Greetings all. Happy reading! Thanks for your wonderful support. I've been smiling all weekend and you inspired me again so I've hurried up and written as fast as I could.
Elizabeth Darcy. Lizzy Darcy. Mrs. Elizabeth Darcy. William and Elizabeth Darcy. Elizabeth Grace Darcy. She was sitting in the room she'd occupied for the past week writing her potential future name over and over on the back of her notebook trying out different ways to write it. Her mind had drifted and she looked back down at the back of the notebook mortified by the extent to which she had decorated it with these scribblings. 'I'm acting no better than a 15-year old school girl with a crush on a cute boy,' she thought. When had she become that girl? She was the one who always had it all together. Independent and strong, she'd navigated her way through this foreign country called Harvard with confidence. She needed to shake herself out of this funk and get back in control.
She thought back on the conversation with the Gardiner's. She was grateful for their support and assistance but, in the end, this was her decision to make. 'Trust your instincts.' Those were the final words Maddy Gardiner had said to her when she departed to her room for the night. Well her instincts had gotten her this far in life so she figured it was reasonable advice.
Lizzy hadn't grown up really relying on or trusting anyone. And yet the events of the past month had placed her in a situation where she'd needed to rely on a small band of people to help her. The biggest surprise among all of them was William. Her admissions to his cousin were all quite true. He had become 'a dear friend' and she couldn't deny her attraction to him. She just couldn't figure out what her feelings were beyond that. But maybe she didn't need to right now. Maybe, if she focused on the practical elements of this 'arrangement', that could be enough.
These thoughts propelled her to pick her notebook back up. It was almost 3am when she'd finished writing out her list of questions. Where would they live? Would she move into his condo? If so, would she have her own bedroom? What would happen if she lost her financial aid? What was William's life going to be like once he graduated? What would that mean for her? When she was in NY for the summer, assuming she could get her green card quickly, where would he be living? What kind of relationship was he expecting her to have with Georgie? When could she meet Georgie? How would they explain their relationship to his family? What would they tell their friends? What about their expenses? What were his expectations on her contributions to covering them? To that end, the whole topic of money stressed her out! She hoped they could have an open and frank conversation.
Her mind, emptied out onto the pages of her journal in the form of questions, eased a little. In ten hours, William would be there and she trusted that, one way or another, things would be clearer by the end of Sunday.
Opening her eyes, Lizzy was a little relieved that she must have finally fallen asleep. It was 9:30 and time for her to get this day started. 'What does one wear when they are quizzing their potential future spouse about their future sleeping arrangements?' Lizzy giggled to herself with how ridiculous the thought was. Francesca Benetez would be beside herself, fretting and perseverating over the entire situation. This was one time she was glad her family was not around. She couldn't imagine the cacophony of sounds, shrieks and exclamations that would occur if this was taking place while her family was all here.
After searching through her suitcase, Lizzy determined that one wears an olive green cotton pencil skirt, a cream colored button down top with olive green and rose flowers woven throughout the fabric, and a black cardigan with matching black boots when one goes to such a meeting. Or at least, that was the outfit she managed to put together. Lizzy found the rose colored headband she'd purchased the same day she had found the top at a second hand store in Harvard Square. Makeup seemed a requirement and while she wasn't normally prone to tears, waterproof mascara might be a reasonable call for the day.
It was 10:30 when she came down the stairs to find an empty house. There was coffee brewed and a note from Maddy. "Off to church and then dropping the kids off at various friends houses for the afternoon. Enjoy breakfast and see you before one."
They were very good to her. How would she ever repay them? Well cleaning up the kitchen while they were out could help. Pouring a cup of coffee, Lizzy busied herself with emptying and refilling the dishwasher, wiping down the counters and sweeping the floor of crumbs. She moved herself into the family room and sat down on the floor starting to sort the toys and reorganize them. At noon she thought she could pull lunch together for the their 1:00 meeting. She figured William probably wouldn't have time to eat before he came by and she knew the Gardiners would be famished. Scanning the refrigerator, stuffed with Thanksgiving leftovers, Lizzy pulled out the pumpkin apple soup and began to warm it on the stove. Maddy had given her free reign on choosing and making the soup this year and it was one of her all time favorites. She was about to begin slicing some sourdough bread to accompany the hearty soup when she heard the doorbell. Looking up at the clock she saw that it was 12:15. Was William here early? Quickly, she checked herself in the mirror, lowered the heat on the soup and went to the front door.
She spied William through the glass in the front door. Opening it quickly, she couldn't contain the wide smile that crossed her face. He seemed relieved to see her smiling at him. "I, um, I apologize for being early. It didn't take very long to drop Richard off and I thought I'd just come by. I hope that's ok." William was nervous and, try as he might, he simply couldn't hold it back.
Lizzy realized she'd need to take the lead in making him feel comfortable. "You have perfect timing actually. Why don't you come in and help me fix the rest of lunch. Grabbing his hand, she guided him into the front foyer. She took his coat and smiled to see William dressed in gray flannel slacks and a navy cashmere sweater. 'The blue in the sweater brought out the blue in his eyes. He is devastatingly handsome,' she thought.
"I hope you're ok with leftovers. I am warming some soup and was about to slice some bread to go along with it. If you don't mind taking care of the bread, I can start the salad." Lizzy offered.
"I'm glad you understand the limits of my culinary skills. I think I can handle slicing bread. The soup smells amazing. What kind is it?"
"Roasted pumpkin and apple. When I was twelve, I got really into all things Thanksgiving so I taught myself how to make all kinds of traditional Thanksgiving recipes. This was one of my favorites and I've made it every year since. Maddy humored me this year and let me make this and a few other things for the meal." Lizzy pointed out where to grab a cutting board and got to work on the salad.
"I've finished with the bread. Can I help with anything else?" William asked.
"Place it in this basket and then you can set the table. It'll just be the four of us as the kids are all with friends this afternoon." Directing him to the proper cabinets for the dishes and glassware, Lizzy finished up with the salad sprinkling it with cranberries and pumpkin seeds before tossing it. William finished up with the table and carried out the salad, bread and a pitcher of ice water Lizzy had set on the counter.
Looking over the table Lizzy smiled up at William. "This looks perfect. Thanks for helping. We make a great team don't we?"
William wondered if she'd meant the double entendre. He hoped she did. He couldn't help himself and reached down to place a brief kiss on her lips. Lizzy responded to the touch of his lips and quickly deepened the kiss. William knew he needed to pull away. It was the last thing he wanted to do but, while his offer was hanging out there, he couldn't torture himself or her.
They stood silently trying to recover their wits and their bearings. Swallowing hard, Lizzy was searching for something to say when she heard the Gardiner's coming in through the garage. "Oh, they're here. Do you want to help me ladle out the bowls of soup?"
William still hadn't regained his voice and simply nodded his head in agreement.
"Look at this beautiful table. Thanks for making us lunch Lizzy. I could get used to this." Maddy said with a smile. "You must be William. It's so nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too Mrs. Gardiner. You have a lovely home." William said as he offered his hand.
"Maddy, William and I were just going to ladle out the bowls of soup. Did you want to change after church and then maybe we could have some lunch together?" Lizzy offered.
"Sounds perfect. We'll be down in about 10 minutes."
Walking into the kitchen Lizzy busied herself getting the soup bowels from the cabinet and searching for the soup ladle.
"Um, Lizzy. I'm sorry for letting things get carried away. I'm not trying to put any pressure on you." William said looking at his shoes.
"William, I was an active participant in that kiss. I should apologize to you. I'm not a tease." Looking up at him through those long black eye lashes, William wanted to kiss her again but refrained. He was a gentleman and he could restrain himself.
"Let's get this soup served up. I'm starving and I really want to taste this." William said as he turned towards the counter. Picking up the ladle, he handed it to Lizzy. "You pour the soup and I'll carry it to the table."
"Sounds like a plan." Lizzy said with a grin.
The four of them settled down at the table and began to eat. "Lizzy this soup is better today then it was on Thursday. I think the flavors had a chance to settle." Maddy said breaking the silence.
"I've never had anything like this before. I really love it. My family are Mainers so we usually have lobster bisque on Thanksgiving." William followed.
Lizzy turned a light shade of pink keeping her eyes trained on her soup. Edward and Maddy watch the interchange closely, noticing the awkwardness so common to new relationships. "William, I understand your in your final year of a joint JD-MBA." Edward started.
"Yes sir. I graduate the first week of June. It's hard to believe my days in the classroom are nearly over and I'll be beginning the first of many years of work, I hope."
"You'll be working in your family's business. Is that right?" Edward continued.
"Yes, unfortunately my father passed four years ago and I am now the majority shareholder. There's an excellent management team in place and I've been able to pursue my studies pretty much uninterrupted. Once I am done however, it's expected that I will come in and take on a leadership role." William explained.
"That must be a daunting task for one so young." Maddy suggested.
"I've spent every summer for the last seven years working in a different part of the business so I can learn from the bottom up. And of course, my father talked about the business incessantly while I was growing up so I know a lot of the characters. There are a lot of talented people involved in Pemberley and I have no intention of meddling in their work. I will ease my way into the business, getting involved in specific projects so that I can take ownership of strategic initiatives to build my credibility. At the end of the day, my family's wealth and heritage is indelibly linked to the success of Pemberley so it's important to me that my on-boarding goes smoothly and that I'm accepted as an asset to the company."
"What kind of business is Pemberley engaged in?" Edward asked.
"Honestly its a bit of a mish mash of various businesses acquired over the years. The family business started as a vineyard, established in the 1500's in France. Today it's known as D'Arcy Wines. There are a number of land holdings in continental Europe and England that were acquired in between the 1500's and the 1800's. At that point, one of my ancestors expanded into manufacturing, including assets in India. There's a major investment in an Irish crystal and china company. Overtime we've developed a knack for acquiring premium brands in various regions and segments of the consumer markets. We owned a small publishing company at one point but it didn't fit well with the overall portfolio, so we sold it. We try to stay away from fashion and focus on endurable, very high quality, consumer products. We approach the business much like a private equity firm would, honestly assessing the sustainability and growth prospects of each aspect of the business. If something isn't working we either invest the capital and management to turn things around or we sell them. We have rarely sold but have done so when it's obvious something isn't a fit in the long run portfolio."
Lizzy listened closely. She'd never heard William talk about this side of his life and he did so with a passion. She realized that not knowing this piece of him was like only knowing half of what made him tick. 'What would it be like to be married to someone with so much responsibility? With such a legacy? Was she up to that challenge?' She wondered.
Maddy broke her reverie, "Edward, why don't you and William begin talking in the family room. Lizzy and I will clear up from lunch and make some tea. We'll join you in twenty minutes or so, ok?"
"That's perfect dear. See you shortly." Edward said as he stood up from his chair and led William into the family room.
Looking around Edward could see the impact Lizzy had left on the family room. Games were neatly stacked and the dress up clothes were neatly folded in their basket. It was a wonderful effort, even if it would only last for all of twenty minutes once the children got back home. "So William, please take a seat. I know this is awkward, and we're not really Lizzy's parents, but we care a great deal for her. We thought we might be a help to you both as you navigate this momentous decision and any other upcoming challenges."
"Thank you. Honestly, I greatly appreciate it. Neither of us has parents and I know how much I value the relatives I have that support me, regardless of the mistakes or missteps I may make. I am glad Lizzy has you and your wife to support her. She's dealing with a lot." William responded.
"I'm glad we're on the same page then. Is there anything in particular on your mind where I can be helpful? I have some questions but would be interested in anything you have to say first." Edward suggested.
"Actually yes, I do. I assume you know that I too would benefit from being married. Let me be clear, while we would both benefit in the short run from a marriage, if she says no, there is no one else I will be asking. I can only imagine embarking on this crazy scheme with her. She is a one-of-a-kind. And if she says no, I will continue to help her on her immigration issues." William offered.
"That is good to hear. She doesn't have a wide circle of people helping her and it is nice to know that those she is presently relying on won't desert her."
"I would never desert Lizzy," William insisted.
"I spoke with Professor Gilpin this morning. He's an old mentor and friend of mine. He told me some enlightening things about you William. Two new facts that I hadn't quite connected: your uncle is our Senator and net your worth is estimated in the billions. Do you think that Elizabeth is prepared for the notoriety that might come with all that?" Professor Gardiner asked.
"That was something I wanted to speak with you about. I know that Lizzy is not after me because of my wealth and consequence. That's one of the things that appeals to me about her. But I am worried about how she will react to it all. If she says yes, I will need to have her agree to a pre-nuptial agreement. My family's lawyers would kill me if I didn't have one. But I fully intend to take care of her. Probably more than she is currently expecting. While I avoid public notice at all costs, it will likely be picked up by the press. Especially if I'm wedding an illegal immigrant. I am more than prepared for it but she will need to be as well."
"And your uncle, the Senator? How will he feel about it?"
"To be honest, he's been very publicly on our side of the immigration debate in this country. He firmly believes that people like Lizzy shouldn't have to hide in the shadows. I'm sure that FOX News will roast him and so it will be delicate for a time but in the end, it is what it is. He won't be able to undo it and I don't think he would try."
"Let me cut to the chase here. I don't mean to be distrustful William but if and when this gets out to the press, Lizzy will have no recourse but to stay married to you. If she divorces you she will get deported if she hasn't obtained a permanent green card. What guarantees does she have that you won't divorce her if the pressure is too much or someone better comes along?"
William was affronted. How dare he accuse him of such a dishonorable act! He was about to respond when he stopped himself. Professor Gardiner didn't really know him and William knew all too well that there were some very despicable people in the world. His own sister had suffered at the hands of one such person. "I was almost upset sir but as you don't truly know me, and you are only asking because you truly care for Lizzy, I will see if I can assuage your fears." Taking a deep breath, William tried to order his thoughts. Edward Gardiner sat back and waited for William to begin. He thought his questions might offend the young man but he couldn't truly worry about that when Lizzy had so much at stake.
"Sir, I truly care for Elizabeth and her well being. I could likely find at least five women who would marry me just to say they were Mrs. Darcy and would not care one bit about me as a person. I have no interest in any of them. Lizzy wants to take me grocery shopping this afternoon to ensure that I am eating healthily at home. When her roommate Jane was ill, she rode her bike through the rain to make her chicken soup. She is a special person, and, I want to return that care. I want to know her pet peeves and what makes her laugh. When her father left, all I wanted to do was hold her in my arms until she couldn't shed another tear, and then go and yell at him for making her cry. I will do everything in my power to ensure she is happy and safe." William vowed.
"Alright. Thank you for humoring my prying questions. I was given a very solid review of your and your family from Professor Gilpin. He respects you and your family quite a bit. I hope you understand that Lizzy is like a daughter to us and we would never want to see her hurt, at least not more than she has been already." Professor Gardiner replied.
"So, since Lizzy's father isn't around, may I ask your permission to marry Lizzy? I've brought a ring and a draft of the pre-nup. If I could review it with you, you might make suggestions as to changes I should make before I show it to Lizzy." William asked humbly. He noticed the professor's eyes were a bit shiny and so sought to give the man a minute by pulling out the ring he had brought. Placing in between his thumb and forefinger he handed the ring over to the professor.
Swallowing hard, Professor Gardiner squeeked out, "It's beautiful William. It looks to be an heirloom."
"Yes, it is from my family's collection. I retrieved it this weekend in Maine." William said.
"Are you sure you want to give Elizabeth such a long-treasured piece?" Edward asked.
"I am certain sir."
"Well then, I think I'll go check on Maddy and Lizzy and see where they are."
Edward found Lizzy and Maddy deep in conversation. He figured he'd hear all about their talk later but first needed to see if they were ready to join him in the family room. Clearing his throat, the women looked up and paused.
"Are you ready to join us in the family room or do you need a few more minutes?" Edward asked kindly.
"I'm sorry if we kept you waiting. We'll be right along with the tea." Maddy answered smiling at her husband and pleased to see him so relaxed. That was a good sign. Lizzy picked up a tray and followed them out of the kitchen. She hadn't been so nervous in a very, very long time. Probably not since her interviews for college. Setting the tray down, she looked around the room and selected a seat next to William and across from the Gardiners. Maddy handed out the cups of tea.
Edward figured he had better start the conversation off as no one seemed inclined to take the lead. "Lizzy, I've had a chance to speak with William to better understand his intentions. While I am not your father, and as such, have no right to have an opinion on the matter, I will offer you my perspective. I think you've found a very good man here. This solution he is offering to you will eliminate your immigration issues but there are some complications that you should be aware of before you make your decision. I also think you should make sure that any questions you have are fully answered before you move forward. Maddy and I will be here to support you as much or as little as you want, of course."
Lizzy was grateful for the endorsement but was confused by the complications the professor alluded to. "I do have a number of questions, some of which I'd like to cover when we are all together. You've piqued my curiosity by the mention of complications however. Can you elaborate?"
William took Lizzy's hand and directed her gaze towards him. "I think that the Professor is referring to two items which he and I discussed. First, is the potential public attention we might receive. The second, I believe, is related to the financial and other matters related to a marriage to me." He watched her carefully to see how she reacted to these concepts.
Confusion marked Lizzy's face. "I can't imagine why our marriage would possibly engender any public attention. I too have financial concerns and so I am glad to speak of those."
"Why don't you discuss the financial matters first since this is a topic of mutual interest." Maddy offered.
"That would be helpful to me. You see, I am basically on a full scholarship to Harvard. I have no real assets, save my bank account, and I won't be able to really contribute anything to this marriage. I am especially worried that when we marry I will lose my scholarship. It's worth almost $70,000 a year so the remainder of my time at Harvard could cost close to $100,000. I can't fathom coming into a relationship bringing along such a burden." Lizzy sighed, believing that this could be the end of their conversation on any topic of marriage.
William smiled. She was so responsible and genuine. "Lizzy, I am more than prepared to take care of any financial matters. I'm not sure how much you know but I'm actually worth a lot of money and would have no difficulty covering any of your expenses, especially your tuition. My concern was more that you would be upset that I will ask you to sign a prenuptial agreement. My company's legal team will demand that I have one. As I think about it, given your concerns about money, it might make you feel more comfortable spending some if you know exactly what is yours to spend."
"William, I don't want your money. That's not what this is about." Lizzy insisted.
"I fully understand that. And I appreciate that more than you could imagine, but you will have expenses, especially if you join me on any business events, and I want you to feel comfortable spending what you need to. Professor Gardiner has already agreed to look over the contract, if you'd like. Perhaps he can recommend a lawyer to review it as well. It's very important that you are protected in this matter." William explained.
"But William, $100,000 is a lot of money. What if Harvard reneges my scholarship?" Lizzy asked.
"Lizzy, I give Harvard more then that in my annual campaign donation. It's fine." William insisted, squeezing her hand again.
This was difficult to process. She had never thought about his wealth in these terms. Could she really be comfortable in his world? Her mind was swirling. "I'll need to get adjusted to this concept. It's a bit much for me." Lizzy finally said. "Do you think we could discuss the other matter you mentioned?" She hoped this one would be easier to deal with.
"There are two things that could make this marriage of interest to the press. First, is my wealth, which we've already discussed. The second are my family's political ties. You see, my uncle is Senator Fitzwilliam. Given the current debate on immigration reform, I can imagine that the press will be very interested in his nephew's marriage to an illegal immigrant. If you are familiar with his position, he has long advocated for reform that would enable children like you a path to citizenship."
Lizzy was dumbfounded. The more they spoke the more she realized that she knew almost nothing about this man she was considering marrying. His uncle was a Senator! And her immigration status might bring political controversy to his doorstep.
"I'm sorry William but I am so confused as to why you proposed to me. Why would you do this to yourself and your family? I'm not worth the money and the press and the potential embarrassment. I'm not bringing anything to this except a way to help with your sister. You could find many women who you could marry and not negatively impact your family or your own life." Lizzy said as she started to pull away.
"Lizzy, please don't leave. I've thought about all of these complications and I'm fully prepared for them. I just need to know that you are. If you can't or don't want to deal with all of this, I completely understand. I am prepared to deal with it all. You're worth it." William pleaded.
Lizzy looked around at the faces in the room. Maddy and Ed were smiling at her sympathetically. She finally moved her head to look up at William. He looked so concerned, his face earnest and his eyes downcast. She heard a noise by the door and saw the Gardiners departing the room to give them some time alone.
"I really don't understand why you would do this? Why you would put yourself through all of this for me? There is an easier way for you." Lizzy whispered.
"No, there really isn't. As I told Richard and Professor Gardiner today, if you say no, I will not ask anyone else. I will protect Georgiana to the best of my abilities but I won't make this leap with anyone else. You're special Lizzy." William returned. Tracing his thumb across her cheek he wiped a few tears that had begun to slide down her face. "Ok." she whispered.
Moving off the couch, William got down on one knee, again. This time he was prepared. Holding the ring between his fingers and he held it out to Lizzy. "This ring has been in my family for 200 years. It was dedicated to another Elizabeth. I saw it and thought it belonged on your hand next. Elizabeth, will you accept this ring? Will you marry me?"
"Yes William. Yes, I'll leap too."
A/N: I was asked to put my notes at the end so I don't spoil it so here goes. Several of you wanted me to see what William and Mrs. Reynolds could cook up to convince ODG but I decided that I couldn't handle that much angst in my own life! I hope that you are happier with this slightly stronger Lizzy. I know some of you were disappointed by how fretful she was in the last chap. This is a pretty big deal though and she's pretty alone so I don't think a few moments of serious self doubt are unreasonable. At any rate, I kind of agreed with you all and decided she needed to be a little more self-reliant this time. I hope I struck the right balance. Off to start another week of work! Comments and reviews will make the week much, much happier!