Elizabeth Bennet…
I looked out the hotel room window as Jane laid her suitcase on a bed just inside an adjoining room. I felt raw and confused—a little baffled at the events of the last couple of hours. Rain poured outside, hitting the asphalt down below in little 'pit, pats' as I stared at it as if it were moving in slow motion—as if it were tears sliding down an invisible cheek. It must feel cold. I wanted to open the window and let it slide across my fingers so that I could pull my hand in and wipe it across my lips where they still burned from the previous night's kiss that kept popping into my head. Mr. Darcy was like a drug. I wanted to forget him, push the poison from my skin, but instead I found myself needing his presence. And I hated myself for it.
"You alright in there?" Jane asked suddenly as I watched my reflection in the window nod at itself.
"Sure." I answered softly before finally touching the glass that housed my tired eyes, hoping I guess that the cold feel of it would infiltrate my senses. I saw Jane's face appear behind my shoulder.
"If I didn't know you better, I'd think that you were grieving." Jane remarked perceptibly as I tried not to wince. She was right. I did look like I was mourning and that was not the kind of person that I was. I didn't allow myself to feel depressed or even slightly disillusioned. Mr. Darcy had made it perfectly clear what was important in life.
And he was wrong.
The vision of his unguarded eyes popped into my head as I remembered the night before, and I narrowed my eyes in determination. He needed to be taught a lesson. The more he fought to believe that life was nothing more than propriety and expectation, the more I felt I needed to prove him wrong. I turned toward Jane.
"I know you're not Catholic, but how would you like to go light a candle with me?" I asked her suddenly as she stared at me in bemusement. She laughed unexpectedly.
"And we need to do this because?" She asked me quizzically as I smiled slyly.
"Oh, I don't know. There's something about praying for something that makes it all the more clearer. Besides, it's where we'll find some good advice." I said with certainty as I pulled a confused Jane behind me out the hotel room door before locking it and dragging her toward the elevators. We caught a cab once we reached the sidewalk, and I pointed the driver toward the cathedral from the night before. The driver raised a brow before shrugging and turning the car in that direction. It didn't take long to get there, and I shoved my way through the rain toward the inviting door, glancing back only once to make sure that Jane was still behind me. She was.
"I hope this is worth getting soaked, Lizzie." She called out as I laughed before squinting through the dark interior before clapping when I noticed my target. Yay! I knew she'd be here.
"I'm guessing Uncle Gardiner didn't grow wings over night." I stated simply as I came up to stand behind my zia carefully. She didn't even jump as if she knew I'd be coming.
"That stubborn man! He probably woke up this morning, noticed they were there, and then cut them off with a kitchen knife." She retorted before turning around and embracing me lovingly. She nodded at Jane and I introduced them quickly before filling her in on the events of the last couple of hours, omitting the part about what happened between Darcy and I. She seemed to know though.
"It looks like you two need some divine intervention." My zia proclaimed as Jane stared at my aunt before looking over at me.
"Have I missed something here?" She asked resolutely as I tried not to laugh.
"Maybe a little, but the important thing is to get you back with Charles." I commented as my aunt moved closer to me inconspicuously before whispering in my ear.
"This isn't just to help your friend." She said knowingly as I shrugged in reply. Maybe it wasn't. Jane was oblivious to the exchange. She was too interested in what I had in mind to get her and Bingley back together.
"What are you up to, Lizzie?" Jane asked curiously as I looked over at my aunt. My zia smiled before looking over at Jane.
"I think my niece here is suddenly interested in learning business politics." Aunt Gardiner answered as I grinned and looked between Jane and my aunt.
"And I just didn't think it would be as much fun without my wonderful zia along." I commented as she clapped. Yep, I was definitely interested in causing a stir.
Later...
It was a couple of hours later when Jane and I finally got to meet the man that Darcy had hired for the Italian branch of his business. We were standing at our desks drinking coffee when he entered Imperial along with Charlotte Lucas, and I smiled brightly at the first sight of Darcy's brunette secretary.
"Charlotte!" I exclaimed as I hurried over to her and hugged her quickly. She hugged me formally back before indicating the small, stocky man beside her. He was balding slightly and reminded me, quite remarkably, of a small bull dog.
"Ms. Bennet, Ms. Houston, this is Mr. Collins. He will be taking over where Mr. Wickham left off, and we are expecting great things from him." She proclaimed as we all nodded respectfully before shaking hands. Mr. Collin's grasp was a little too enthusiastic for my comfort, but I clenched my teeth and tried not to pull away. My plan needed him.
"I have heard quite a deal about you both, and I am excited to meet you." Mr. Collins exclaimed as I let my mouth form a small 'oh.' He let himself peruse me with a forthrightness that made me uncomfortable.
"I look forward to working with the two of you." He added as Jane and I agreed half-heartedly. I looked over at Charlotte. Now was my chance to initiate my plan.
"I know it's early to be talking business and I realize that Mr. Collins just arrived here in Italy, but call me curious. Mr. Collins will need to return back to England briefly, no? This company will need proficient employees and a few supplies that can be easily garnered from our branch in England, is that not so?" I asked sweetly as Charlotte knotted her brows together in thought.
"I suppose so." She answered carefully as I smiled over at Mr. Collins.
"You'll most certainly want to interview your own employees?" I asked him helpfully as he nodded with enthusiasm. I knew that one of the things Mr. Darcy was adamant about was gathering a few employees from Great Britain to help with the set up and order in Italy. My plan depended on Collins feeling the need to be expressly active in his own employment process.
"Oh yes, indeed!" He proclaimed as he stared at me once again. "I am impressed by your business sense, Ms. Bennet. It is indeed the mark of a good boss to make sure that he hires respectable and proficient help. Sometimes, as is the case in new businesses, it is better for the boss to be involved in the entire setting up process. Very astute of you. I do intend to return to Great Britain probably sometime tomorrow. But wanted to come up here first to see what I would be working with and which areas needed the most attention and the most help." He pointed out as I continued to nod helpfully while doing a little cheer in my head. Jane was barely containing herself from beside me—knowing that we would be returning tomorrow as well. I had every intention of making sure we were with him when he left. Mr. Collins was fast becoming an asset.