Chapter 13: Verbal Swordplay

By the time they had all sat down to dinner, Darcy was already considering his next move as he once again allowed himself to be enchanted by the life and laughter in her captivating eyes. Her beauty he had long acknowledged to himself. She had been powerful at work, yes. She commanded an audience, maintained proper decorum, and yet had a welcoming and open temperament that engendered deep respect from her subordinates. But here, in the cordial environment of his friend's home, he watched Elizabeth truly come alive.

There wasn't a subject on which she didn't have an opinion, all of which she vocally offered to the group for consideration. She loved to laugh. If the table hadn't shared a chuckle in the past five minutes she would weave the conversation so that it quickly provided one. She gracefully included everyone in on the dialogue; she had even attempted to draw him in, but he was too caught up in his enjoyment of observing her to be able to add much. In short, she was masterful; a paragon of spirit and wit who had taken their small party by storm.

Will had to admit - another benefit to the lively evening was Caroline's increasingly taut visage; if he could guess her thoughts, it was that she was none too happy with the loss of her usual role as the center of attention.

It seemed that she wasn't willing to be usurped for long.

Taking advantage of her brother's observation that Elizabeth seemed to prefer a quiet night at home over a late night out on the town, Caroline readily piped in, "It seems obvious to me from our brief acquaintance that Eliza Bennet despises being in society. I mean, who in their right mind would decline a shopping trip to Bergdorf Goodman? No, she is happy to be her own best friend, and takes no pleasure from anyone else."

The hum around the table faded immediately. Darcy watched a slight change come over Elizabeth's features before blending in with her usual levity.

She hadn't lost a beat. "I'm sorry, but I wasn't aware that forty minutes total spent in each other's company even qualified as an 'acquaintance' at all. I deserve neither assertion. In fact, I have many friends and sometimes think that I spend too much time wrapped up in my own thoughts."

Caroline looked unsure as to how best to respond.

Jane's face displayed a desperate need to make sure that the conversation stayed on pleasant ground. "I'm sure Caroline meant no offense. Lizzy, you are a very deep and insightful person; both you and your friends benefit from the time you spend in reflection."

Darcy could see that Lizzy sensed the unease behind her sister's words. "Thank you Jane," she replied. He then watched as the idea sparked in her mind, and a second later, formed on her lips. "Caroline, do tell me more about this lovely house. I'm sure that you have had plenty to do with it."

Oh yes, she is masterful.

"Oh, thank you Eliza! Such a pretty compliment! When I saw this house I told Charles he must buy it for himself. We are in the U.S. so often, and it made sense to have a luxurious and extravagant place to call home." She then reached over and linked her arm in his own, a gesture that made him stiffen. "Of course, it is nothing to your estate in England, Will. I can only hope that our home can aspire to the greatness of Pemberley."

Darcy rolled his eyes inwardly. If there was one downside to his friendship with Bingley, it was the fact that he had a female twin. Lizzy and Jane look nothing alike, and yet they seem perfectly suited as sisters. You couldn't doubt that Caroline and Charles are related, and they behave like they come from different species.

"Caroline, I remember you telling me last year when meeting with the realtors that my goal should be to find the equal to Pemberley. I hope you see now what an impossible task that must be."

"Oh Charles! I never once claimed that it would be a possibility. Rather, I was encouraging you to use Will's superior home as a model. You should be flattered William." Will glanced at her face and was startled to discover it much closer to his own than was necessary. Her eyelashes batted profusely as she sought his entrance into the conversation.

He was in no mood to oblige her.

She tried again. "How is your sister, Will? I miss her terribly! How is her sophomore year of university going?"

"Gianna is well, thank you. She is studying for a degree in communication, the same as Elizabeth pursued in her undergraduate." His conscience pricked him for lying about how Gianna was doing, but he knew that he could never let on about the grim reality of her true situation.

Just then, Lizzy shot him a look that he couldn't quite read. Surprise, maybe? At what? Their eyes met for a moment, and then she looked away.

"She is going to be so successful when she graduates. She is very capable, and beautiful, and has such a commanding presence!"

Charles spoke up. "Women today are extraordinary creatures. To think, 200 years ago they had very little education, and sat home embroidering handkerchiefs worrying if they would ever get married. Today they earn PHDs, own businesses, raise families and lord knows what else. It's incredible."

Will wasn't sure he fully agreed with his friends' statement. "Charles, you describe a rare woman indeed."

"Do I?"

"Of course. Certainly women have progressed from the days of corsets and the denial of suffrage. But I would argue that the majority of women do not capitalize on the extraordinary opportunities you describe. Most sell themselves short and never reach their full potential."

Caroline chimed in, "Oh, you are certainly correct Will. How many women discredit our sex by feigning ignorance to inflate a man's opinion of himself, or use their physical feminine allurements in a despicable effort to raise their positions in life?"

Will had been watching the spread of color slowly rising from Elizabeth's neck and spreading up to her ears. It was evident that the conversation had turned in a direction that she did not find favorable. He was not surprised, then, when she spoke, "Just because we have come a distance from the days of 'corsets' in no way means that we are seen as the true equals of men in this society. There are certainly inherent glass ceilings in place that modern women must work much harder than men to overcome."

William paused as he assessed the situation. Elizabeth was piqued, and the fireworks that were splaying in her eyes as her passion rose to the surface were astounding. He wasn't afraid of her; in fact, this was a side of Elizabeth he had really yet to see. I should use this to my advantage; there would never have been an opportunity to get to know her this well at Lucas Media. "Then how do you explain female CEOs like Sheryl Sandberg and Marissa Mayer?"

"For every one woman who reaches the heights of that success, there are at least 100 who have been held back, and perhaps even pushed down, by the invisible barriers that exist in the workplace."

"You are very compassionate on your sex, Eliza; almost empathetic." Caroline cut in. "I wonder if you feel that you have suffered a similar injustice?"

Will came out of the focus he had on Elizabeth's irritated, yet lovely face and suddenly realized that jealousy might be a more reasonable explanation behind Caroline's pointed attacks. He was well aware of Caroline's efforts to entice him to a relationship; he also knew that he had never paid Caroline half so much attention as he was giving Elizabeth at this moment. If they had been alone he would have wanted nothing else but to continue; however, present circumstances necessitated that he end the conversation. Directing his attention to Elizabeth, he stated, "You are perfectly right, and I hope that you are aware that you have performed remarkably well for yourself considering the trials that women in the workforce must face. The quality of your work speaks volumes."

"Thank you, but if the CEOs," she looked sharply at him as she spoke, "of the world continue to blindly think that 'most women do not strive to reach their full potential', it doesn't signify how well a woman does; she will always be seen as underperforming against her true abilities, and therefore, never sufficiently valued for her contributions to her workplace."

I just never know what to expect from you…at least…not yet. He smiled to himself at the pleasure this thought provided. Touché Elizabeth. Nicely done.

He looked around the table. Where Lizzy had turned red during this conversation, Jane had turned white. Charlie was also a similar color. Caroline had turned her attention to the far corner of the room, dissatisfying thoughts obviously gripping her features. The time had come to move the conversation forward. He cleared his throat, "So, uh...Caroline, what's for dessert?"