Elizabeth Bennet...

"Should I ask why the long face?" Jane asked from behind me as I shoved the final empty box into the corner. I had called a company to come haul all of the boxes off the following day and they had promised me a nine o'clock pick up. Quite a few hours had passed since my blow out with Darcy, and I had used my frustration to attack the building with vigor—using my own muscle strength and my Italian to clean up and to contact contractors and etc. to help haul off or finish what we couldn't complete. With Darcy's lack of knowledge in the tongue, I was practically running the place at the moment and he wasn't there to see. No, he was enjoying a nice lunch out with his…whatever she was. Of course, if I was being fair then I would also point out that he had used the rest of the afternoon meeting with businessmen to repair any publicity damage done by Wickham. I, on the other hand, was determined to get as much done here as possible before Darcy decided to use his 'close' friend to call the shots. She did, after all, speak Italian. Was I throwing a tantrum? Ewwww! That's not like me! I looked at Jane.

"I'm fine. Just tired." I replied quietly as she looked around the office with a look that denoted how impressed she was. She grinned.

"Have you ever thought about being an executive? Lord knows, you've gotten more done today than most of us could in a week." She commented sagely as she looked at the list of names and invoices I had drawn out to keep up with the calls, the names of people, and the prices it would take to get everything done. Wickham was wrong. If I had my way, the company would lose very little money and after talking to as many business clienteles as possible today, I had also managed to salvage my pride by learning more about the business here than anyone else knew presently, even dear ol' Darcy. The man was under my skin now. I had to accept that fact since his presence there was poking me as badly as a burr picked up while walking in the woods. I sighed before looking at Jane.

"There's a difference between being an executive and being productive." I remarked absently as she raised a brow. I knew she could feel my irritation, even if most of it had dissipated by now.

"And what's that?" She asked me curiously as I rubbed my hands down the sides of my dress pants. Dust streaks were left to taint the black fabric, but I ignored it. Who could afford dry cleaning anyway?

"Executives spend too much time kissing everyone else's ass to be productive. Employees, on the other hand, learn to kiss ass, save face, and still manage to get the job done." I stated jokingly in a brusque manner that I would have once used in the streets of the city back home. It wasn't appropriate talk, but I knew Jane would find it incredibly amusing. I crossed myself for the use of bad language. I must have crossed myself too late because God decided to punish me.

"Is that so, Ms. Bennet?" A voice asked suddenly from behind me, and I froze as my eyes met Jane's.

"He's behind me, isn't he?" I asked almost in a whisper as she nodded sheepishly. I just swore again.

"Dammit!" I proclaimed as Jane threw me a shocked look.

"Lizzie!" She exclaimed as I turned toward Darcy slowly. It was then that I realized Jane still wasn't aware of the tension between Darcy and I or she would have understood my need to swear. I was no longer trying to impress the man. He was eyeing me with a look that I was having a hard time deciphering. Was that disdain or exhaustion on his face? If he said he was tired just then, I was going to kick him. We all were.

"It was just a joke." Jane muttered helpfully from behind me as I raised a brow up at Darcy's pointed face. He knew me better than that. Seems strange that I knew he knew that of me. He just shook his head when I didn't reply to his question.

"We're dining out tonight. It's a formal affair so I am releasing you both so that you may take the car back to my aunt's estate and change. Appropriate attire has already been sent ahead." He stated evenly as Jane practically shrieked in excitement once she learned we were going to the Camponeschi. I almost groaned but contained myself. Instead, I waited until Jane walked by Darcy first before whispering,

"You can dress someone for the part, but you can't make them fit the role." I uttered as I let myself move past him. His hand shot out to grab me by the arm, and I froze simply because I was surprised by the contact. At first, I expected him to argue with me but he just sighed before glancing around the room.

"You have done an exceptional job today, Ms. Bennet. I am duly impressed." He commented as I moved away from him in astonishment, his hand still residing on my arm as I did. I almost gaped until he spoiled the moment.

"As for kissing asses, Ms. Bennet, I fear you forget that in order to have employees, you must first have executives." He whispered back haughtily as I narrowed my eyes at his face. I needed a pie right about now so that I could imitate slapstick comedy and slam it in his face! Instead, I grinned.

"I'm sure you find it rather easy to portray a businessman, Mr. Darcy. Being bland, rather cruel and incompetent seems to come easily for you." I replied stoically as Darcy gripped my arm tighter without realizing it.

"Quoting John Cleese, Ms. Bennet?" He asked me simply as I shrugged, brushing his hand off of me as I did.

"He sure seemed to nail men like you right on the head." I remarked before turning around and marching out the door. I had a dinner to get ready for.