Author's Note: Thank you so very much to all of those who have reviewed this. I truly appreciate the comments and the feedback. I know that I have taken quite an interesting take with a classic tale and I appreciate those who have given it a chance, and I hope that you continue to enjoy. The story has moved a little fast as well, similar to the way that Austen wrote the novel, if you've read it, where it will skip from one scene, first at Longbourn, to another quickly so that we find ourselves at Netherfield almost immediately. But that movement seems to work. My story, however, now that most of the characters have been introduced will start to move more slowly allowing us to get a closer feel for the characters although, like in Austen's story, the scenery will change occasionally. I hope that you enjoy the story and thank you again for all those who left comments. You guys are fantastic!--Licensetowrite
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Darcy in his office at Meryton the following late morning…
There's this thing about business. One minute, things can be going just the way that you intended them to and then the next, everything can just go straight to hell. Today was most certainly one of those days where Lucifer fell straight into the choir loft and the angels quit singing. And if Darcy's yelling were any indication, then Lucifer's next project was human possession.
"No….I most certainly do not want to talk to the man in charge. I am the man in charge! Isn't there anyone there that speaks English? Hell; French, Russian, Welsh, Danish, or Spanish would do!" Darcy yelled into the phone just as Charles Bingley walked into the door. Charles raised a brow at Darcy and motioned to the watch on his wrist while trying not to grin as Darcy covered the mouth piece of the phone with his hand and shook his head. Bingley smiled too damn much.
"Don't give me that look, Bingley. I'm having a hell of a time just trying to figure out what went wrong at my firm in Rome…." He began just as someone picked up the phone on the other end. Then he just cursed again.
"Dammit! MS. LUCAS!" Darcy yelled, listening as the sound of something hard fell against the floor outside the door. His yelling must have startled Charlotte. Lord knows why. She should be used to it by now.
"Yes sir." Charlotte replied breathlessly as her slightly flushed faced appeared in the doorway. She looked disheveled and breathless, probably trying to reorganize the file system everyone lovingly referred to as 'the dungeon.' By the agitated gleam in her eye, she had probably dropped a box when he yelled. At this point, Darcy was too flustered to care.
"Where the hell is Elizabeth Bennet! As much as I detest this, I need someone who speaks Italian, now!" Darcy yelled again as Charlotte pinched her lips together firmly enough they managed to turn white. She smiled as politely as she could at the two men before turning on her heels and muttering over her shoulder.
"I'll find her now, sir." She reiterated before rushing through the foyer of his office muttering something about 'someone needing to place the man over their lap in order to give him a few good licks' while Charles bit his lower lip to keep from guffawing. Bingley was beginning to think that Darcy might have bitten off more than he could chew by opening the company in Italy. Lord knows, he had never seen Darcy this unbalanced.
"Try breathing, Will. It'll let out some of that excess hot air." Bingley commented as Darcy did his best to keep from making an inappropriate retort. He was, after all, still civilized despite his obvious recent outburst. That is, he was until the woman on the other line started speaking again and then he remembered why the hell he had gotten upset in the first place. Hell and highwater!
"No, I do not want to Ciao! You better not hang up…." He roared.