CHAPTER FIVE

Lizzie, was floating; not only did she feel beautiful, but Jane was here at Tempest Glen. The night was turning out to be absolutely wonderful. Lizzie noticed that it seemed to be going the saw way for Jane. Charlie was being super attentive to her and making sure she was comfortable and enjoying everything Tempest Glen had to offer. Lizzie also noticed that if any attractive male went within of twenty feet of Jane; Charlie would make sure to sweep her onto the dance floor. Lizzie couldn't say she minded the idea of Jane and Charlie together; she thought they would make a great couple; she also made a note to mention this to Jane after the ball was done.

Lizzie was also enjoying the music; it was surprisingly modern for the setting of the masque, but she wasn't complaining. The front man for the band was really hot and she was enjoying watching him sing so passionately; especially when the notes he was singing took his vocals into a low scream. She was so fixated on the band playing that she didn't notice the shadow moving behind her.

"Hello there; fair maiden." a raspy voice whispered into her ear.

Lizzie jerked around startled; to see a fair haired man, in a pale grinning mask; that gave him the look of a malicious imp. "Hi." she responded, unsure if she found him compelling or repulsive.

"I've never seen you at one of Will's masques before." he breathed, brushing his hand over her shoulder.

"I've only been in residence a year." Lizzie said by way of explanation, feeling a shiver down her spine at the brush of his hand.

"Ah, that explains it." he commented. " I apologize if I seem too forward; you caught my eye standing all alone looking so lovely I couldn't resist the urge to talk to you."

Lizzie felt herself blush; at his words. It had been a long time since anyone of the male persuasion had told her she was lovely; or even pretty, and after the sting of William Darcy's words; this man's compliments were a soothing balm.

"Thank you; that's very sweet." She replied, feeling thankful for her mask and that the lights were so dim; to cover up the blush that was creeping her neck and spreading all over her face.

"I'm Jack Wickham, by the way. I play drums in Will's band." He said introducing himself.

"Elizabeth Bennet; I'm the nanny here at Tempest Glen." Lizzie replied.

Jack shook his head. "Will has all the luck; if I was as lucky to have such a beautiful woman as yourself in my home I would be dancing with her not leaving her alone."

Lizzie grinned at his smooth words; feeling that there was some sort of rivalry between this Jack Wickham and William Darcy. "Well, you could ask me to dance yourself." she hinted; knowing that if her hunch was correct the fact that a member of his household was dancing with his rival would get a rise out of William Darcy; and that would be just perfect.

Lizzie watched as Jack's eyes turned up in a grin; at her suggestion. "The Lady, is very bold." he commented flirtatiously. "Well, Miss Elizabeth would you care to dance." Jack asked; as the band struck a heavy fast beat; the hint of their Latin heritage obvious in their music.

"I would be delighted." Lizzie responded, and was pleased when Jack put his hand on her hip and jerked her close to him; before leading her out on the floor.

Will.

Will watched furiously; as Jack sidled over to the beautiful woman; and engaged her in conversation. His fury only grew as he watched her apprehension turned into liking. The woman was actually falling for the lies spewing from his wretched mouth.

Will you did the same at one point. His subconscious pricked him gently with a dose of reality, and he knew that he could lie to everyone else, but he couldn't lie to himself. At one point he had even held a great respect for the deceiving wretch, but that was before he had caught Jack trying to seduce a fifteen year old Georgiana.

As if on cue; the now Twenty-one year old Georgiana danced up to Will.

"She's quite beautiful isn't she." Georgian commented in her gently teasing way.

"Who?" Will asked choosing to play dumb, but not completely able to keep a small smile playing on his lips.

"The woman in that very funky vintage dress." Georgiana said looking at him her gray eyes sparkling.

Will turned to look at his sister; surprised to find that they were almost the same height. She had turned into an adult practically over night.

"She's no more attractive than anyone else in this room." Will commented; feigning disregard.

"You my twit of a brother; are a horrible liar." Georgiana said; playfully smacking him on the arm. "You should ask her to dance. She seems like she would be pleasant company." Georgiana observed, as the woman animatedly replayed some story, by waving her hands around and laughing.

"If you haven't noticed she's dancing with the seducer of infants Jack Wickham." Will pointed out.

"Well you have a hero complex; go save the poor girl." Georgiana retorted, before dancing off into the crowd.

"I will not ask her to dance." Will muttered to himself; crossing his arms as if trying to keep his body from taking off on it's own accord. "I refuse."

William's resolve only lasted until Jack came sweeping by; as if taunting Will in the worst way, and then without even thinking about it Will took off across the dance floor at a dramatic pace.

The next thing he knew he was towering over Jack and the woman; and asking if he could cut in.

"You will do as wish." Jack commented nastily, but Will chose to ignore his rude behavior. What else was to be expected from someone like Jack.

"Would you care to dance?" Will asked the woman; wanting her agreement; not Jack's.

The woman looked taken aback, but then was nodding her consent. "Sure, I mean yes."

Will nodded, before placing his hand gently on her waist; and leading her out to the floor just as the band started up another song.

The heavy guitar started in, and the Will felt electricity fill the air.

"Do you feel that." the woman whispered in wonder.

"It's magic." Will explained promptly; just as the Latin Guitar picked up.

"You're my favorite explosion." the front man sang longingly; as Will the energy in the room urged him to pull her closer.
"A violin with no hands plays symphonies with no words."

Will looked into her eyes; to find that the spark in them and the color was very familiar. "Do I know you?" he asked; dipping her back and found himself leaning down almost pressing his lips to her ivory neck.
 "I spit my heart into this red cup,"

"Yes you know me." She responded her voice husky.
"True love comes from more than just the heart."

"How; do I know you?" Will questioned; twirling her across the floor along to the music's fast pace.
 "She said paint a picture on me,"

He could hear the smile in her voice when she responded with; "you really don't know me?"
"Throw your dress up and your heart away."

Will looked at her closely; the shade of her hair was also familiar. "I suppose you must work here at Tempest Glen." he commented, trying to get her to reveal who she was.
 I'll steal you flowers from the cemetery,"

"Possibly." she replied breathless.

"Red roses."

Will brushed his fingers across her hip; dipping her back almost to the floor; his lips brushing themselves across her neck.

"Red rose of the dead,"

Will felt her shiver as he brought her up; and continued to glide with her across the floor.

"You've only met me once." she said by way of a hint.
 "How does it feel to breathe oxygen inside her head?"

"Are you one Caroline's friends?" Will couldn't help but ask.
 "So say it; so say I'm in love."

"No!" she replied firmly just as the song ended; both of them out of breath; just watching each other.

Will should have know what was coming when he saw the quirk of her lips, but unfortunately he did not.

She took a small step back; before dramatically ripping of her mask; to reveal the grinning, impish face of his Nanny.

"Elizabeth Bennet, at your service." She grinned at him; before dipping into a low curtsy.

Will felt as if he had been slapped; it couldn't be her! His mind protested; her hair had been much shorter two days ago, and she wasn't nearly half as attractive when he had seen her the first time. He wanted a suave, cold, nonchalant response, but all that would come out was; "y-your hair."

"Yeah...about that." she said tugging on a auburn lock; as if she had forgotten in was there. "I think we need to speak somewhere privately." she suggested; her eyes rolling the direction of the mass crowd they were standing in the middle of.

"Y-yes, I think we do." Will said getting a grip on himself; before grabbing her elbow and all but dragging her out of one of the side doors off the ballroom and into a dark hall.

"One of these rooms will do." Will muttered; as he threw open a dusty unused bedroom.

"What's your problem?" Lizzie demanded jerking her elbow away from his iron grip. "It was just a dance."

"It was not just a dance!" he growled; slamming the oak door shut, and striding across the room to stand over Lizzie.

"Look; I've lived in this country a year; and I understand that you guys can be slightly old fashioned; well at least; Mrs Bell can, but I expected you to be-I don't know-in touch with modern society." She said staring pointedly at the silver hoop in his lip.

"You do not understand what is going to happen in just a few hours!" He roared.

"Actually," Lizzie said sheepishly, "I might know more than you think."

Will stopped fuming and roaring like a caged animal; he turned to her with a strange gleam in his eyes. "What is it that you think you know, Miss Elizabeth?" he said dangerously quiet.

Lizzie found that she actually preferred him roaring and carrying on, instead of staring at her almost predatorily, but she knew it wouldn't do to show weakness.

"I know that you are under some sort of curse; that was caused by something your ancestor did." she replied looking him dead in the eyes; as if daring him to roar at her.

"Explain to me how you came about this knowledge?" he asked and if it had not been for the dangerous edge in his tone; Lizzie would have said he was actually being polite.

"Your ancestor came to me in a dream."

"Did my ancestor happen to tell you that me and everyone in this house; at the stroke of midnight are going to be completely cut of from the modern world and transported into the land of Between?" Will demanded.

"No...he kind of forgot that part." she said feeling both smug and shocked. Smug because the plan worked just as Mrs Bell said it would; and shocked because unless Will was a raving lunatic, which was entirely possible, she had just discovered something bad was about to go down.

"Everyone in this household that you know; will take the base form of their bloodline; for Mrs Bell that means she becomes a mermaid; for Charlie he becomes a knight; Caroline becomes a enchantress-"

"What about you, Will?" She asked interrupting him. "What exactly do you become?"

Will stopped in his tracks, so to speak, this was the first time she had actually said his name, and it felt strange to hear it on a woman's tongue. He turned and looked at her shimmering in the moonlight that shining through a single arched window. She looked entirely too small to handle what was going to happen at midnight.

"That you will have to see for yourself." he responded mysteriously. "Which you will; because you've been chosen as Beauty to my Beast."