Chapter Nine

Darcy tried his best not to storm away from her, but he wasn't sure how well he succeeded. She was absolutely psychotic. Also, rude. How could she not be, with a mother like that? Darcy sighed. Why was she always so determined to make him out to be the bad guy? The more time he spent with her, the worse he felt about himself. How could he be attracted to someone who made him feel this way?

He downed the rest of the wine in his glass and ran an agitated hand through his hair. Well, it was certain now. His infatuation with her was over. What with her friendship (if that's all it was) with Wickham and her tendency to ridicule him, he was officially repulsed by her. In fact, the last time he could remember himself being this angry was when he found out that Wickham had... No. Darcy took a deep breath. He'd promised himself he wouldn't get upset over that again. It was over. What had happened had happened. It was time to move on.

Darcy realized that he'd been gripping his empty wine glass a little too tightly and he set it down on a nearby table. He glanced around the room and saw Lizzie's mother and Jane talking in a corner. He sighed to himself. He really didn't want to see Charlie wrestle through another heartbreak. Caroline could swear up and down that Jane was obsessed with Charlie and she was out to "ensnare" him, just as Charlie's last girlfriend had done, but Darcy couldn't see it. It seemed more like Charlie was overly invested in someone who just didn't share his feelings. Jane was almost like a stone statue. Always poised, always immaculate (so unlike her sister) and always distant. She never showed the slightest interest in Charlie. Her face didn't light up when they were together and she didn't show any of the other signs of substantial interest in Charlie that Darcy was able to notice in other women who happened to be in love. For all Darcy could tell, she was just being polite to Charlie and wouldn't care whether he were there at all. And Darcy was paying close attention. His complete and utter failure as Charlie's friend the last time Charlie showed interest in a woman would ensure that Darcy would never make the same mistake twice.

Darcy cringed a bit as he remembered how he had encouraged Charlie to propose to Cecelia. Darcy hardly knew her! And he had seen her and Charlie together for a total of three days. She certainly had seemed eager. Unfortunately, she wasn't as eager to tell Charlie of her two children. That was something he had to find out after he'd discovered she'd disappeared with the 4-karat engagement ring Charlie had given her. And Darcy had encouraged him. Darcy never wanted to see his closest friend go through something like that again. And Jane seemed nice enough. Darcy didn't think she would be the kind of person to lie and steal. But she also didn't seem to feel anything like love for Charlie. Other than her lack of interest, Darcy couldn't really come up with any reason why she and Charlie wouldn't be perfect for one another. Well, other than her family. No father to speak of and a mother to be thoroughly ashamed of.

As if on cue, Darcy heard Caroline's snicker behind him. "God, can you believe Jane's mother? And I thought Lizzie was badly behaved. Well, now we know where she got it. I don't think any amount of charm on Jane's part can make up for this evening. How can she stand being related to those people?"

Darcy gave a perfunctory laugh. He could not remember the last time his and Caroline's thoughts were so in sync. "I heard her mother saying how excited she was to come and see the 'penthouse.' I suppose Jane thinks she's going to be a major part of Charlie's life or something. She's already inviting her mother over to our apartment?"

Darcy thought it much more likely that Mrs. Bennett was going to invite herself over, but said nothing.

Caroline continued in her haughty tone. "Anyway, Jane seems to be taking this all in stride. Look at her. She's completely expressionless. Like a porcelain doll."

"I thought you liked her," Darcy observed.

Caroline shrugged. "Dolls get boring after a while. Come to speak of it, so do art shows. I don't suppose you're ready to go home? I certainly have had my fill."

"You're probably right." Darcy said slowly, an idea coming to him. If he and Caroline were having such a terrible time in the city and if Charlie was in such danger, why didn't they just leave? He had no real reason to stay. And Charlie's break was coming up soon.

"Why don't you see if you can't get Charlie to come?"

"Ugh!" Caroline exclaimed. "He never listens to me. You're much better at persuading him."

"I have to make a phone call," Darcy walked away from her as he said it so she couldn't argue. He was making his way to the office he and Lizzie had met in earlier that evening. Before he got to the door, a short hairy man stepped in front of him and stuck out his hand.

"Hi there. I'm Benjamin Collins."

Darcy stared before quickly shaking the man's hand with a finality that any person in their right mind would have recognized. "William Darcy," he said. "Excuse me, I must--"

"I know," interrupted Benjamin, "that you are the nephew of my boss Catherine Burg. She has mentioned you several times and very fondly." Darcy raised his eyebrow at the strange man as he continued. "Imagine my surprise when I realized you were here. And at such an opportune moment! Your aunt is always telling me how well you advise her and I need a bit of advice myself." Benjamin opened the door to the office and gestured for Darcy to step inside. "Mr Darcy, I promise it won't take you long and I would greatly appreciate it."

For no other reason than that he needed the privacy of the office anyway, Darcy went in. "I hope this will be quick," he warned. "I don't like giving advice to people I know so little."

"I understand and I wouldn't ask except for that I know you could never give poor advice--and I desperately need to know what to do." Darcy waved for him to continue. "I believe you know Elizabeth Bennett."

Darcy glared at the man. "Yes," was his short and curt answer.

"Well, you have noticed, I'm certain, how beautiful she is and how...well, she is very beautiful...' Benjamin seemed to have run out of adjectives to describe her. Darcy felt sick to his stomach as he watched Benjamin picturing Lizzie.

"I have happened to fall in love with her. In fact," he pulled a small box out of his coat pocket, "I plan on proposing to her and I was wondering if you could help me decide how to do it. I am certain that I want to do it tonight at the gallery. What do you think? I know she loves this place and with all her friends and family around I thought it would make for a memorable occasion."

Darcy's whole body was rigid by the end of Benjamin's speech. He grasped the edge of the desk and tried to organize his thoughts. This man--this ridiculous man--was going to propose--propose marriage--to Lizzie Bennett? As if he had the first clue about how to take care of someone like her, should he even come close to deserving her, which he most certainly didn't. At once Darcy was one hundred percent certain that she would never accept him and was sick with worry that maybe he could be wrong. That there could be a part of her that he didn't know yet which would lead her to say yes to this hobbit-like creature. Unbidden, wave after wave of jealousy washed over him. He had never considered himself the jealous type, but he had been experiencing the feeling often enough in the past weeks to know the cause of it. Lizzie. This was her fault. And he knew he had nothing to be jealous of. He and Lizzie had no kind of relationship that would warrant this kind of emotion, he told himself rationally.

Slowly, Darcy exhaled. "Mr Collins, as I said before, I have no wish to advise you on a course of action that is so personal and involving so many people who I know so little. Please," he gestured toward the door.

"But Mr Darcy! I know you'll point me in the right direction! Any advice at all would be appreciated."

Darcy pinched the bridge of his nose as a nasty thought entered his head. Benjamin on one knee, proposing to Lizzie in front of everyone at the gallery. For a fraction of a second, he considered letting Benjamin do it. It would serve her right. He could have the satisfaction of seeing her as uncomfortable as he had been.

But, no. He immediately dismissed the idea. He could never do that to her. As he looked at Benjamin he didn't think he could do something like that even to Caroline. He felt terribly guilty for even thinking it.

"Benjamin," Darcy said, seriously. "My only advice would be to wait. Do not propose tonight. Not at the gallery. Wait. Wait for a private moment when you can be sure you'll have her full attention," and she won't be too distracted to do the right thing and reject you outright, he added silently as he ushered Benjamin to the door.

"Thank you so much! You are so right, Mr Darcy. I shall tell your aunt of your generousness in this matter. And of course, you'll be invited to the wedding!"

Darcy flinched as he pushed Benjamin out of the room. Finally alone, he forced himself to turn his mind to making the necessary arrangements that would get him and his friend away from all the chaotic and disturbing people they had met the past few weeks.

AN: I know it's short, but I figured something is better than nothing. It's summer again, and my time is my own once more. Chapters will probably be shorter this time around. Also, I have a new computer and word documents are not really a part of it. I'm working on it, but until then, updates will be difficult. Also, this chap (as you've noticed, I'm sure) contains a very mean Darcy. I'm of the opinion that he's more of a jerk in the beginning than people like to believe. He never does anything terribly bad, but his private thoughts are a little more selfish and less restrained. Sad. But he'll come around, I'm sure.