Chapter 8

A/N: Chapter 8 is up!

Probably in the next two chapters there will be the whole proposal thingy. And I may deviate from the book in that Elizabeth comes out of it in love with Will.

Sam is going to be pretty different from all the other guys in the story. I based his looks on Michael Copon, who is only half-Filipino, but whatever. (Check Google images for him- he's probably not the guy you're thinking of, whoever you're thinking of.) I like Sam very much. Even though he is Filipino, he is a universal character: down-to-earth, the solid, stoic country boy (but he IS intelligent). He doesn't say much, and trusts a little too much in the goodness of people, but he is a likable, honest person. And Will sees that in him.

I gave Jane the heartbreak. Oh yeah, I'm evil. MUWAHAHAHA.

Disclaimer: Jane Austen must be turning over in her grave knowing I am shamelessly butchering her work in such a fashion, but alas, the deed is done. At least she can have the small comfort of knowing she owns the books, the characters, etc.

Also I have no affiliation with the link. And no affiliation with 'Nine Crimes' by Damien Rice, although it is a helluva good song. Ha. Ha ha. More bad humor.

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They followed Mrs. Reynolds to the large and elaborate dining hall, with beautiful French double-doors that opened onto a grass slope of a hill. The ornate, perversely shiny Victorian parquet floor worked almost like a mirror, giving Elizabeth the chance to check her face. It had a tinge of red in it, which irritated her.

They sat in three of the center chairs, arranged much like at the ball in Netherfield: Elizabeth at Will's left, Caroline at Will's right.

Caroline started to talk first. "Fitzwilliam, dear," she said, laying a white gloved arm on the shoulder of his meticulously tailored suit, "sweet Miss Eliza to your left has been entertaining me so much. We met at the Netherfield ball, you remember."

Will and Elizabeth sat in stony silence.

"And she is uncommonly fortunate to have such little housekeeping! In these harried times, I can barely remember what it feels like to wear…casual…clothes." With a pointed glance at Elizabeth's old, rather ugly skirt and low-cut tank top. As if by 'casual' she meant 'old and ugly'. Which she did.

Elizabeth sighed. "I rather think it ridiculous to overdress for a small, informal occasion. For instance, a tiny dinner party with one person."

"Well, if that person is extremely important, I think it necessary for that someone." Caroline smiled sweetly, winning the argument.

Elizabeth suddenly noticed Will staring at her so intensely and rather rudely that she hurried to cast her head down, looking straight at the table as if it was the most important thing in the world.

Caroline threw a tantrum mentally, banging her fists on the walls of her brain, and shrieking, What did that trash do to deserve my Will? He's staring at her like the walking example of a lovesick schoolboy. It's disgusting! But aloud she said, "Will, do you think I could come with you on the company hike?"

"Sorry," Will said, again shifting his gaze to Elizabeth, "I've already booked the site and the number of people." Elizabeth knew this was a lie. The site could support up to a thousand more people than the company was bringing.

"And besides," Elizabeth said spitefully, "I thought you hated casual clothes."

"Oh, I do, but only the kind the lower class wears."

"You go too far!" snapped Elizabeth, temper at her breaking point. "I am sick of your rude and manipulative ways, Miss Bingley, and I will tolerate none of it."

Caroline was shocked into quiet.

Will stood up. "I entreat you, Miss Bennet, to stay. I am sure Caroline's remark was not directed at you." A lie that no one believed, but that they all swallowed.

Elizabeth took a long breath and sat down.

It was a long and uncomfortable silence that followed. All three jumped when Georgiana, Sam, and the servants entered with dinner.

"We're home," Georgiana said cheerfully, her and Sam taking seats across from them. "Will, this is Sam."

Sam was tall and broad-shouldered, with caramel tan skin very tight across his face, thick black eyebrows, and very intense black eyes. His hair was short, but not ridiculously so.

He looked rather fierce until he smiled, revealing straight white teeth. "Good evening, Will." His accent was British.

Will disliked Sam's plain T-shirt and jeans, and obviously was not comfortable with having his sister wedded to the close descendant of some 'wild barbarian chief', as his thoughts put it, but he didn't force Sam to call him Fitzwilliam, or Mr. Darcy, a definitely good sign. "I suppose my sister will be taking your surname, then, which is…"

"Alao. Did Georgiana tell you?" Sam asked brightly. "We're expecting a daughter in February. And we're moving to a loft in central Los Angeles."

"That's, erm, good. To your left is Miss Bennet and to your right Miss Bingley." Sam shook hands with both of them. As you may have predicted, their responses were in direct contrast to each other.

"Call me Lizzie," Elizabeth smiled.

Caroline raised her eyebrows coldly, glaring at his simple clothes and her eyes lingering unpleasantly on the inexpensive wristwatch on his hand.

Elizabeth got a phone call. "Excuse me while I take this," she said, stepping out of the room.

The second she got out and went to the parlor, Caroline started criticizing her. "How very rude, taking a call in the middle of a formal dinner," she snapped, Elizabeth's outburst still ringing in her ears. "And she keeps glancing at us unpleasantly, as if she despised us all."

Sam raised his eyebrows. "She seemed pleasant and amiable to me."

Caroline cast a contemptuous look at him. Then she suddenly remembered he was Georgiana's fiancée, and sighed pseudo-regretfully. After all, being rude to him could ruin her chances at Will. "My dear Sam- Samuel. I didn't mean to criticize; Elizabeth and I are fast becoming friends. It is merely that she has these odd- shall we say, quirks- that annoy me occasionally."

The shift was so quick no one could understand the illogic of this position. Caroline herself found her words ridiculous.

Sam nodded. "Well, we really have to get back to London. I don't know if Georgiana mentioned this, but I need to catch a flight to visit my parents…"

"Yes…she mentioned it. Thank you. Goodbye, Sam, Georgiana." They smiled and headed out, Georgiana coming back to hug Will.

"How sweet," simpered Caroline. "So touching. A true romantic. Georgiana, you do seem to have inherited your brother's sentiment. It is one of those endearing qualities I recognize and love so much in my dear Will-"

Georgiana threw her a look that shut her up.

O0...0O

Elizabeth pressed OK, and various background noise filled her ears crudely. Damn, she needed a new cellphone. The old one was breaking itself and her ears.

A definite bad sign: In the background was 'Nine Crimes' by Damien Rice. Jane's sad song.

"Jane?"

She heard a nose being blown like a trumpet. "Elizabeth?" Jane's voice was shaking.

She'd never heard Jane's voice shake before. In her most extreme moods it retained composure. Even when Jane's father got cancer and came close to death (yet survived), Jane never showed more than a 'I hope he's okay'.

What agonies of torment was Jane going through now?

"Jane. Jane?"

"Elizabeth-"

"Calm down. Take a deep breath. Then tell me what is going on." The words Jane would usually say to Elizabeth, being the tempestuous whirlwind she is.

She could hear Jane breathing heavily. "Charles-" Her voice faltered.

"Charles?"

"Charlie. Charlie Bingley. He came to see me for a five-minute visit in which he told me stiffly he found no regard for him in the way I acted and that he was breaking up with me." Jane burst into crying yet again.

"Jane," Elizabeth said gently. "Jane. It will be alright. It will be fine. I'll be there very soon. I promise."

"Elizabeth…" Jane's voice was blurred and miserable.

"I really have to go now. 'Bye."

She managed a smile as Sam and Georgiana came through the hallway. "Where are you two going?"

"To visit his parents in the Philippines. Part of our honeymoon."

Elizabeth watched them go. She sank down in the hallway, tears obscuring her vision. How could Charlie break up with Jane? Just yesterday he professed himself to be madly in love.

Then- Wait a minute. Charlie is the type to be influenced by people- Who would- DARCY?

The idea popped into her head but somehow, instinctively, she knew she was right. It was Darcy.

But she couldn't add this to her list of complaints against Darcy unless she had proof.

She heard Miss Bingley and Darcy talking. She crept against the wall to hear, knowing they might whisper confidences to each other that she would not have the privilege of hearing were she in the room.

"Caroline," came Will's flat voice, "I told your brother to go to Miss Taylor's this afternoon. He has officially split from her and you have nothing to worry about."

"Correction," laughed Caroline. "We have nothing to worry about."

"Well, correct." Then Will leaned in and kissed her.

Caroline's face was one of pure ecstasy. Will looked like the groom on the night of an arranged marriage.

Elizabeth shook her head. Tears spilled out of her eyes, as much as she willed them back in.

Darcy…she hated the name. Before she had immensely disliked it, even through her father being fired, but now- now, it was not dislike. It was hate. And anger. And that atrocious feeling that she could still not fathom, that bothered her intensely.