Chapter Ten- Enter O Handsome Stranger

While Billy had been having such thoughts about Lizzy, and she lay upon her bed screaming into her pillow, things were happening in the neighbourhood.

Charles Bingley had decided a party was in order; he liked the people in the neighbourhood and could not think of anything better than spending an evening in their company. Will had very different thoughts on the matter but couldn't help that his heart beat faster when he realised that meant Lizzy would be here, he had spent a week without seeing her face to face (spying on her talking to Charli hardly counted), and told himself that once this confrontation was over he could be sure that he was over her. Of course, his fast beating heart ignored this logic and sent images of her smiling face and her flashing eyes to haunt him. A date was set; it would be the Saturday after school started again.

Further away Calum Forester was talking to his newest recruit, a young man of good looks, charming manner and who seemed to be a very willing worker. He was immediately liked and quickly taken into Denny's little circle of friends, and before his first day was up had expressed the urge to see these beautiful Bennet girls, that his new friends spoke of so fondly. Calum watched this with a keen eye and though he could sense no malice in the man was not entirely sure he liked him, though without being able to put a reasonable reason to this thought, he dismissed it and welcomed him to Meryton. So it was that George Wickham became apart of Meryton society, and an important character in our story. It was the first day of term.

"Oh please Mama! Don't make us take him, please, please, please!" Lydia was on her knees in front of her mother's chair. Lizzy, Jane and Cathy stood behind her, uncomfortable with the idea of taking Billy to the shops with them, but not as vocal in their opinion as Lydia.

"No, no. Why take the bus when such an offer is available? Besides, I'm sure he will be more occupied with assisting Lizzy and Jane to bother you." Mrs Bennet was very confident that a trip to the shops with her cousin was just what Lizzy needed to take a liking to him, as it was obvious that he had taken a shine to her. Sure Lizzy was young, still in high school, sure she had aspirations, but what did that matter when a handsome, in her mind money social influence (or that of close acquaintances) handsome, man wanted you as his wife? Besides, it was Lizzy; the sooner she got that particular train wreck off her hands, the better. Besides, she knew, or thought she did, that if one of the twins got married the other would as likely follow suit, meaning she might be able to get Jane to marry Charles Bingley. She was almost in ecstasy at the thought.

It was Friday afternoon, the night before the party at Netherfeild. The girls had finished school and decided that new outfits were needed for tomorrow nights shindig, so a shopping spree had been ordered and Daddy's credit card acquired by Lydia and Cathy. Jane and Lizzy were going too, in case they saw something they particularly liked, but they had their own money, preferring not to leech off their parents more than necessary. Mary had chosen not to come, claiming she was close to finishing her latest sonnet. That left Billy. Home early from his internship, he had heard the girls plans and immediately offered to drive them, effectively forcing his presence on them. It was 4 o'clock.

Denny and George were bored, it was their day off and they had nothing to do. Denny suggested a movie and George quickly agreed. By the time 'Cloverfield' was finished, it was 4.30 in the afternoon.

Charles had forgotten decorations. "How am I supposed to have a party without decorations? We are stuffed. What am I going to do?" He was pacing the living room, a virtual train wreck. Will could see behind his supposed motive for a party - to get to know his neighbours better - and see how deeply Charles wanted to impress Jane. He 18th birthday - and Lizzy's - was fast approaching and Will knew that was when Charles would act on his feeling.

"Well," Will said looking up from his battered copy of 'The Sword Of Shannara', "You could always ask me really nicely, to drive up to Meryton with you and buy decorations."

"Would you?" Charles' smiled lit up his face, and Will nodded, putting his book down and grabbing his keys. The cuckoo clock announced 4.30.

"What do you think Lizzy?" Lydia was adjusting the zip on a tight denim dress, which in Lizzy's opinion was atrocious. She knew the answer to these questions.

"Do you like it?"

"No, but it shows off my figure fairly well, don't you think?" Lydia pushed her bum out towards the mirror before tutting and going to try something else on. Lizzy slowly banged her head against the wall. She could hear Billy muttering outside the change rooms, about something or another with whichever unlucky salesperson he had caught. Jane was in a stall with Cathy, trying to get a dress two sizes too small over Cathy's head.

"Done." Jane plonked herself down next to Lizzy.

"You got it on her?" Lizzy asked in amazement, the dress would not have fit a Barbie let alone her reasonably voluptuous sister.

"Nope, I convinced her orange dresses don't go with fake tan." Lizzy laughed.

"Come on, let's go somewhere else!" Lydia grabbed Cathy as she exited her cubicle, and did not look back to see if her older sisters were following. They walked out at a more sedate pace, collecting Billy on their way. He chose to wait for them in the bookstore and Lizzy, a genuine lover of books in all shapes, forms and genre's, made the decision to join him. Jane smiled sympathetically, and Lydia and Cathy ran into Country Road with glee.

"You're a reader?" Billy asked with some surprise, Lizzy had not struck him as reader - despite the fact that she nearly always had a book in hand.

"I love a good book." Lizzy replied, her eyes already scanning the new release stand.

"Let me guess," Billy thought he was being endearing, "You like all those teenage romance reads, like err, Gossip Girl, don't you?"

Lizzy thought he wanted to play Russian roulette and let her load the gun, "Not really, I prefer classic romances, like Pride and Prejudice, or Persuasion. I love a good fantasy novel, and if an action book has a good storyline, or particularly likeable protagonist then I'll read it."

"Oh," Billy looked confused for a moment, "Action? Like a crime or spy book?"

Lizzy sighed, "More like one of Matthew Reilly's books. Scarecrow series is about Marines and their missions. But I prefer the Seven Ancient Wonders books, a dollop of history, a scoop of mystery and a grand spanking lot of action," She smiled wickedly, "It's like a never ending climax. (1)"

Billy blushed and muttered something about needing a new reference book before wandering off. Lizzy sighed in contentment, for the two seconds she had in peace.

"Lizzy!" the screech echoed through the bustling shopping centre, Lizzy scrunched up her shoulders and tried to hide from the stares of the other shoppers. "Lizzy!! Denny is here! Come and talk to him and his new friend!"

She sighed and squared her shoulders, leaving the shop, barely noticing Billy join her, she really should be used to Lydia's abominable manners by now, she was ever bit like their mother and Cathy was just a copy cat who would follow Lydia to the moon and back if she was told to.

George Wickham was still bored, he and Denny had seen a great movie, one that could only be considered the next Blair Witch project of its time, but he could shake off his boredom. He itched for society. Female society in particular, he had already become a regular customer at the local unlicensed brothel, and if he might say so himself, quite a favourite. Nevertheless, tangling oneself between the sheets with a whore was very different to the challenge of getting a woman there without money. Meeting a new woman, charming her with good looks, personality, and humour, gaining her trust and finally succeeding in conquering her was what Wickham craved. He liked to watch their spirit break as he walked away tossing a flippant, "don't worry about breakfast" over his shoulder. It was the kind of adrenaline rush that even drugs and alcohol could not give you, not to mention the personal pleasure involved. Yes, it can be said, that George Wickham was on the look out for a young woman with some spirit, with some spunk and with innocence ready for the plucking.

"Lydia, you sexy thing, get that booty over here!" Denny cried out suddenly. George looked up and saw three girls come towards him. The first, presumably Lydia bounced over and flung herself into Denny's waiting arms. She dressed as though she was 21, but the innocent look on her face and the slight puppy fat about her cheeks indicated she was about 15 or 16. She was dressed in a skirt to short for the cold Melbourne weather, and a black t-shirt with "My eyes are ­" written across the breast. She was followed by a girl of approximately the same age, who looked enough like her to be a sister, dressed more warmly in thigh hugging jeans and a t-shirt with a metallic shield printed on it. He sighed; both looked much too easily lead on, nothing like the vivacious girls Denny had told him about. Although, he thought, noticing a leggy blonde walking gracefully behind them, I distinctly remember him saying there were five sisters. He surveyed Jane in her plain jeans and thin jumper, she was pretty to be sure, much prettier than anyone he had ever seen before, but she had a look in her eyes that he had seen before. He thought of it as the, "I'm too nice to ever fall for your tricks" look. No, pretty as she was, she would not do. He smiled at her, turning towards the people Lydia was yelling at. A pair of soft green eyes met his. Yes, he decided, she would do.

"Hello," a deep baritone, with the slightest of accents, greeted Lizzy as she and Billy met up with her sisters and their friends. Lizzy smiled as she turned to the stranger, his brown eyes smiling with sincerity as he held out a hand to her. She grasped it gently and cocked her head to the side.

"You must be Denny's new friend."

He smirked, "He's already told you about me?" This was too perfect, she was attractive, and had a glint in her eyes, which seemed to dare him to try. She stood before him in holey jeans, a black long sleeved top under a soft brown t-shirt with "Dance With Me" written in script all over it. Her messy curls gave her a wild look, and George liked that. It was a weird fetish he had, the breaking of a girl's spirit, and a dangerous one.

"Actually," she arched an eyebrow and glanced towards Lydia who was now sitting on the rail of the balcony overlooking the next level, her arms around Denny's waist. "I heard it from the town crier."

George grinned broadly, showing perfect white teeth that shone against the olive glow of his skin. Lizzy liked the look of him. Like Will Darcy, whom she found only physically attractive because she found she could not stand his company, he was tall and dark. Standing next to him her head just reached his shoulder, and he dressed in dark clothes to perpetuate his 'brooding poet' look. He let his long straight black hair flop into his eyes, and the accent she could detect was slightly Irish, possibly English and most likely a combination of a childhood of both. Unlike Will Darcy however, she found him instantly likeable and friendly. So when Lydia jumped off her throne and dashed over, flicking her hair out of her face in a flirtatious manner to say, "We are going to our aunts tonight, a little friendly gathering, you must come with Denny. Please?" She battered her eyelashes, but George looked up at Lizzy first, the question in his eyes. Lizzy smiled gently, indicating she would not mind.

"Well, if Denny's going then I better go, if not just to make sure he doesn't woo all the pretty girls." George glanced at Lizzy, making sure he lingered long enough for her to notice, she blushed ever so slightly. "But first, I must know your sisters name."

"Oh," Lizzy laughed, "Elizabeth, but only old ladies and Billy call me that, please call me Lizzy."

"Very well Liz. I am George Wickham. However before I say how much I am looking forward to furthering our acquaintance tonight I must ask, who is this Billy? Not a boyfriend I hope." Lizzy laughed, the merry sound of a bell ringing.

"No, he is my cousin. The one standing glaring at us from a distance right now." George turned to look and went white. It was not a staring Billy that he saw.

"What do you think?" Charles asked Will for the hundredth time, "Do you think the blues and greens are right? I mean, do you think Jane and Lizzy would like them?" Will turned to Charles.

"Jane and Lizzy?"

Charles blushed, "Well, err…you always stare at…I mean to say, um..they both are very creative and I don't want to disappoint them." It was Will's turn to blush. He should have known Charles would notice his infatuation with Lizzy; they were, after all, vest friends.

"Yes, they are. Very nice, pretty girls." Will answered steadfastly staring at a group of people at the other end of the centre.

Charles regained his confidence when he knew he had hit the nail on the head. "I remember a time when you called her a savage and 'not pretty enough to tempt you'. Changed your mind have you?"

Will smiled before saying, "I remember a time when you cried while watching the Mulan Rouge, but I don't bring that up do I?" Charles laughed.

They walked towards the exit, Charles glancing at Country Road and muttering something about Caroline's birthday. Will ignored him; his focus on the arbitrary group opposite had sharpened. He recognised that figure, those curly locks, it was her. His pace quickened, and at the same moment Charles recognised Jane and his step matched Wills perfectly. Will saw that lizzy stood talking to a man, he could not see the mans face but he felt jealousy spread through his body, she never smiled and laughed and flirted with him like that. He also noticed another man, squat and slimy staring aggressively at the pair. By now, they were all level, then Will heard a name he had hoped to never hear again, and a memory he had no wish to remember flashed before his eyes. Georgina, crying, her heart bruised to match her face. It was gone and Will stood stock still, staring at the strangers back, a gut wrenchingly familiar back. He forced back the urge to turn tail and run, or to leap at him. He heard Lizzy laugh, that beautiful tinkling sound he had grown to love, like a wind chime caught in a summer's breeze. Then, the man in black turned and Will felt his jealousy turn to pure black hatred.

Lizzy stared in surprise at Will Darcy. He stood in the most aggressive pose, his legs spread and tense, his hands in fists by his sides, and his beautiful, though Lizzy refused to let herself think of them as such, face scrunched up in a scowl. Pure, unadulterated hate radiated from him, an animosity that seemed directed at her new friend. George looked stunned, like he had been hit by a truck, his remained half turned, his teasing smile still half on his face as the other half of his face stared in horror.

"Lizzy," Will said, his gaze not moving from George, but his voice was soft, almost as though he was afraid of what he might say.

"Hello Will." she replied as softly, she didn't want to break the staring match the two seemed to be having, in case it broke out into an all out brawl. Will took a step forward and Lizzy felt his gaze snap to her as she flinched, expecting him to throw a punch. His face fell, and he walked past, his body still tense, his face neutral, but for a fleeting second before his mask slipped into place Lizzy thought she saw something. A look of agony, of hatred and of defeat. For a second before his self-assuming, arrogant mask was back she felt her heart go out to him. Then his face hardened and he walked away, leaving Charles behind talking to Jane and her sisters, oblivious of the silent confrontation. George said nothing and Lizzy could not figure out what to say to him. She licked her lips and with a final glance at Will's retreating back moved into the other conversation.

"Please Charles; might Denny and George come tomorrow too?" Lydia was pleading unabashedly, he arms gripping Denny's.

"Of course, I had already invited all our friends from Meryton, but your new friend is certainly more than welcome. The more the merrier I say." he paused and looked around to confirm this thought with Will but he was gone. Lizzy caught his eye and tipped her head towards the door where Will could be seen standing looking out onto the car park. "I better go, got lots to do, but please, we would love you there." He hurried off to see his friend. Lizzy and Jane shared a glance and announced it was time for them to leave. After Lydia extracted a promise from George to see him that night, they left. Lydia bounced along with Cathy, giggling about how handsome George and Denny were. Billy walked grumpily behind Lizzy and Jane, wishing he had smacked that handsome smile of George's face, or said something to prove to Elizabeth that he was the superior male. Jane glided along beside Lizzy, a smile serenely lighting up her face as she thought about how Charles had turned at the last minute to blow her a kiss.

And Lizzy? She walked along without noticing a thing around her, her mind filled with the hate filled eyes of Will Darcy and the shocked eyes of George Wickham. There was something she was missing, beyond the origin of this confrontation, she was sure of it. Lizzy Bennet had much to think about.

(1) I do of course mean a climax (high point) in a story, but for those of you with dirty minds like my friends or mine ;).

A/N Ok, so there is Wickham. I hate him so I want to make him a really bad guy. However, he is not a rapist; he is just one of those assholes who will do anything to sleep with women, especially when they are a bit of a challenge. Next chapter I am going to do Wickham's story, and Charles conversation with Darcy, because Will is a good guy and we all love him. Also, have I mentioned anywhere what colour eyes Will has? I cannot see it but then I miss these things.