Chapter Five
Around half an hour later the doorbell rang again, this time announcing the arrival of Bingley's step-mother, Yulia, and his two step-sisters, Caroline and Louisa. Louisa brought with her husband, Gordon, and their three young children, Olivia and Matthew, twins who were three and baby Anna, who was one.
Elizabeth and Jane regarded the family from a distance as Yulia, in a wave of Clive Christian No. 1 and with a swirl of her long, bohemian-style dress, swept both Charles and Darcy into hugs, planting kisses on their cheeks.
Elizabeth noted with no little interest that Darcy did not seem to resent Yulia's formidable embrace, and in fact kissed her cheek and smiled affectionately at her.
Turning to fix her attention on the two young women standing in the kitchen, Yulia glanced at them for a few seconds before pointing to Jane and then Elizabeth, confidently declaring in a lilting Eastern-European accent, "Jane and Elizabeth!" pulling Jane and then Elizabeth into warm embraces.
While Yulia was exclaiming her happiness over Jane and Charles' new relationship, Elizabeth moved beyond them to where Yulia's daughters and son-in-law were speaking with Darcy and introduced herself.
While Louisa's ability to give her full-attention to the introduction was compromised by the baby in her arms and the two young children circling her feet, Caroline was attentive and amiable, if considerably more reserved than her mother's.
Caroline had dark, almost black hair that was cut into a sleek bob that ended just above her shoulders. Her hazel eyes were expertly made up and she wore bright red lipstick that matched her bright red trousers and blazer. She had the thin, willowy build similar to those found on runways in Paris and Milan and clasped an oversized handbag in her perfectly manicured hand.
Louisa, on the other hand, shared only her sister's eyes as she was shapely where her sister was slight and her ash-brown hair fell in waves past her shoulders. Resting on her ring finger was perhaps the largest, most glittery diamond Lizzy had ever set eyes upon.
By the time they sat down to eat it was clear that Louisa was not only the primary, but seemingly the only, caretaker of the children, as she attempted to simultaneously bottle-feed a wailing Anna and keep the energetic Olivia and Matthew in their chairs while her husband Gordon was engrossed in a conversation with Darcy about something to do with their respective businesses.
Eventually, Yulia lured Olivia over to sit beside her and fed her little bits of potato, egg, vegetables and fruit while carrying on a conversation with Jane in the way only a woman who has single-handedly raised three children can.
Caroline, for all her reserved nature and red-lipstick, placed Matthew on her lap, allowing him to toy with her bracelet and other items found in her purse, granting Louisa some much-needed respite.
As Yulia, satisfied that she had learned a sufficient amount about her step-son's new beau for the time being, turned her attention to Elizabeth, asking her questions about her job at The Acorn and her unlikely path to becoming a chef, Elizabeth felt Darcy's eyes on her from across the table.
Attempting to recapture the ease and confidence she had felt before she had noticed Darcy's gaze fix upon her, Elizabeth launched into a discussion of the various restaurant scenes of different American cities with Yulia, glancing every so often at Darcy to see if he was still watching her.
Sensing her discomfort, Yulia glanced quickly at Darcy before lowering her voice and moving closer to Elizabeth, as if to confide a secret of a particularly private nature.
"Don't let William here unnerve you. He has a way of intimidating people, but…" She said, glancing once again at Darcy who was now staring with renewed intensity at both Elizabeth and Yulia.
"I think he rather fancies you." She said giggling and causing Darcy to abruptly look away from them both.
Elizabeth smiled benevolently, unwilling to contradict Yulia's perception of Darcy's stares despite the fact that she knew the real reason behind them.
"It is hard for him to find someone, given who he is." Yulia continued. Had Elizabeth been feeling less amiable, she might have countered that perhaps that had more to do with the gentleman in question's arrogant and condescending personality but since it was Jane's special day and Yulia was a new-and quite frankly lovely-acquaintance, Elizabeth simply smiled in return.
"I used to worry about Charles meeting someone. If they would really like him for him and what not. But for William, it is on an entirely different level."
Yulia leaned even closer into Elizabeth and lowered her voice to mere whisper.
"The number of people who have resorted to outright lies and deception in an attempt to win the affections of William Darcy I cannot even begin to imagine, but I have seen too many who would sell their very souls for a chance at the Darcy name and fortune." Yulia paused for a moment, as if in deep thought before continuing, this time reaching over to pat Elizabeth's hand.
"Don't let his reserved nature fool you. The man fancies you dear, even if he doesn't know it yet."
After everyone finished eating the party moved to the living room where Elizabeth found herself seated next to Caroline. Despite the woman's impeccably polished appearance and reserved nature Elizabeth discovered that she provided conversation that was both warm and entertaining, enlightening Elizabeth with stories of some of the more eccentric members of New York's upper-crust.
While Elizabeth listened to Caroline recount the details of an encounter with a particularly difficult client, Elizabeth noted little Anna approaching her father with outstretched arms, asking to be lifted up onto the couch beside him. After being lifted onto the couch Anna proceed to reach for Darcy's watch. When her father attempted to move her away, Elizabeth watched with close attention as Darcy waved his hand to dismiss Gordon, letting Anna fiddle with, and eventually undo his watch.
Caroline followed Elizabeth's gaze to Anna and Darcy on the couch and smiled.
"He's always been great with kids. Much better than he is with adults," she said, laughing.
Meanwhile, Will was attempting to appear to listen to Gordon drone on about the stock market while really, discreetly, keeping tabs on Elizabeth as he'd been doing throughout the entire morning. Early, while Elizabeth was talking to Yulia he was sure he'd been mentioned as Elizabeth had smirked over at him as soon as Yulia had leaned in to talk to her. He knew Yulia well enough to know that whatever she was saying would not be unfavourable to him, and in fact, was likely positive, but he still felt acutely uncomfortable and anxious under Elizabeth's gaze. Now, as Caroline smilingly looked over at him and Anna on the couch the feeling of anxiety returned and he watched Elizabeth carefully appraise him while listening to Caroline speak. After what she had overheard him say-about herself nonetheless-the most glowing praise from the President himself likely could not change her opinion of William Darcy, something that was beginning to bother him more and more.