The Love of the Game by IntuitiveIntelligence.
A/N: And here is the second half of the club party (aka the public ball) chapter. Someone said that they enjoy long chapters. Let it be said that last chapter was 8 pages, and this one is 13. So I don't know how people feel about reading 21 pages at once, but that's what it turned out being. At any rate, please review!
PridePrejudicePridePrejudicePridePrejudicePridePrejudicePridePrejudice
Lizzy had taken a seat at one of the tables off to the side and was rubbing her feet. She knew that wearing these shoes would be a huge mistake, even if they did elongate her legs and give her the extra inch or two she lacked. Jane was still off somewhere with Bingley, and her other sisters, well they each were currently hold up in the garden with the rich sons of some of the families in attendance.
Letting her head fall into her hand with a huff, she watched everyone have more fun than she was having. Then she laughed to herself, as she realized that Darcy was probably even more miserable than she was.
"So, I was standing over by the bar when I spotted this fit little bird sitting off by herself. Then I said to myself, what kind of man am I, if I don't ask her to dance?" Said a smooth voice with an Irish accent behind her.
Lizzy whipped around to promptly scold whoever thought they could use such a pick up line on her, when she saw it was one of the Watford team members, Brian Donolley.
"Donolley!" Lizzy said with a huge smile as she stood to give him a kiss on the cheek and a warm hug.
Brian Donolley, was one of the younger players on the Watford team, and had bonded with Lizzy back when he was still training to join the club. They flirted and joked with each other constantly, but it didn't go any deeper than friendship between them, try as hard as her mother might to make it something more. She always wanted a footballer for a son. And what son he would make! He had the athletic physique, the charm, the green eyes and the dimpled smile, but he was also claimed he would remain a bachelor till the end of his days with no intention of ever having children.
"Let me look at you my Lizzy, yes yes…quite stunning. Who is he?" He said as she spun around in her dress.
"Who is who?" Lizzy asked raising a brow as he took her hand and led her on to the dancefloor.
"Sweetheart, I know that whenever you put on a dress like this, and shoes like that, you are gearing up to reel some poor soul in. Who, upon your finding out that he cannot meet your impossible standards, is cast off to the side with all the rest. Though I must say, the time spent in your good graces isn't all that bad." Brian said with a wink.
"Cheeky mister. Very cheeky." Lizzy said laughing in his arms.
Brian could always make a girl's spirits rise. He had just the personality for it too, with so much ego and vanity that you couldn't help but laugh with him or at him, depending on the situation.
From across the room, Darcy watched as she danced and laughed with another man. He recognized him to be a footballer on the Watford team, he had played him some years back and crushed him then. Now, that man had everything Darcy wanted at present, a footballer career and as much as it pained him to say it, the opportunity to dance with a one Ms. Elizabeth Bennet. But, her smiles and dancing eyes seemed to be only for that other man now, so damn him to hell if he spent another moment thinking about her.
Darcy started to move towards the exit, hoping that he could find a way out of this madness when a hand grabbed hold of his arm, sliding its way down his muscular bicep to his hand. When his blue eyes flicked up to question the owner, he saw it was none other than Caroline Bingley.
"Hello, William." She purred.
Caroline hadn't skimped on the make-up tonight that was for sure. She had more than enough on for several people. She also had her strawberry blonde hair, complete with extensions hanging down loose over her shoulders, which were bared due to her black satin mini-dress. Darcy thought she looked more anorexic than ever, and that her long hair only helped add to the overall gaunt effect.
"Hello, Caroline." Darcy replied shrugging his arm out of her grasp.
"I can understand why you'd want to leave, look at these people. They wouldn't know high society if it slapped them in the face. If you want, we could make an exit, and entertain each other, until Charles gets back." Caroline suggested licking her lips.
Darcy felt sick to his stomach and insisted that to leave now would be rude and that they had a duty to stay even if the company was poor. As he said this, he noted that Charles and Jane were finally taking a break from the dance floor and he walked over to meet them.
"Go tell Charles I'm here, I just want to go freshen up a bit." She
"Will, why aren't you dancing?" Charles said his face flushed with exertion, and a blush at the smile Jane sent his way before she went to talk with her mother.
"I am not inclined to dance. Besides, none of these women are to my liking."
"That's not true. Why not dance with Lizzy, Jane's sister? I know you can't resist a great pair of legs especially when they come with a pretty face."
Lizzy had just been making her way towards the ladies toilet, when she heard Charles's comment about her, and she started to blush. She hid behind the pillar and listened to what they had to say, being more than curious to Mr. Darcy's opinion of her.
"I hadn't noticed she had anything great about her. She is hardly memorable and her legs aren't worth looking at. Trust me, her sister is the only one here worth any notice or praise." Darcy spat back out causing Charles's smile to turn into a frown.
Lizzy's jaw opened in disgust. How anyone could be so arrogant and pig-headed was beyond her. Stepping out from her hiding place she walked purposefully past where Darcy and Bingley were standing. She gave Darcy a look which clearly implied "Go to Hell" before continuing on her way into the lavatory.
"I think she may have heard you, old chap." Charles said smacking Darcy on the arm before going back over to Jane.
Darcy sat there looking shocked for a moment and he felt sick to his stomach all the same. He'd never meant for Lizzy to hear that, even he could never bear to be that rude. What was worse, was that it was far from the truth. But perhaps it was better for all parties concerned that he had said it. For now he could go on without ever having to speak to Lizzy and thus conquer his own particular attraction to her.
Lizzy was about to enter the lavatory when she brusquely pushed aside by what looked like a walking blonde toothpick in black satin. She watched the woman, and was surprised to see her conversing with both Charles and Darcy. Shrugging off both her body check and her outrage at what Darcy had the nerve to say, she went about her business and prayed for the night to end.
"So, Janine was it?" Caroline said while sidling up next to William and looking over at the pretty blonde her brother hand yet again managed to find.
It always seemed that Charles was falling in and out of love with a girl, at every single party they went to. Caroline had long ago given up trying to keep track, or paying them any mind. After a week or so they'd leave him, or he'd lose interest, and if she posed any actual threat, she'd see to it that his lady friend took a hike.
"Jane actually." Jane said as politely as she could.
"Oh, right of course forgive me. I am horrible with names. You really must have lunch with me sometime, shouldn't she Charles?"
"Yes, of course. That is, if Jane is able to what with her training schedule."
"It would be no trouble at all."
"Training? Training for what?"
"I'm an Olympic horse jumper, Caroline." Jane said with a faint blush covering her cheeks as she was always the modest one.
"Really? I love to ride, I have since I was little. I think that settles it then, tomorrow afternoon we should meet for lunch and then all of us should go for a ride."
"I suppose that would be fine…but do you mind if I brought my sister along?"
"Your sister?" Caroline said quirking a brow.
Darcy swallowed the lump in his throat. And prayed to god that Caroline would act the snob that she always was for once, and deny another an invitation to their party.
"Yes, my younger sister Elizabeth, or Lizzy for short. She was around her somewhere a minute ago. I'm sure you'll love her."
"Oh…I'm sure I will." Caroline said with a sarcastic voice that escaped Jane's notice.
"Ah there she is, Lizzy, come here a moment." Jane said signaling her sister over.
"Yes, Jane?" Lizzy asked purposefully ignoring the dark haired gentleman and the walking-stick blonde next to him.
"I'd like you to meet Charles's sister, Caroline. Caroline, this is Lizzy."
Lizzy turned to look at Caroline and gave her a half smile.
"Its nice to meet you." Lizzy said after a moment.
"Likewise, I'm sure. We were just discussing an afternoon outing for tomorrow, and your sister insisted that you join us."
"Really? And what sort of outing might that be?" Lizzy said giving her sister a questioning look.
"We are to have lunch and then to go riding. I assume that you ride, after all look at your sister."
Lizzy was about to protest saying that she couldn't ride at all. The truth was that Lizzy could ride, but that she was dreadfully afraid of horses since she was a child. But she was not about to get on the back of one any time soon, not even for Jane.
"I would if I could, but I have other plans."
"No you haven't." Jane whispered into her sister's ear, but Lizzy simply elbowed her in the side.
Jane then grabbed Lizzy's arm, asking to excuse them for a moment where she pulled her sister out on to the balcony.
"Lizzy you have to come."
"No. You are old enough to go out by yourself, you do not need me there."
"But Lizzy, please…"
"Janey no…"
"Lizzy, I don't ever ask you for much. But I really like Charles, and I do not want to botch things up. His sister and William Darcy will be there, I don't want to make a bad impression on anyone." Jane said looking at her sister with her large blue eyes.
Had Lizzy been a crueler sort of person, with any less amount of love for his siter, she may have very well continued to answer in the negative to Jane's plea. However, as this was not the case at all, she finally agreed to go.
"Well that's settled, Lizzy managed to change things around so she could join us afterall."
"Splendid." Charles exclaimed with a smile.
"Oh…how lovely." Caroline drawled as she flicked her hair away from her eyes.
"Oi, Liz. Do a bloke a favor and come show the rest of these guys how to really cut a rug." Brian called out to Lizzy from the dance floor.
"I don't know Brian, I don't think you can keep up with these legs…" Lizzy said purposefully flashing a bit of them to both Brian and Darcy to rub it in.
"Oh, neither do I sweetheart, but I can sure as hell try. Now come here."
Lizzy then bounded off to go join Brian in a fast paced jazzy swing number. Caroline raised her brows in amusement at the way Lizzy was behaving, and went to make a remark to Darcy about it when she found his eyes were riveted to the one and only Ms. Elizabeth Bennet.
"So, I think you'd be interested to know that a certain someone is staring at you." Brian whispered into Lizzy's ear before turning her so that she could see whom he was referring to.
Lizzy's brown eyes flicked upwards and caught the gaze of Darcy, who held it until she felt the need to look away.
"He's probably just thinking up other ways to insult me…"
"Insult you? Darling, I think with you in that dress, that is the last thing on his mind."
"You should have heard him, he told Charles that there was "nothing memorable" about me. And then he had the nerve, to insult my legs."
"Your legs? That's just defying all that is sacred to me…" He replied his mouth agape.
"So now you understand why I couldn't possibly ever believe that he is thinking of anything other than insulting me at this very moment."
In fact at that very moment, Darcy was having some rather impure thoughts about Elizabeth's legs which of course he cursed himself for moments later. Unconsciously, his hand balled into a fist at his side, but it relaxed immediately upon Elizabeth's eyes meeting his own. Damn those eyes! They would be the end of him, he was sure of it.
"Who is that man dancing with Lizzy?" Charles asked Jane.
"Brian Donolley, he's the keeper for Watford. Him and Lizzy have been close for ages."
Crack. Pop. Snap. (note: not snap, crackle, pop) Darcy's fist was clenched yet again and Caroline turned to look at him, determined to wipe the scowl from her William's face.
"A keeper? Really and what is a keeper compared to a striker, eh William?" Caroline purred and scooted closer to the rigid man to her right.
"Actually, Caroline. If I'm correct, I believe the keeper is one of the hardest positions to play. The entire weight of the game rests upon having a good keeper, if he does his job properly, glory belongs to the team. But if he makes one error, the entire match is lost."
Caroline glared at her brother, who once again was oblivious to the non-pure intentions of those around him. Well, she didn't like this Elizabeth Bennet, not one bit and she would just have to show her what it means to snub William Darcy and Caroline Bingley tomorrow afternoon.
PridePrejudicePridePrejudicePridePrejudicePridePrejudicePridePrejudice
"Hurry up Lizzy, I do not want to be late." Jane said as she paced the room wearing her riding outfit, nervously playing with one of the buttons on her coat.
"Jane, calm down. We are not going to be late, nor or we going to do anything to screw this day up. Know that I only come because I love you and I want you to be happy with Charles. And if that means spending an afternoon with the King of Pompousness and the Toothpick, I'll do it."
"Oh Lizzy, don't be so harsh. Will and Caroline aren't that bad."
"Jane, I told you what he said about me."
"Well, maybe you heard him wrong. I just find it hard to believe that he would insult you so."
"Sure, whatever you say." Lizzy said as she stepped out of the bathroom wearing fitted tan riding trousers with a matching navy wool blazer which was a bit snug on her form, as it was from when she was a teenager.
Jane however lived in riding outfits and was perfectly at ease in her one of a similar style, only with a better fit and a grey blue blazer that complimented her light eyes.
They were to ride to Netherfield on horseback as Mrs. Bennet said that they could not spare the lorry to transport the horses there. After they left, it was made perfectly clear to Mrs. Bennet by her husband that the news reported a heavy rain storm for that afternoon, but she simply smiled and hummed away as she watched the grey clouds gather over head.
Lizzy was to ride one of the more docile mares in the stable, a pretty little Arabian named Eva. She figured that Eva would be the least likely to give her any trouble and therefore save her from any embarrassing situations that might occur. Jane on the other hand rode her horse Magic's Delight ( for all well bred horses have odd names) or Magi for short.
"So, how much do you fancy Charles?" Lizzy said to her sister as they slowly rode over.
"Lizzy, I like him, a lot. I don't know, I don't want to rush things." Jane stammered before pulling slightly ahead from her sister, attempting to end the conversation.
"You know he's perfect for you really, he's attractive, friendly, wealthy…. He could make you happy." Lizzy continued on.
Jane simply smiled widely and rode on for the rest of the trip with butterflies in her stomach and a nervous tremor in her hand.
"Jane and Lizzy. How good of you to join us? And you rode here?" Charles said greeting them as they were led inside.
"Yes, we did." Lizzy answered as they made their way into the dining room.
The dining room was large and ornate, with a dark wood table situated in the center of the room with twenty or so chairs crowded around it. Arranged in the center was a stunning floral bouquet and flowing gently down from the ceiling was an antique chandelier.
Darcy, who had been spending the majority of the morning ignoring Caroline, looked up when he saw Charles enter the room followed by Jane and then lastly Elizabeth. Remembering his manners, he stood while Caroline sent a quick smile to Jane and a glare to Elizabeth.
Lizzy saw Darcy standing there dressed in his riding attire, and for a moment she was stunned by his presence and at his formality at standing when they entered the room. Taking a deep breath, she told herself that today was for Jane, so she would grin and bear it the best she could.
"Right, so lets eat up. The sooner we finish, the more time we'll have for riding." Charles said as he helped Jane into her seat which was to the right of his at the head of the table.
Elizabeth was about to sit down when she felt Darcy push the chair in for her, to which she muttered a quick thank you, which he acknowledged with a nod of his head as he took his seat next to Caroline and across from Lizzy who was seated next to Jane. Jane, who was often uncomfortable in awkward silences, decided to make light conversation.
"That is quite a striking jacket, Caroline." She said delicately.
In fact Caroline's riding jacket was an extremely tailored piece in black velvet trimmed with satin ribbon.
"Thank you, its Chanel."
"Oh, you mean that it's a Chanel coat?" Jane said slightly surprised, she wasn't sure that famous designers designed riding apparel.
"No, I mean that Chanel made it especially for me." Caroline replied a haughty tone in her voice, as if she was explaining herself to a child.
"I do not quite see the point in it. Forgive me, it is a nice coat. But why would you pay so much money to ride in something that could easily be ruined?" Lizzy asked dumbfounded.
"Style is everything, Elizabeth, you would do well to remember that."
Lizzy who had been gripping her knife rather forcefully, lowered her hand and focused on cutting her salmon quite ruthlessly. When she was busy tearing the poor fish into shreds, Darcy dared to look at her and found himself disgusted to think that there was something endearing about the look on her face when flushed with anger.
After the last course had been cleared away, and they afforded themselves sufficient time to rest before riding, the group headed out to the stables to collect their mounts.
"Jane and Lizzy already have their horses with them, so we just need to get yours, Darcy's and mine own." Charles said to his sister as they made their way down the gravel path towards the large stone building.
"Oh I was hoping that Lizzy might ride my horse, I saw her unease yesterday about riding and my own stallion is the most surefooted horse around. He also has knowledge of these trails, so I believe she'll be safer on him."
"How thoughtful of you Caroline," Jane said with a smile and a nod in Lizzy's direction as if to scold Lizzy for thinking any less of her earlier.
"Yes… how thoughtful of you…" Lizzy muttered as she looked up at the large and intimidating Thoroughbred brought out before her.
She had yet to mount the horse and was staring up at him when she heard the sound of a throat being cleared from behind her.
"Are you alright, Lizzy?" Charles asked.
Jane, Charles, Caroline on Lizzy's mare and Darcy all sat saddled and waiting for Lizzy to join them. Grinning and bearing it the best she could, Lizzy swung herself up into the saddle and got a firm grip on the reigns.
Jane and Charles separated themselves a bit from the rest of the pack and rode ahead, leaving Lizzy to deal with the constant chattering of Caroline and the occasional monosyllabic replies of Will.
"So William, are you in the habit of always being unsocial at parties? Or was last night a rare event?" Lizzy said attempting to get Darcy to open up, the clock was ticking and she needed her article.
"I do not know what you mean." Darcy said locking eyes with Elizabeth who gave him a half-smile.
"Surely? Perhaps it was the setting, or the people. Were none of them to your liking? Or was there nothing memorable about the place?"
"I believe that the entire place was quite enjoyable. I however, was not acquainted with anyone, and thus was not as eager to join in with the rest."
Caroline didn't like how Elizabeth was dominating the conversation. Really to steal her William's attention away from her was just preposterous!
"Lizzy, do you feel up to letting Lothario stretch his legs a bit? He's been cooped up far too long I'm afraid and would die for a run."
"I am not so sure…" Lizzy began to protest.
"Nonsense, just give him a good kick and he'll do the rest."
Lizzy did not make any move to kick the horse. Her hesitation caused Caroline to make use of her riding crop and smack the back of Lothario who immediately set off at a break neck pace off the path.
Lizzy was having trouble controlling the horse, so she abandoned all sense of trying to direct him and just clung to the animal's neck for dear life as it bounded away. Lothario was hardly the docile beast that Caroline made him out to be, in fact he was just recently broken and purchased.
Darcy was in half a mind to go chase after Lizzy but Caroline's arm stayed him.
"She'll be fine William. Though its so attractive to find a man who is concerned for others well being. Let us go find Charles and Jane."
Darcy knew that something was not going right, but he reminded himself yet again that he needed to forget about Elizabeth, so he acquiesced to her request. They found Jane and Charles about half a kilometer ahead on the trail.
"Darcy, Caroline, Where's Lizzy?" Charles said looking to the riders who just appeared.
"You mean you didn't see her ride past?" Darcy said urgently.
"No, is it possible she got turned around somewhere?" Charles asked.
"Charles, my sister isn't an amazing rider. Perhaps we should go look for her." Jane's voice quivered with worry, if anything happened to Lizzy she should never forgive herself.
A flash of lightning as the thunder clouds rolled in made them all the more worried. It was settled that they would ride back together and see if there was any side route which she might have taken or gotten lost upon.
Eventually they found a smaller side path with fresh hoof tracks carved into the soil.
"It appears she took the wrong turn, we'll find her Jane, don't worry." Charles said hoping to ease the nerves that were becoming very apparent in Jane.
Darcy pushed on ahead, but when the sky started to open up and the thunder grew louder the horses started to get spooked. Caroline kept suggesting that they head back to Netherfield at once and that Lizzy probably had enough sense to do the same thing.
"Caroline, if you are not going to help us, then you can go back. But none of us are returning without Lizzy." Charles said firmly putting his sister in her place.
Caroline snapped her mouth shut, but did not leave to return to Netherfield. They called out for her, but it was hard to hear anything over the roar of the rain. When lightning struck a tree branch causing it to fall to the path in front of Jane's horse, he reared up on his hind legs throwing Jane off to the side where she landed roughly hitting her head on a stone.
Charles immediately got down from his horse, as did Caroline, while Darcy worked to calm Jane's horse so he wouldn't accidentally trod on her. Charles looked and noted that Jane may have a concussion, but she wasn't bleeding save for a small scratch. Scooping her up in his arms, he set her on the horse in front of him, and trailing her horse behind said that he was going to head back to Netherfield. Caroline immediately stated that she was going with him, so the three set off for the house at once leaving Darcy alone to search for Elizabeth.
He called out for her several times, moving along the path with haste. The rush of rain erased all the tracks on the path, so he couldn't see if she had already passed this way or not. That's when he saw Lothario, wandering about with no one on his back under a tree several meters ahead.
Darcy dismounted and went to retrieve Caroline's horse, tying him to a tree along with his own while he scoured the area for any sign of Elizabeth. Finally he saw her, she was huddled with her right arm cradled close to her, her entire body soaked with rain, and her dark hair plastered to her face.
"Elizabeth!" Darcy shouted and hurried over to her as best as he could.
"Will…" Elizabeth managed to say as her teeth chattered considerably.
"Are you hurt?" He said taking her arm which caused her to wince.
"I think it is broken… He threw me the bloody beast." Lizzy said her voice straining with pain as Darcy turned it.
He pushed the fabric of her shirt upwards, and lightly touched her arm, feeling for any broken bones. Lizzy felt a surge go threw her, but whether it was from his contact on her skin or the rush of pain she could not be certain.
"Its not broken, just badly sprained. You're soaked through… here." Darcy said noticing that her light button up shirt now clung to her body like a second skin.
Trying not to stare, he removed his own jacket and wrapped it about her body and helped her to her feet. When he started to move her towards the horses she immediately seized up with fear and unconsciously backed against him. Lizzy thought it odd that her own sister didn't come for her, or Charles, but she had to be grateful that someone did, even if it was Darcy.
"Do not worry, you'll ride with me, we'll tie Lothario to my saddle." Will whispered into her ear. Lizzy shivered.
He helped her into the saddle, and then moved into the seat behind her. He pulled her close against him with one arm, while his other gripped the rains and led the horse off back towards Netherfield. He didn't want to make extreme haste, even though the weather seemed to worsen by the minute, because every time he brought his horse near a canter, Lizzy would grow frightened and press against him.
They arrived back at Netherfield, both soaking wet and Lizzy chattering uncontrollably even with the added warmth of Darcy's jacket. Darcy now too was feeling the chill of the air, for his own shirt had gotten soaked during the ride back and was almost as transparent as Lizzy's had been.
"Goodness, thank god you're back." Charles said as they got inside.
"Oh William you're positively soaked, and are you shaking? You poor, poor thing…" Caroline cooed as she swooped into the room.
But when she took one look at Elizabeth wearing Will's coat, leaning against Will for support, she was literally fuming. Lizzy started to cough and Charles suggested that she head upstairs and change out of her wet clothes and that she could borrow something of Caroline's for the time being.
"Where is my sister?" Lizzy said, when Jane never materialized.
"She took a knock to the head, her horse bucked, spooked from the storm. She's upstairs resting now, my assistant is with her." Charles explained.
Lizzy's eyes clouded with worry, but Charles stated she might visit her as soon as she herself was looked to. So heeding his suggestion, she went into one of the guest rooms and stripped her clothes off slowly, careful not excite the pain in her arm any further.
Caroline had "graciously" given Lizzy a striped sweater a few seasons out of fashion and a pair of her jeans, cursing to herself that she'd never be able to wear them again. Lizzy had slipped them on, with a little difficulty, as she was herself not a walking toothpick. When she had dressed, Charles came inside and wrapped her wrist in a bandage and gave her some pain medication. He confirmed Darcy's suspicions that it was a sprain, and not an actual break but wanted to err on the side of caution with the ace bandage.
When he finished, he led Lizzy into the room down the hall where Jane was lying in bed her blonde hair splayed out on the pillow, and a small knick on her forehead which was covered by a Looney Tunes bandage.
"Janey…" Lizzy whispered kissing her sister's hand.
"She's going to be asleep for a while most likely, she woke for a little while when we first brought her here. But she needed to rest so I gave her something to help her sleep, she'll be alright, but she'll be quite sore in the morning, her fall was not a pretty one." Charles assured Lizzy.
Lizzy thanked him once again, and insisted that she would sit with her sister a while longer. As she perched on the edge of the bed, her good hand holding her sisters, she watched the storm intensify outside, till eventually all the lights in Netherfield went out.
PridePrejudicePridePrejudicePridePrejudicePridePrejudicePridePrejudice
A/N: So that was my attempt at getting Jane ill and the Meryton assembly? How did I do? Do you guys like my version of Lizzy and Darcy, or did I get the characters way off? Let me know in a review. Thanks!