Six years ago
"Hurry Lizzy!" Lydia cried. "Or we're going to be late for the Merryweathers' cookout. I don't want to miss it. I hear there are going to be college boys there."
"One more year of high school and I will be surrounded by college boys all of the time," Kitty gushed.
"You don't have to brag about it," Lydia snapped at her sister. Suddenly, she reached for her sister's hair. "Hey, let me borrow that gold headband of yours. It will look perfect with my tank."
"No! It's mine. Mom, tell her that she can't take my headband," Kitty whined to Mrs. Bennet.
"Oh, for heaven's sake, Kitty! Let her borrow your blessed headband. She'll give it back to you later. Lizzy! Jane dear! Are you almost ready?" their mother called.
In a room upstairs, Lizzy rolled her eyes as she finished pulling her hair into a pony tail. Hearing the argument being had downstairs, she exchanged a knowing smile with her older sister Jane. All of this was very typical. Just another day in the Bennet household. But this would not be the norm for much longer. Her beloved Jane had just graduated from college and had plans to take a job teaching Kindergarten a few towns away in Hampden. How she would miss the simple days of their childhood and adolescence! The carefree and lazy days of summer, the exciting and busy autumn school days, the festive holiday seasons, and the new beginning of each spring. Those days were almost at an end. Even though her sister would not be far away things would be forever changed. Soon they would be getting married, having children. It was just too much change. Lizzy was not a fan. She liked things the way they were.
"Oh, Kitty and Lydia are at it again," Jane observed. "I do hope we can have some peace on the car ride over."
"Why don't I just drive us there? That way we can avoid any unnecessary drama."
"I kind of want us to go all together. This is my last summer home after all. Then I'm officially a grown up and have to pay bills and all the other unpleasant things adults have to deal with."
"Fine. But you're gonna be sorry ten minutes down the road." After applying just a hint of lip gloss, she turned towards her sister. "OK. I think I'm ready. Let's go."
Lizzy stared out the window as her father drove the 10 miles to the Merryweathers' beach house. No decent conversation could take place with all the bickering taking place between her younger sisters and on occasion her mother and father. She had forgotten to bring a book or her iPod so she contented herself with counting the houses that passed instead.
She couldn't help but feel a little melancholy. Three months was such a short time to spend with her sister before she moved. Not only that, but she was starting to feel lonely. So many of her college friends were getting engaged or planning their weddings. She felt left out. She had gone on dates of course but had never been in a serious relationship. She was still a virgin which didn't bother her much. She knew she could only sleep with a man she was in love with, but she was starting to doubt if she would ever fall in love. Lizzy mentally shrugged her shoulders. If it was meant to be, it would happen. If not, she would travel the world and live life as she pleased.
Plate of food in hand, Lizzy sat next to Jane on her blanket on the sand. A wistful smile was on Jane's face.
"What are you smiling about?" Lizzy asked.
"Oh, nothing." Jane said as she quickly averted her gaze, but not before Lizzy caught what or rather who she was looking at.
"Hmm, he doesn't look like nothing to me," Lizzy teased. "Do you know him?"
Jane shrugged. "Not really. I know his name is Charles Bingley. I met him last week when I helped dad at the hardware store. He's renting a house here for the summer and one of the light switches wasn't working."
"And he's perfectly dreamy and everything you could ever wish for in a man." Lizzy said as Jane glared at her and playfully hit her on the arm. "Oh, look! He's coming this way."
Jane hurriedly ran her fingers through her long blonde hair and adjusted the bottom of her shirt. "Do I look OK?" she whispered.
"Of course, you always look good. You are the only Bennet girl blessed with beauty."
"Oh hush, Lizzy. You're very pretty too and you know it."
By the time Jane had finished grooming herself, Charles and another man had walked over. One man was tall and blond with a ready smile. The other man was quite possibly the most handsome man Lizzy had ever seen. He was taller than his friend with dark brown hair and piercing blue eyes. Man, she hoped he wasn't the one her sister had a crush on.
"Jane, is it? It's me Charles. We met at the hardware store the other day," said the blond man, causing Lizzy to breathe a sigh of relief. The tall, dark and handsome man was still available.
"Yes, I remember," Jane said, smiling. "Glad you could make it tonight."
"Wouldn't miss it for the world once I knew you were coming. But where are my manners? Let me introduce you to my friend Will Darcy. Darcy, this is Jane and..."
"This is my sister Lizzy," Jane supplied.
"Nice to meet you Lizzy," Charles replied.
Lizzy noticed that Charles's friend failed to say anything, just nodded his head in acknowledgment. What was wrong with him? Was he mute?
"Charles!" They heard a woman's voice call. Looking in the direction of where the voice came from, Lizzy noticed a tall, brunette woman with an annoyed expression on her face.
"If you'll excuse us," Charles said. "It looks like my sister needs to speak with me. The band's getting ready to play. When I come back in a bit would you like to dance?"
Jane smiled and flashed her baby blues. "Of course."
As the two men walked away, Lizzy turned to her sister and whispered, "He's cute. His friend's not too bad looking either, but a little strange and a little too quiet."
A permanent smile seemed stuck on Jane's face. "Maybe his friend is just shy. But oh Lizzy, isn't Charles just wonderful?"
"Yes, indeed he is."
"Girls," Mrs. Bennet whispered conspiratorially. "I saw the two young men you were speaking to. I must say well done. You picked the two most eligible bachelors at the entire party. They both just finished Harvard Law. Apparently they're spending the summer in Bar Harbor for a much needed vacation before going back to work in New York. Your aunt told me that they're both from very wealthy families. Wouldn't it be wonderful if Jane could wind up marrying one of them? It would be nice to finally have a bit of financial security. Your father isn't the best at keeping his business afloat."
"Mom, Dad tries his best," Lizzy admonished. Her father's failing hardware store was just another sore spot in the miserable marriage her parents had. Lizzy often wondered why they didn't get a divorce. They were both clearly unhappy.
"Well, he could try harder is all I say, but never mind, it looks like the two men are headed your way again Jane," Mrs. Bennet exclaimed in a barely concealed whisper.
"Hello again Jane, I'm here to claim that dance you promised me," Charles smiled, showing off his dimples.
Jane nodded. "Yes, of course. Let me introduce you to my mother, Mrs. Bennet. Mom, this is Charles Bingley and his friend Will Darcy."
"Nice to meet you ma'am," Charles said, offering his hand for Mrs. Bennet to shake.
Will said nothing again, just nodded that confounded head of his in reply.
"Wow, handsome and polite. I think we have a winner here. Well, I won't keep you two. Go ahead. Dance," Mrs. Bennet ordered, shooing the two towards the gazebo where other couples were already dancing. "And you, Darcy is it? My daughter Lizzy loves to dance as well and she doesn't have a partner at the moment. What do you say? Why don't you two dance?"
"Thank you, Mrs. Bennet, but I don't really dance."
"Let this be one of the times that you do."
"If you'll excuse me..." he said before jetting off in another direction.
"Well, I've never," Lizzy's mother huffed. "The rudeness of that man! Well at least Jane has found someone with good manners. And he's a nice looking man to boot. If I were twenty years younger, I'd give Jane a run for her money."
Lizzy rolled her eyes and settled in for a long night.
"Hey Darcy, you busy?" Charles asked, walking up to his friend.
"No. I am bored. Out of my mind," Will replied. He couldn't believe he'd allowed his friend to trick him into coming here. Who had invited them to this shindig anyway?
"Well, I know just the thing to cure your boredom. They're about to start the three legged race. Jane and I are paired up, but Jane's worried because Lizzy doesn't have anyone to race with her."
"Lizzy? Her sister? The one who looks like a tomboy?"
"She's a lovely girl."
Will shot a look at his friend. "She's OK looking. Nothing special. Definitely not as hot as that Jane chick you're hanging out with tonight."
"Come on, Darcy. Do you always have to be such a prick? Loosen up. Be a little spontaneous for once in your life."
Will rolled his eyes. "I don't think running in a three legged race counts as being spontaneous. You go. Hang out with Jane. See where that leads. I'm going to stay with your sisters. I'm not really interested in rubbing elbows with a bunch of flannel wearing rednecks on their day off from lobstering."
"Fine. Your loss," Charles shot as he headed off to find Jane.
Just as soon as his friend left. Will heard a giggle nearby. Looking over his shoulder, he noticed Jane's sister, Lizzy. Crap! She must have overheard the whole conversation. She didn't look upset though. She looked amused. Her eyes glanced in his direction for a split second. Laughter and a bit of devilishness lay behind those brown orbs of hers. In the space of a few seconds, the tomboyish girl had become an intriguing enigma.
"Then he said, I'm not really interested in rubbing elbows with a bunch of flannel wearing rednecks on their day off from lobstering."
"Oh, Lizzy," her friend Charlotte gasped in between giggles. "You see the humor in everything."
"I have to or else I will drive myself mad. I've always heard that handsome men are rarely charming. Guess it's true in his case."
"But he is very handsome, isn't he? Deep down I bet you wish he wasn't such a jerk."
Lizzy smiled wistfully. "You caught me." As funny as the whole situation was, it still stung that he had no interest in her. He'd caught her eye from the moment she saw him. Apparently, he hadn't had the same reaction. Oh, well, she thought to herself, shrugging her shoulders. It wasn't like she would ever see him again.