Chapter 2: Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy

Charles Bingley sat across from his friend, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. He waited patiently while Darcy ended his business call, then repeated his question, "So Darcy are you coming or not?" he demanded to know.

Darcy let out a heavy sigh. "I swear Charles, you are worse than a child," he said to him as he closed the files in front of him. "Where is this party you want me to attend?" he asked impatiently.

"It's at the home of Mr. Lucas. He's a family friend of Jane's parents," he explained. "I think you might enjoy yourself if you can stop working long enough to come and relax."

"There is nothing wrong with hard work Charles," Darcy said. "However, I gave you my word, so I will come to the party and meet this wonderful young woman who has captured your attention."

"She has captured much more than my attention Darcy. She's well on her way to winning my heart," Charles admitted.

Darcy looked surprised. "Really, but the two of you just met a few weeks ago, I thought?" he asked trying to remember when his friend first mentioned Jane Bennet to him.

"Yes, that's true it has only been a few weeks, and yet I feel as if I've known her my entire life," Charles said as he thought about Jane.

Darcy pushed himself away from his desk and walked over to the window. "Tell me again how the two of you met?"

Charles laughed. "Darcy, I have already told you, we met by chance. She was working, and I accidentally bumped into her," he said to his friend for the tenth time.

"That's right you mentioned that she was doing some photography work," he remembered. "I'm looking for someone to do Georgiana's graduation portraits. Perhaps if she's any good, I will ask Miss Bennet to do Georgiana's portraits for me."

Charles let out a small sigh. "Funny thing about that is Jane wasn't the photographer," he reluctantly admitted.

Darcy turned around and looked intently at his friend. "I don't follow, if she's not a photographer then what line of work is she in?"

Charles hesitated for only a moment. "She's a model," he finally told his friend the truth.

Darcy could hardly believe his ears. "Did you just say that she's a model?" he repeated, sure that he must have misunderstood what his friend said.

Charles nodded, "Yes Darcy I did. But before you get on your pedestal and begin telling me the dangers and pitfalls of dating a woman from the fashion world, please just let me assure you that Jane is different. She's not like any other woman I've ever known."

"Oh really. I suppose she isn't interested in the fact that you are a wealthy businessman, who is single and has a great deal of influence that could help further her career," Darcy said sarcastically.

"No Darcy, she's not at all like that," Charles told him emphatically. "She's truly very sweet, witty, intelligent, with a very gentle spirit, and utterly charming. I honestly have never met anyone like her."

Darcy was losing his patience. "Charles I'm sure this young lady is all those things. But you and I both know you have been down this road before with this kind of woman!"

"And what kind of woman would that be?" Bingley became defensive.

"The kind of woman who is only interested in your bank account, and what you can do for them," he said sarcastically. "Bingley, your last girlfriend," Darcy began to say, but he couldn't remember her name. "What was her name again?"

"Laura," Bingley said reluctantly.

"Yes, Laura Whitfield. The daughter of Thomas Whitfield who just happened to want you to invest large sums of money in his pillow manufacturing idea," Darcy reminded him. "Then there was Sara Lane. Wasn't she the one interested in meeting your friend Drake, who just happened to be a movie producer, who could further help her acting career?"

Charles let out a heavy sigh. "Yes, but I promise you this girl is different. You don't have to take my word for it. Just come to the party tonight and meet Jane for yourself. You will see she's just as I have described her."

Darcy didn't want to hurt his friend's feelings, so he didn't press the matter further. "Alright Charles, I will come, and I won't form an opinion until after I have met her, but you have to promise me one thing."

Charles smiled, "Of course Darcy what is it?" he said glad to see this was not going to turn into another long lecture about his love life.

"Promise me that you will think long and hard before rushing out to marry this girl. I would hate to see you end up in a marriage that you regretted," Darcy warned him. "Remember how things ended with Laura," he reminded him.

He thought about his last girlfriend and nodded his head in agreement. "I give you my word," he said reluctantly. Charles wanted to tell Darcy that he was way off base in even thinking such a thing about Jane. He wanted to tell him of Jane's wonderful character and how completely unlike the two situations were, but he decided against it. Charles knew his friend only had his best interest at heart. He looked up to Darcy, even though they were only two years apart. He trusted and respected his opinion very much. They met while they were both in school at Cambridge, and became best friends. They shared a lot in common, both lost their parents early in life, and both were left with the responsibility of running the family business.

Charles decided not to say anything more. In his heart, he just knew that Darcy would love Jane as soon as he met her. He got to his feet and turned to remind him, "So you will meet me promptly at Netherfield by 6:00 pm sharp?"

Darcy was slightly annoyed by the question, "Charles in all the time you have known me, have I ever been late to any function?"

Charles laughed and said. "No, you have not."

"Then I will be there on time this evening," Darcy called out as Charles left his office. Once the door was closed, he sat back down at his desk and called his cousin. "Richard, I need you to get some information for me," he said. "Her name is Jane Bennet. I want to know everything you can find out about her," he said to him. "I want to know about her job, her family, her friends, her ex-boyfriends, and I need it within the hour."

"What is this about Darcy?" Richard asked. "Who is Jane Bennet?"

"Charles's new love interest," Darcy said. "I just want to make sure this young woman is not like the last one."

"As I recall, Charles ended that relationship before it went anywhere. Why the interest in this one?" Richard asked him.

"Because Charles thinks he's in love again, and I just want to make sure he doesn't do anything foolish," Darcy answered him. "I know your busy, but can you get me that information?"

"Yes, I can get it for you. I will have it to you within the hour," Richard said before he hung up the phone.

Darcy pulled open his laptop and began reading through his files. He wondered why his friend was always chasing after every beautiful face without regard to his reputation or his family's position. Charles was his best friend, besides his cousin Richard, the two of them were his constant support when his father passed away, and he considered them his family. It was only natural that he would want to check this girl out before things got too carried away. He felt a certain obligation to look out for Charles, and as his friend, he wanted the best for him.