy for you! When is it due? Do you know if it's boy or a girl yet? Have you thought of any names?"
Charlotte just smiled, she had known that Lizzy would react this way.
They decided to go out to dinner in the evening to celebrate, but as Charlotte's husband was busy it was going to be just the two of them.
They went to a restaurant in the centre of town, it was a newly built place that looked really nice. When the walked through the door, there where already two people there waiting to be seated. It was Darcy and an elderly woman, who Lizzy assumed was his aunt.
"Oh, we meet again Lizzy!" he smiled. Lizzy smiled a weak smile back at him. "Why did she have to meet him everywhere?" She could see Charlotte looking at her, and she knew she what she was thinking "Why hadn't Lizzy told her about this handsome stranger?"
"This is my aunt Catherine Darcy."
"This is Elizabeth Bennet, Aunt." Lizzy shook hands with his aunt.
"This is my friend, Charlotte Lucas, Charlotte this is William Darcy.
Charlotte shook hand with Darcy and his aunt when they waiter turned up.
"Table for four? Great we have just one table left."
"Would that be ok with you two?" Darcy asked. Before Lizzy had time to say anything Charlotte answered.
"Yes, of course, if it's no problem for either of you?"
Both Darcy and his Aunt said that is was no problem.
After they had gotten seated Darcy started talking.
"This is really a surprise, we seem to be running into each other all the time Lizzy."
"Yes." She answered, and then felt that she should try to explain to Charlotte.
"Darcy and I met at a dinner around my parents house a while ago, and have run into each other a few times since."
"Oh, that's interesting" said Charlotte. Lizzy didn't like the twinkle in her eye as she said that, she didn't want Charlotte to think there was anything going on between Darcy and herself.
When they had eaten Darcy left the table for a few minutes. This made his aunt starting to tell them what a nice nephew his was.
"He comes here and visits me, even though I know he must have more interesting things to do, but nothing I say can make him stop, he is such a nice young man, he cares for everyone around him, he told me yesterday how he had talked a friend of his into going away for a few days, because he though he needed time to think about the women he was seeing. William wasn't so sure she was suitable for him."
Charlotte didn't understand why Lizzy looked so upset at that.
When Darcy returned his Aunt said that she had a headache and asked if he could take her home. He offered Lizzy and Charlotte a lift too, which Charlotte accepted gladly, she was getting tired. Lizzy didn't say anything, as much as she disliked having to get in a car with him she was happy that the dinner was over.
He drove an expensive looking Mercedes and since his Aunt was not feeling well, dropped her off first since Charlotte live a little bit outside of town.
When they got to Charlotte's house Darcy said that he wanted to speak to Lizzy so Charlotte went inside.
"Lizzy, I was wondering, would you like to have dinner sometime, just the two of us I mean?" He sounded almost a little shy when he asked.
All Lizzy could answer was "what?" so he stared repeating his first question but Lizzy interrupted him.
"I heard what you said, I just don't understand why you want to go out with me? After all you think I drink too much wine and have ugly clothes. Wasn't that what you said at my parents dinner?"
He looked at her with a confused look.
"Not that I would ever go out with you anyway" Lizzy continued "Not after what you did to Rick's sister or Jane."
"What are you talking about?" he still had that confused look in his face but his eyes looked more alert then they had done before.
"Your aunt told me that you had convinced a friend of yours to go away for a few days because the woman he was seeing was unsuitable for him, I assume that was Charlie she was talking about?" Lizzy was getting really angry and her voice showed it.
"Is that why you are upset? Yes I did tell Charlie I though it was good for him to go away for a few days…" Lizzy interrupted him.
"What has my sister ever done you? Why on earth would you think she is not good enough for him? You, who treated Rick's sister like that! You are just so full of yourself, you think no one is good enough for you, that you are above everyone else…" At that Darcy got in the car and left.
Lizzy didn't feel like talking about it, so she avoided Charlotte's questions and went to bed.
The next day Lizzy felt better, she didn't tell Charlotte much of what had happened the night before, they had a nice lunch together before Charlotte and her husband gave Lizzy a lift to the train-station. They said goodbye outside and Lizzy went in to get her ticket.
She was queuing for her ticket when someone put a hand on her shoulder, it was Darcy.
"Lizzy, please don't get angry, just read this." He said, handed her an envelope and left.
The first thing she did when she got on the train was to find an empty compartment and open the envelope. It contained two sheets of paper, it was a letter from Darcy.
Dear Lizzy,
Please don't get upset, I just want to try and explain some things about what happened yesterday. Firstly, about your sister, I do not think she's not good enough for Charlie, the reason I asked him to go away, was to make sure what he felt about her, and what he thought she felt about him, he has gotten into relationships too early before and ended up getting hurt. Since he is my friend, I don't want to see that happen again.
Secondly about Rick's sister, I have not done anything to her, I have only met her once, about a year ago, while Rick was engaged to my sister. Their engagement ended a few months ago, when my sister found out that he had been seeing another woman all the time behind her back. He does not respect women much, this is the reason I tried to warn you about him.
I hope this letter has not upset you more, that is the last thing I want.
William Darcy
At first Lizzy didn't now what to think. Then she decided that what he'd written must be true.
Since he hadn't known what Rick was accusing him off he could not have come up with a story so similar to his unless it was true. She hoped that Darcy hadn't scared Charlie off seeing Jane again with his warning. Lizzy who knew Jane so well though it very stupid of Darcy to think that Jane would hurt his friend. She also felt slightly ashamed of the things she had said to Darcy the night before, she was still not, however, sure what she though about Darcy, she still remembered what he had said about her when they had first met.
When she got back Jane was sitting in the kitchen with an unhappy look on her face, Lizzy asked what was wrong and was shocked at what Jane told her. Lydia had disappeared, no one had seen her since Friday, Jane had tried to call Philip and all her friend but no one knew anything about where she were. In the end she had called the police.
It was not the first time Lydia was gone for days without calling, however she could normally be found around a boyfriend or friends house.
The police hadn't done much, and their parents were on their way over.
Their mother was hysteric when she arrived.
"Oh, my dear Lydia, it's not like her to do a thing like thing, what could have happened to her?" Lizzy and Jane tried to tell her not to worry so much, it wasn't like it was the first time she was gone for days without calling, but their mother would not listen.
"What could have happened to my dear little girl, Oh, Lydia!"
Her husband tried to calm her, but did not succeed.
They had a quiet dinner (except for their mothers occasional sobbing) together, and decided that their parents better spend the night at their flat, in case they heard anything from Lydia.
At around three in the morning, when everyone had finally gone to sleep, someone rang the doorbell. It was Lydia who couldn't find her keys.
"Oh, Lydia! I am so glad to see you, where have you been?" their mother screamed two seconds later.
"Oh, me and my new boyfriend went away for the weekend? What are you doing here by the way?" Lydia didn't seem to realise that they had all been worried about her.
"Lydia! You could have called, your mother and I have been worried sick." Said her father.
"Worried, why?"
"Why? Lydia, you were away three days and didn't say a word about it!"
"Well, I wanted it to be a secret, but…" she started then showed them her left hand, she wore a gold ring on her ring finger.
"Lydia! Are you out of your mind, have you gotten married just like that?" her father screamed.
"No, not married, just engaged, we won't get married until summer!"
"But…" Jane started "I talked to Philip, and he didn't know where you were."
"Philip? Why would I ever want to marry him, he's such a bore. No, I'm talking about Rick."
Lizzy went to bed with her head full of questions. Should she tell Lydia about Darcy's letter?
And if she did would Lydia believe her? One thing she knew for sure though, if she had doubted Darcy's letter in the least she was now sure he was telling the truth. When she had met Rick she had not noticed that he had any feelings at all for her younger sister. Lydia had been going out with his best friend, and now they were engaged, about to get married this summer. She resolved to talk to Jane in the morning.
Jane was shocked to hear what she had to say, and asked her if she was sure about Rick.
"Yes, I met Darcy this weekend and he told me all about it, I have to admit I was wrong about him, because I do not believe he was lying, not from what he told me. No, Jane I was wrong to believe Rick's story, you were right, as always, that I shouldn't have trusted someone so fully after so short an acquaintance."
"I would have found it strange that Charlie would be so good friends with Darcy if he had done something like that."
Lizzy smiled at this, Jane seemed to think very highly of Charlie, then she suddenly remembered the first bit of the letter and wondered if Darcy had scared Charlie off or not, she asked Jane if she had heard anything from him. But she answered that she hadn't.
Lizzy was not happy to hear that, she suggested that maybe Jane should call him, so he wouldn't start doubting if she really liked him, but Jane said that she though he already knew what she felt about him and would wait for him to call.
They didn't come to a conclusion about what to do about Lydia and Rick, so they decided to wait until they saw them together.
Their mother who the previous night had been so worried was now in high spirits, she was so excited about Lydia's engagement! She wanted to know everything about Rick and was very disappointed when Lydia didn't have a picture of him.
When at length her husband managed to persuade her that the should go home, she told Lydia that she had to bring Rick around for dinner the coming weekend. Lydia promised that she would. Just a few minutes after their parents had left the phone rang, it was Rick and Lydia left to go and see him.
Lizzy felt that she had to clear her head and went out for a walk, she hadn't walked long before she was getting cold, it was a very windy May evening, so she went into a pub she walked past to get a glass of wine, and do some thinking.
She just couldn't figure out what to do about Lydia's relationship with Rick, Lydia didn't much care for anyone except herself, and wouldn't believe her if she told him what Darcy had said. She looked out the window, it looked like it would start raining soon, so she decided to go home straight away, hoping that she would get home before she got totally soaked.
She hadn't got far when it stared raining, she bent her head down and stared walking faster to get as little wet as possible. Suddenly she literally walked into someone, she said a quick "sorry" and was going to start walking again, when someone grabber her arm.
"Lizzy, what are you doing out in this weather?" She had run into Darcy again!
"I live just up here, why don't you come in until it stop raining?"
Lizzy was going to say no, but she looked at the sky, which looked very grey and changed her mind, maybe she could call a taxi from his flat or something.
Darcy went into the kitchen to make some tea while Lizzy looked around.
He had a nice big flat, with expensive looking furniture, but it didn't look intimidating.
Lizzy quite liked the place.
He came back with a tray on which there were two cups and a plate of biscuits. They sat down around the living room table.
"Lizzy, you look as if you've been swimming with your clothes on! Let me get you a towel so you can at least dry your hair." Lizzy gratefully accepted.
He came back with a towel and a pair of trousers and a sweater.
"These are probably too big for you, but you're going to catch a cold if you sit here in those wet clothes." Lizzy was going to decline as this would keep her there even longer, but since her teeth were clattering she though she'd better accept his offer.
It felt strange sitting in his flat wearing his clothes, but Darcy seemed to be in a good mood so Lizzy soon forgot about it.
He seemed much more relaxed at home then she had ever seen him before. She quite liked sitting there talking to him, she hadn't realised what a nice smile he had before.
After a while he got up to get a picture that was standing on the T.V. It was of him and his parents and sister.
"They would really like you, I hope they'll get to meet you soon."
Lizzy felt very embarrassed at this. As she didn't reply he continued,
"How are your sisters?"
Lizzy didn't know what to answer to this, but after a moments hesitation decided that she'd better tell him the truth, that Lydia had run off and got engaged to Rick.
"I don't know what to do, she'd never believe me if I told her what you told me about him."
Darcy looked out the window.
"It's stopped raining, I better take you home, I've got something to do."
"Well, ok, but I can walk, it's no problem." Lizzy was surprised at his sudden change of tone.
"Ok, I'll see you later Lizzy."
Lizzy walked slowly home, she wondered about the sudden change in Darcy's behaviour when she had told him about Lydia and Rick. She didn't doubt that he though Lydia a fool for getting engaged to Rick and probably Lizzy too for knowing the truth about Rick and not managing to get Lydia to come to her senses. She wondered why it bothered her so much that Darcy had sent her away like that.
She told Jane about meeting Darcy when she got home, but she didn't say anything about the disappointment she had felt when he asked her to leave so suddenly.
"You told Darcy about out troubles?"
"Yes, I didn't know what else to say, he would probably find out sooner or later anyway."
"Yes, you're right, so what did he say?"
"He didn't say anything really, I didn't stay long after that."
"You don't look well, Lizzy, maybe you should have a rest, you must be so worried about Lydia."
"Yes." She answered, but that wasn't the whole truth.
She was woken at 10 O'clock in the evening, she was at first surprised she had fallen asleep, but then turned her attention to the sound that had woken her up, it sounded like someone was crying.
She found Jane in the living room consoling a crying Lydia.
"What has happened?" Lizzy asked.
Lydia started crying even harder so Jane explained.
"Lydia was with Rick tonight, when this woman came around to see him, as it turned out, she was his girlfriend since two months. She didn't know about Lydia, so you can imagine what happened."
"Oh no, I am so sorry Lydia, but perhaps it was for the best, it's better you know now, then of finding out about it later."
"I guess." Lydia sobbed. "But why did that Darcy guy bring her around tonight?"
"What?" Lizzy didn't know what to think.
"Darcy brought Rick's other girlfriend there?"
"Yes, he was very angry with Rick and said it was about time people found out the truth about him once and for all."
Lizzy didn't sleep at all the night, she was happy about Lydia ending the engagement with Rick, and felt much gratitude towards Darcy for making it happen. But also she was wondering what Darcy though of her, he must think less of her for being incapable of saving her sister from such a man. But why did she feel so sad about that, why did she care what Darcy thought about her, and why couldn't she stop thinking about him?
The next day Jane got a phone call from Charlie, he said he had missed her, and wanted to see her in the evening.
"Oh, Lizzy, I am so happy! I'm seeing Charlie tonight and Lydia is not engaged to that creep Rick anymore!"
Lizzy smiled, she was happy for Jane's sake, and Lydia would soon mend her broken heart.
"If only you could find a someone as good as Charlie, Lizzy!"
"Don't worry about me Jane, maybe I'm supposed to be single, it has it's good points too you know, I get the whole flat for myself tonight since you are out with Charlie and Lydia's gone to see Mum and Dad!" She smiled.
Lizzy was just sitting down in the sofa after her sisters' had left when the doorbell rang. It was Darcy.
"Hi, Lizzy! I hope you don't mind me coming around, I just wanted to see how Lydia was doing."
"Oh, you just missed her, she went to see our parents."
"Yes, I know, I met her outside."
"But, but what are you doing here then?"
"Well," he smiled "I wanted to see you too."
Lizzy felt very happy and smiled back at him.
"Do you want to come in?"
"Well, I was going to ask you if you'd like to have that dinner tonight, that is if you don't still think I'm horrible and annoying?"
"No," she answered, "quite the opposite in fact."
~The End~