Happy Easter, everyone.

Now that my Darcy and Elizabeth have (finally) met face to face, the story's pace will change. Buckle up!

In this chapter you'll meet their sisters Jane and Georgiana, Wickham and Anne, Lady Catherine as well as find out particulars about their marriages and their lives. How strong the bond between them can grow?

Ready? Here we go!

Chapter Five

'She is influencing you!' Graham Fitzwilliam said in an ironic smile and handed the menu back to the waiter. 'A salad with grilled fish?'

Darcy shrugged.

'Are you on a diet or something?' The older cousin asked.

'Yes. My pants are already fitting better.' Darcy raised his brows.

'And you bought a rowing machine.' Graham said as if listing clues to an enigma.

Darcy nodded. 'My personal trainer said–'

'You have a personal trainer?' Graham asked in a mocking tone.

'Yes.'

'Is she a vision in spandex?'

'Hardly. He is as male as both of us.'

Graham frowned and twisted his lips adding another clue to his enigma.

'Anyway, the guy said it would be nice to have some exercise during the holidays. Lizzy suggested running, she loves to run, but with all the snow we are having at Pemberley this year, I'd need a treadmill. I prefer rowing.'

Graham Fitzwilliam nodded slowly and stared at his cousin. The waiter brought them their beverages – a beer for Graham and sparkling water with a side of lemon juice for Darcy. 'You do look better.'

'Why, thank you, my Lord!' Darcy mocked.

'You are in general good mood; smiling, making jokes… don't tell me you are content with yourself.' He pursed his lips under his heavy beard.

'I sleep better, less insomnia.' Darcy mixed the juice in his water glass. 'And I'm not desperate for the next meal either.' He sipped his water and winced at the sour taste. 'I also cut back on the booze; I drank mostly out of habit anyway. Anne always have wine served at dinner and when alone I sometimes had beer-'

'Oh, that is a nice fight!' Fitzwilliam chuckled. 'She hates to have her careful planned meals tempered with!' He smiled. 'I love doing it to her!'

Darcy chuckled. 'By the way, please watch out her dress code next time she invites you. Please don't ruin another holiday for me.' He said miserably and Graham laughed delighted. 'Anne complained about your manners the whole night and the next morning with her mother. I had to hide from them to have some peace.'

'I'll do it for you, cousin. Next time your wife invites me in, I'll wear a tuxedo.' Graham joked.

Darcy shook his head. 'It's a pity that now I only have alcohol on the weekends.'

'No more booze, light meals… How did you manage on the holidays? The food was anything but salads and grilled meat.' Graham licked his lips.

Darcy shook his head. 'That's why I rowed.'

They sipped their drinks in silence for a while. Darcy checked his watch and Graham thought his cousin had an important appointment waiting for him at his office and their London lunch in would be cut short. But Darcy was really calculating what time it was in Rio de Janeiro and New York wondering why neither Lizzy nor Georgiana called him to say what they had planned. His sister lived alone in a big apartment; he could barely monitor his sister who traveled more than stayed at home so Lizzy could help him while having her girls' only vacation. During the holidays, he discussed the idea with Georgiana and she loved it. In fact, Georgiana was curious about Elizabeth - the friend her brother talked so much about - and when he asked her if they could stay in the big studio she had in TriBeCa, she agreed instantly.

The women were supposed to have arranged schedules yesterday but neither told him what was settled.

'Did she tell you to lose weight?' Graham deadpanned stunning Darcy.

'What?'

'Lizzy. The hot Brazilian.' Graham said. 'Did she tell you to lose weight?'

'No…' Darcy frowned and lowered his eyes to his glass on the table. 'Of course not. She is much too generous for that.' He pressed his lips together. 'She looks a lot younger than her years, not only the four she's younger than me. You should meet her, Graham. Bloody hell.'

'Very hot… Let me see her again.' Graham extended his hand to Darcy demanding his phone. During the Holidays they had escaped the women and spent hours travelling down memory lane, listening to their taped radio transmissions. Darcy read Elizabeth's letters and studied her photo on his phone, the selfies she took of them both. Christmas Eve, when Darcy called her, Graham popped in the video to exchange a few words with the friend from the past.

Darcy fished his phone from his pocket, fidgeted with it for a while and extended it to his cousin.

'Holy cow!' Graham said reaching for Darcy's phone that showed a picture of Lizzy on her balcony, tank top and skirt, legs curled under her, smiling and holding a beer. He looked over the phone to Darcy who nodded and then back at the picture. 'Are there others?' He asked. Darcy nodded again.

While he perused the pictures until he reached Pemberley's pure blood horses, an idea occurred to Graham. 'Are you falling, man?'

Darcy blinked.

'Are you having an affair with her?' Graham pressed.

He shook his head 'no' but Elizabeth's voice over the phone came to Darcy's mind: "Have you ever heard of the expression 'emotional affair'?" 'She is also married, we are friends. I just like to talk to her, she is sunny. She doesn't sound like an old nag, we laugh, share kids' problems, ideas – mostly we try to convince each other of our view of things… much like when we were teens. We don't have any bad blood between us. No dead weigh dragging us down. We have fun together.'

'Sounds like an affair to me.' Graham sipped his beer. 'Fuck you! Now I feel guilty for having this.' He put the glass down and waved for the waiter to order a diet soda.

This story will be published.

Visit moirabianchiDOTcom for info.

Tks, M.