Sorry for the delay. There's been lots of chaos in my household and writing has taken a backseat. My daughter is a "Lydia" and is determined to remain a Lydia; need I say more?

Chapter 5

"Why didn't you tell me that Darcy would be here, too?" Elizabeth asked Jane after they separated after a long hug. Elizabeth could not decide if she was angry or not by Darcy's presence. She spent months trying to forget about him and now he had popped up again.

"I just found out this morning and I wasn't thinking about it when you called." Jane seemed to shrink as she contemplated how she had failed her sister.

Elizabeth was well familiar with what she and her dad called Jane's "puppy who accidentally piddled and is waiting to be yelled at" face and when it appeared Elizabeth knew she needed to do what she could to reassure Jane.

Jane, feeling awful about not telling her sister, proceeded to apologize. "I am sorry I didn't tell you; I should have. When Charles invited him, we had no idea you would be here, too. It isn't a problem, is it? He had a long drive to get here, all the way from his aunt's house in Nashville but if it is a problem I can get Charles to take him and his sister out to dinner. I think the Chinese restaurant in Rockville is open."

Jane, as always, was trying to soothe everyone. But Elizabeth was pretty sure that this idea was about the worst possible solution to the problem.

"No," Elizabeth replied. She was pretty sure it was a problem, but she did not want to make her problem Jane's problem as well. If she did, Jane would go from "puppy who accidentally piddled" to "puppy who was dragged to vet's office thickly scented with the fear of other animals only to be left by her human to fend for herself on an ice-cold metal examination table and given her first shots."

"I was surprised but it is fine. . . . Wait, you said Darcy and his sister, but he arrived with two women . . . Gigi and . . . well I don't remember her name."

"Oh that's right. Originally it was supposed to be just him and Gigi, but he texted Charles about another guest. I think"-whatever Jane was about to say got interrupted by the kitchen timer-"Oh, time to baste. I'd better do that. I'm on turkey duty while Charles gets his sisters settled in."

Elizabeth accompanied her sister to the kitchen and helped with the cooking. They fell into a rhythm together sharing prep duties, such as Jane peeling the potatoes with Elizabeth rinsing and chopping. They were debating the exact interpretation to be given to their grandmother's sweet potato recipe when Darcy walked into the kitchen with Gigi and Anne.

"Excuse me, Jane, I wanted to introduce you all and help if I may," Darcy said hesitantly. He did not want to intrude.

"Of course," Jane answered.

While Darcy presented Jane with a hostess gift which turned out to be a charming teapot with a pink rose design, an assortment of teas, and a large box of truffles, Elizabeth felt discomforted that he was seeing her in an old REM t-shirt with her hair up in a messy bun. Between the heat of the kitchen and working hard, she had come to feel sticky and knew she was a bit sweaty and flushed. She hoped she didn't have any pit stains; that would be so embarrassing!

Elizabeth noticed that Darcy was impeccably dressed, his blue oxford shirt crisp and well cut, the sleeves perfectly rolled up, his tan slacks with the perfect crease. His hair was longer than she remembered and she felt the dark waves suited him. She even noticed his Apple watch on his tanned wrist and his well formed hands with nicely trimmed nails.

His sister Gigi, gave her a friendly smile and nod. She was even taller than Elizabeth remembered and looked more like a soon-to-be college student than the gangly teen she met in New York, with more of a sense of style. Gigi was likewise well turned out, wearing a longish seafoam tunic top of nubbly silk with two long strands of freshwater pearls, which were the nicest example of them that Elizabeth had ever seen, fitted pants and tall suede boots which Elizabeth doubted she could ever buy herself even with her entire paycheck from the bookstore. Gigi's long honey blonde hair and outfit conjured up images of the sea and made Elizabeth think that a mermaid turned human mught dress this way.

The mysery woman had wavy blonde hair framing her perfectly symetrical face, robin egg blue eyes and a cute little nose dotted with a few freckles. She gave them a wide grin showing off her movie star white and even teeth, and announced, "I would love to help but I've never cooked before, but I think I might be good; I've watched a lot of cooking shows and my mom says I would be a natural."

Elizabeth didn't know what to make of this comment. If someone else had said it, she would have thought it was a joke, but she had a feeling she was sincere. Perhaps it was because the mysery woman was wearing an eclectic ensemble of what appeared to be a designer thick fake (or at least Elizabeth hoped it was fake) ermine fur coat (complete with dangling black tipped tails) which fell to almost her knees, a Vineyard Vines holiday shirt and Frozen pajama bottoms (with many grinning Olafs), with red and yellow stripped socks emerging from fluffy cold-weather Crocs.

"If you want to help, we should put that coat up," Elizabeth told her. Anne nodded, pushed her arms back and waited until Elizabeth understood that Anne was waiting for her to take her coat off, like a child might. She removed it, if this is a fake it is the best fake fur I have ever felt, and put it in Jane's bedroom. When Elizabeth returned, she noticed that Anne was model thin.

If Darcy is dating her, he really has changed, Elizabeth thought to herself. She was relieved when Darcy introduced her as his cousin Anne de Bourgh. The pieces were starting to come together in Elizabeth's head.

Jane discussed the remaining dishes to be prepared. Anne immediately responded, "I can try to make the gravy," but Darcy shook his head "no."

Gigi volunteered, "Gravy would be a waste of your talents, Anne. I've made gravy from stock a couple of times now; do you like to use flour or corn starch?" That should have been reassurance enough but but Jane and Elizabeth waited for Darcy's nod before Jane got Gigi a slotted spoon to remove the giblets and now mushy veggies, the corn starch and a tablespoon while Anne watched.

While Anne was distracted, Darcy grabbed Elizabeth's hand and tugged her outside the kitchen and through a sliding glass door and out onto a patio, an entreating look on his face. Elizabeth had a momentary fantasy that Darcy was going to voice his renewed desire to date her and might even now be determined to give her a kiss (and she was not all that adverse to either possible action, although she would have preferred to be wearing something more appropriate for such an occasion and not be worrying if she smelled). Darcy saw something of this on her face but mentally shook himself out of the fantasy of embracing and pressing his unfortunatedly chapped lips, now where is my chapstick?, to get back to the business at hand.

"Anne needs something super easy, so she can feel like she contributed, but something that is hard to mess up. Do you have any rolls she can warm? She could probably set the table."

"All right. We have crescent rolls and one of us will help her with that."

Darcy said, "That should work." He slid the door open and waited for Elizabeth to enter first. He watched with admiration her swaying hips in her tight jeans, forgetting momentarily to follow her in.

I've got to get ahold of myself! he thought stridently. I'm a guest in her sister's house; start with being her friend, that's what was working in the city and probably where I went wrong the first time. Darcy took a couple of deep breaths before joining the others.

When Darcy returned he saw that Jane was already helping Anne, so he asked Elizabeth what was left and volunteered to make the salad.

Elizabeth gathered up the greens, canned mandarin oranges, the bowl of pomegranate seeds she had previously meticulously plucked from two pomegranates, feta, candied pecans and a bottle of Newman's Own balsamic vinaigrette.

Darcy wrinkled his brow at the bottle of dressing and said, "No offense to the Bingleys or to Cool Hand Luke, funding charities is great, but you wouldn't mind, would you, if I made my own dressing, assuming the Bingleys have the ingredients I need to spare?"

Of course neither Elizabeth nor Jane minded. Just then Jane was called away when the disembodied voice of Caro Bingley stridently called, "Jane, I neeeed you now!"

Elizabeth was curious as to what dressing Darcy would make, but immediately had to check on Anne who had just exclaimed, "Elizabeth, can you please help!?"

Elizabeth found Anne trying to use a can opener to get the metal end off one tube of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls. "I think there is something wrong with this can opener!" Anne exclaimed.

Elizabeth showed her how to open the cardboard canister and watched Anne's eyes widen and her body pull back a little, startled, when the canned popped open and the dough swelled out. Anne seemed mystified as to what do next, so Elizabeth showed her the directions and walked her through each stage until there was a rolled up triangle on her tray.

Anne dutifully made her own roll. As she did so she announced, "It feels sticky and squishy, kind of like Play Dough."

"Well, dough is in the name and these rolls are refrigerated dough."

Elizabeth didn't get to hear whatever Anne's response would have been because just then Jane reentered the kitchen, with the "puppy goes to the vet" expression on her face.

"What's wrong, Jane?"

"I've got to check the turkey, it should be done."

Elizabeth waited while Jane removed the turkey from the oven, checked the thigh and stuffing thermometers and covered the turkey on stove top with tented foil, letting Jane decide when to continue the discussion.

"Apparently I was unprepared to host guests."

"What did Caro do this time?" Elizabeth's fists were balled up.

"Nothing, I just didn't expect that I was supposed to supply her with a hair dryer. She is very particular. She didn't like the dryer I had and I guess I've been drying my hair wrong all these years as I don't have a defuser. Right now she is trying to talk Charles into running out to buy her a new one. He would do it, too, but I can't see where he would find one at three. Stores are closed and won't open for the early Black Friday shopping until later and I've never even heard of the brand she wants. Also, now that the turkey's done, we can eat in half an hour."

Just then Charles burst in. After all the needed greetings and introductions were made, he said, "I don't know what to do, Jane. Caro is very insistent that I go and go now."

He looked over at Darcy, gave a half smile and added, "It is your fault, you know. She wasn't bothered about her hair before she found out you would be here."

"I have an idea," Darcy announced, grinning a little at his own cleverness, "tell her that all the New York society ladies I know are letting their hair air dry these days."

"It is true," Gigi proclaimed before giving a cheeky grin at her brother and adding, "I'm probably the only New York society lady that he knows and I never blow dry my hair. It makes it frizz."

"Or you are too lazy," Darcy added, giving Gigi's shoulder a little squeeze.

"That, too." She grinned, not at all offended.

"Great idea, Darcy," Charles told him, offering a thumbs up before sauntering out more confidently to give Caro the good news.

A few moments later they heard Caro's response, though of Charles's half of the conversation they couldn't make out much more than the tone of his voice. Caro exclaimed, "But Charlie, I can't possibly have Darcy see me with wet hair!" And then more quietly (but in a pouty tone), "I guess I won't wash my hair at all." And then, "Half an hour! That's not nearly enough time! Why can't we eat Thanksgiving dinner at six like normal people do?" More indistinct sounds followed by, "I don't care if the turkey will be ready then, I can't possibly be ready then. Why my nails alone will take that long."

Charles replied loudly enough for them to hear, "We are eating when it is ready, with or without you."