The next morning went fast in Elle's eyes. She spent her first few hours talking with Jane. By midday however Jane decided that she wanted to go down stairs. She thought it impolite to spend time in someone else's house and not talk to them during the stay. Elle didn't mind Jane being up and about, as she was looking a lot better. Her face had returned to its delicate creamy complexion, and her eyes and nose were not as red in comparison to the day before. The only thing that bothered Elle was that she would feel guilty about leaving Jan to walk into the lion's den alone.

"Ellie are you coming?" Jane asked as she walked to the door. Elle answered with a sigh and said she was, while pulling herself out of the chair beside the double bed.

Elle and Jane walked down the stairs, arms linked. They continued in the direction Elle had travelled the night before, until Charlie called to them from inside a room only five feet from the kitchen. He sat alone at a dark mahogany table with enough places set for everyone. He motioned for them to come in and help themselves to the different breakfast dishes.

"Where is everyone Charlie?" Elle wondered out loud, while buttering a slice of toast.

"Well Carol and Louise are still asleep and won't emerge until around two, and I think Will is working," he answered while sneaking glances at Jane.

"This is a beautiful house Charlie, I only wish I was well enough to have a proper look round," breathed Jane as she tilted her head back to look at the decorative ceiling.

"Yes I hear that Netherfield boasts of having a magnificent library," Elle replied with great enthusiasm.

"I do believe it does," Charlie replied with a smile, "But I wouldn't know I am not a good reader, that is more Will's department. Would you like me to show you where it is?" He asked while getting out of his seat.

"Don't worry about me. If you tell me where to go I could find it myself, I wouldn't want to disturb your meal," Elle replied with a smile as she moved from her chair.

Charlie smiled and sat down again, "It is down to the end of the hall, turn to the right and it is the third door on your left."

XXX

The room was large with books covering every wall. In the far corner sat an ornate marble fireplace, which for the moment lay dormant. Beside it sat a small leather sofa and three armchairs with hand carved wooden decoration. Beautiful red and brown glass Tiffany lamps were strategically placed to offer a bright, but not harsh glow on the reader. The other side of the room was decorated with matching smaller bookcases making, little half rows, filled with books, old and new.

Elle wandered around in amazement before finding the book she had come to find. She held the book close as she walked to one of the empty seats. She sat in relative silence, simply enjoying the solitude when the door creaked open.

The figure she knew to be Will's walked to the right without noticing any other presence in the room. Elle watched him through the gaps in the stand-alone bookcases. His posture was relaxed and he walked with a deliberate slowness, allowing his fingers to caress the spines before settling on one of his own.

Elle watched while a silence debate raged in side of her. Her senses were telling her one thing and her head another. Her senses probably would have won out if he hadn't reacted to noticing her with a quick hello and an even quicker departure.

"Too proud to be in a room with me for more than five minutes, Mr Darcy?" Elle muttered sarcastically under her breath. For a moment she thought she had seen something real from him but she concluded that that was simply not the case.

Elle finally decided to move when she noticed the light was fading outside. She walked in the direction of the main sitting area with the book still in hand. She was met with the sight of everyone sitting in silence and doing their own thing.

Elle went and sat in a free single chair beside the fire. She curled her feet up and relaxed into the back of the chair. Charlie offered to get the beers with Jane before Carol spoke up,

"So where have you been Elle? I haven't seen you all day," Carol replied in a falsely sweet tone and smile.

"I was in the library Carol. I saw Will there, didn't he tell you he saw me?" Elle asked with an innocent smile but the same could not be said for her eyes. Will looked up from watching TV and watched the two women with dark eyes.

"Really," Carol hissed, "Why would anyone spend so much time in a library, they're just books."

"Well they may be just books but I needed this one," she indicated to the book in her hand, "if I am to get anywhere after college. My copy got soaked and I can't afford to fall behind, so I was working on it in the library." Elle almost let out a sigh of relief when Charlie and Jane appeared holding bottles of chilled beer.

When everyone had received a bottle Carol continued when she sensed Will's eyes on Elle, "I guess we know very little about each other."

Elle moved in her seat before lending forward, " I know how we can correct that," She smiled wickedly at her sister. Jane watched as the fire danced in Elle eyes and make her hair look aglow. "We should play 'I never'," Elle slipped off her chair and onto the floor.

"I'm in but I don't know how to play," Charlie said as he moved closer to Elle, on the floor also. Louise shrugged and moved closer but didn't say anything. Jane shock her head but moved also. This left Will at the TV and Carol in the middle of the room, unmoved.

"Come on you two, it will be fun," Charlie reasoned while giving them puppy eyes.

"Yeah what are so afraid of?" Elle directed her question at Will. It worked because he moved to join the others on the floor and Carol followed after, as she was the only one not joining in and didn't want to feel left out.

"Ok the rules are simple you just ask a question like 'I never fell asleep in class' and if you have then you take a drink. Does everyone understand?" Elle asked with a smirk.

The game started off with simple questions that no one would be embarrassed sharing. Will however remained very silent and never volunteered eye contact with anyone. Jane, Charlie and Louise had already asked a question each and now it was Elle's turn.

"Right, ok I've got one. I never thought of vanity or pride as good qualities," Elle finished and looked at Will to see if he would drink. A few seconds past and he still hadn't moved.

"Come on Will drink up. This is a truth game after all," Elle smiled to try and soften the blow. Jane turned to Elle and tried to catch her eye but she simply ignored it and instead focused on Will.

"Why would I need to 'drink up'?" Will asked simple looking at her for the first time. Elle shrugged and made a face that clearly said 'you tell me'.

"I don't see vanity as a positive quality. Self-indulgence is not something I find admirable in anyone. Pride however if for the right reasons I believe is. Pride simply in oneself is like vanity but if it is pride in something that has been done or achieved, then yes I think it fair," Will stared at Elle as he spoke and didn't look away when he had finished.

"Are you proud of your achievements," Elle asked simply as the others watched in silence. Jane and Charlie looked uncomfortable, Louise didn't look interested and Carol was seething.

"Yes I believe I have done very well." Carol latched on to his arm forcefully and nodded her head wildly, "Of coarse he has done well and as every right to be proud."

"Well," Elle relaxed into the foot of the chair behind her, " I suppose you are perfect then, as pride was the only that would have quashed that thought and you have just justified it," Elle smiled gently but her eyes were smirking.

"I am not perfect. If I am guilty of anything it is that I find it hard to forget people for their wrong doings against me and my family," Will answered very honestly while detaching himself from Carol.

"Well I can't tease you about that, and I wouldn't want to laugh and have you think I was insulting your achievements. Who knows if I did I might insult your pride," Elle replied gently. She watched as Will lent forward so he was only two feet from her.

"Why don't you and we'll see," challenged Will meeting her gaze if his own strong, powerful one.

Carol feeling that Elle once again had held Will's attention for two long, decided that it was her turn to say something, "I was never caught thinking of a pair of beautiful brown eyes."

Will raised the bottle to his lips and took a long sip, still looking in Elle's direction. Carol giggled as she still thought it was a reference to herself. Elle laughed lightly and turned to talk to Charlie.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Hope you like this chapter and sorry for not updating sooner. Hit the button and let me know what you think. Until next time.