Hello, friends...

To present this chapter, I'll quote 'Wikipedia': "The point of no return is the point beyond which one must continue on one's current course of action because turning back is physically impossible, prohibitively expensive or dangerous. The term PNR orginates from a technical term in air navigation refering to the point on a flight at which, due to fuel consumption, a plane is no longer capable of returning to the airfield from which it took off. "

Hmmm... how very apropriate, isn't it? With all Elizabeth's frequent travels to Europe...

Curious?

Read on!

Chapter Seven

In his life, this Fitzwilliam Darcy (for there had been others before him, the old fashioned name was a legacy that skipped very few generations) had made it happen. Less than twenty years had passed since he had taken over the family business and he was already on the verge of doubling the fortune he inherited.

He could not be called a business shark for he lacked geniality; often times lost his slot and missed deals but he had the uncanny capacity of choosing the right staff. His board of directors and CEOs was composed of extremely capable men – actual sharks that he fed chunky anchovies frequently.

From one who made it happen in business to a man who wondered what happened in his personal life. Fitzwilliam Darcy hadn't realized how domesticated he was before Elizabeth Bennett Wickham reminded him of who he once wanted to become.

He always had been a loner; he liked to be left to his own things. The Youth Group, the pen friendship with Elizabeth and the radio were devices he created to show the world a facade he had created. Elizabeth had been the one who penetrated his carefully constructed bubble and he knew from the beginning he would always want to have her around.

He proudly mastered logical reasoning, refusing to let emotions rule over him and was fairly successful. He had married a woman of his instance, settling for the steady girlfriend from his college years, and by doing so he had ensured the continuance of his family's pedigree.

Slowly and deliberately he chose how to respond to any marital problems, frequently wearing his wife down. Of course he had the same impulses as everyone else but he had never expected to be happy in his marriage anyway. Anne was dependent of her mother and he was happier in the comfort of Pemberley. It was simple.

The afternoon he passed in his attic reading Elizabeth's old letters awakened him to how he had spent years, decades watching his personal life enfold, rarely taking the reins.

Worst was that once he met her in person, he saw the Darcy Elizabeth imagined and how much who he actually was surprised her.

And those two days in London with her messed up with his head even more.

Unable to fight the addiction of spending time with Elizabeth, he had arranged his business to spend three days with her in Paris just a month after she had been in London.

Her presence was each time more consuming to him, not only because she was a hot woman. Seeing himself through her eyes was an irresistible sin, he felt like cheating time, powerful and invincible. Here he was in his forties feeling like he was barely twenty. The onslaught of memories, emotions and passions won over him, transferred him to a time where his regrets weren't bigger than life.

'Paris will always be my chimera.' Elizabeth said in a big smile as they wandered the Louvre. She had asked Darcy to meet her there because she craved the opportunity to walk aimlessly amongst the best pieces of art in the world. 'The first time I arrived here, I was dazzled. Not in an arrogant or cool sense, in the raw aspect, you know? Like, hillbillies seeing the world!'

Darcy chuckled.

'Even the pollution in Paris smelled better, the men were more handsome, the tall women dressed better... After years studying French I was overwhelmed by the Seine, Champs Élysées, Notre Dame, Louvre, Place des Vosges...' She sighed stopping to admire one of Louis XV's furniture set. 'I hope my inferiority doesn't offend you, King.' She hugged his arm to get closer. 'It's just that now I'm about to fulfill a dream: live in Paris for a while!' She smiled urging him to walk again.

Elizabeth's intention was to emphasize their proximity and pressing her boobs to the back of his upper arm never crossed her mind. Or that it would set his loins in flames. 'Not at all, Bart.' He said folding the arm she was holding over his chest to tuck her hand in the crook.

'I'll have to find a place for my own here!' She shrieked discreetly and reached out to hold the hand he rested on his chest. 'How amazing is that?'

'Very.' He said. "I hope I won't break in sweat here."

'So, college has released a preliminary schedule and I'll have two weeks' classes every two or three months. At the beginning of each new module I'll have to update them on my research that I'll be conducting with my students back home. Georgiana's info was of great value; she was great, really.' Elizabeth said animatedly. 'My grant covers a good hotel for this trip and maybe the next but then the cash will drop a lot! One of the guys has asked for a paid leave to move here.' She rolled her eyes. 'I can afford some of the stays but we're talking about... Fifteen modules of two weeks if everything goes well, either here or London; plus visits for discussing the thesis. I'd better find a small flat for rent, preferably small so I won't have to put up with roommates. Charlotte is a good friend but I'd like to be alone to concentrate on studying.'

'And you don't want to share your dreamt adventure.' Darcy said with a sarcastic little smile.

'One person should not know the other this thoroughly!' Elizabeth frowned. 'It's disconcerting!'

He chuckled and she squeezed his hand.

'I may be able to help-' He said.

This story will be published.

Visit moirabianchi dot com for info.

Tks, M.