'Richard, Richard, which Richard,' Elizabeth mentally pictured all of her contacts trying to place the voice 'Richard from Zyteq – no sounds too young, Richard from In trend promotion – no hasn't mentioned the weather yet, Richard . . .' she couldn't think, her mind was whirring, it wasn't unlike suppliers to deviously pretend to know her but he had her direct line, how could he have her direct line?

"Sorry where did you say you were calling from?" Subtlety had never been Lizzie's; he was glad William was entertaining everyone in the main office because if Jane had heard she probably would have her shit her a disapproving glare; Jane was nice to everyone

"I'm calling from the coffee shop and I'm holding a vanilla latte!" Richard wasn't, he was sat by his laptop with phone to his ear looking out across the city of London from Darcy's penthouse apartment.

Richards' voice on the other end of the line was jovial, she could imagine the teasing smile that would be tugging at the corner of his lips but this just made her feel more embarrassed. The moment of realisation had hit her 'It was Richard from Darcy's building the one she'd left at the coffee shop.' Lizzie had gone grey, she felt that familiar nauseous feeling and she was fumbling over her words; it was impossible for her to believe that he'd call her after what she'd done. Lizzie honestly hadn't thought about Richard since she'd seen Darcy with William; it didn't feel right.

"I must say, it's the first time a girls ever walked out on me before the date's even started; are you often a record breaker?"

Elizabeth, got up from her seat, gripping the phone firmly causing her knuckles to go white and shut the door, indicating to everyone outside that she was on a very important phone call; William didn't care he was in his element with all the attention he was getting from the ladies 'Hmm, ladies man already' Lizzie thought 'that could be a problem.'

"I'm sorry." Lizzie said as she perched on the edge of her desk, tapping her fingernails on against the desk, "Did you call to point out I'm a dating faux pas because you really didn't have to I already knew that."

"Oh contraire, I called to get your opinion on an article I'm writing for my paper . . . I think you'll identify with it, it's about a woman, let's call her Lizzie, and well I'm writing about the injustice that has been done to a man, for namesake let's call him Richard, at her hands."

"Oh really and what might that injustice be?"

"Well you see Richard is a king and trusting individual that was conned into believing that Lizzie was interested in him, she gave him her number, promised him a date, only for her to leave him before the date even officially starts. Richard was left with mounting debts, after purchasing two drinks, two cakes AND a wafer without even getting so much as an 'I'll call you.' Can you identify? Do you think it has depth?"

"I think you have a skewed view on the events, Lizzie gave him her number but never promised him a date . . . Richard was speculating in order to accumulate, basic business principal; no damages should be awarded."

Richard laughed a deep rolling laugh that brought a smile to Lizzie's lips.

"Well in that case what do you think the conclusion of the article should be, it would hardly be justice if no further action was taken? I see it as Lizzie should recompense Richard for the wasted food & beverages or at least accompany him out tomorrow evening, so she can apologise in person."

Lizzie had been chewing on the top of her pen, biting it out of shape but when Richard mentioned another date her mouth fell open, causing the lid to fall into her cleavage and bury itself her breasts. 'Shit, shit, shit.' Lizzie looked down her top, pulling it open to see if she could get the lid without dropping the phone. As she struggled to relieve the lid out, she grunted and sighed when it went further under her left breast; looking up Lizzie made sure that the door was close and when the cost was clear she unbuttoned her purple and white shirt exposing the lace of her jet black bra.

"What are you doing!" The voice was scolding and caused Lizzie to jump and look up in horror to see Jane and Charles standing in the doorway. Jane was looking at her in horror and Charles was smiling sheepishly, the colour of his cheeks turning pink as he tried to draw his eyes away from her ample cleavage. Charles began to fidget uncomfortably as the situation didn't change; he looked at his watch and ran his fingers through his hair, 'I must remember to tell Darcy about this' he thought 'or maybe not he'll probably tell me to fire them.'

After the blood had stopped rushing to her head Elizabeth remembered to turn around, she was absolutely mortified; struggling with her buttons, she cursed under her breath 'bad day, bad bad day.'

"Lizzie, are you okay? The groaning noises you're making are giving me wonderful images but it's making me wonder what I've interrupted."

Looking at the phone in her hand, she'd completely forgotten she was on the phone "Richard, I can't do tomorrow because I have William."

"Great I'd like to meet him, where do you want to meet?"

Elizabeth wanted to argue but she really wanted to get off the phone, so she gave him her mobile number and told him to text her, 10 seconds later her phone buzzed on the table; it was him, she knew it. Finally Elizabeth managed to set the phone down and make herself look presentable, Jane and Charles were still standing at the door to their office but they were trying to look away, so she turned around giving them her best toothy smile to hide how flustered she felt.

"Hey, it could have been worse, imagine if you'd have walked in a minute later." In her head Elizabeth smacked herself, that was such a stupid thing to say; Jane had stopped shooting her glare and was now shaking her head with pure hatred, it didn't help the situation that Charles could barely restrain his laughter.

"Were going out for lunch Lizzie; I won't be back in today." With that Jane stormed over to her desk, hastily grabbed at her bag & coat and marched out of the office, closely followed by Mr Bingley, who before exiting turned round to give Lizzie a smile, well at least he found it funny.

Elizabeth sank back in her chair, holding her forehead in her hands when Charlotte walked in carrying William in front of her and handed him to her. Lizzie gladly excepted her baby with open arms, he smelt so soothing, it almost made the horror of the last ten minutes go away. Charlotte was still standing there watching the tender exchange between mother & son with a forlorn look on her face; Lizzie sensed there was something on her mind and was about to press her for information when her phone buzzed, it was their receptionist that had kindly placed a fresh coffee with warm milk on her desk.

Lizzie motioned to Charlotte that she would be one minute then she would let Charlie that would let her download her brain "Lizzie, I've got a call for you . . ."

"Anna can you tell them I'll call them bac. . ."

"It's a Mr Darcy, Lizzie, are you sure?"

Elizabeth looked down at William, as he sat on her lap reaching for everything that was within his grasp and smiled, "Yes, please Anna put him through." Charlotte would just have to wait.

Four rings "Hello Elizabeth Bennett speaking."

"Hello Miss Bennett, its Mr Darcy from . . ." As Mr Darcy's voice came across the speaker, Lizzie audibly inhaled. Just hearing his voice gave her such a vivid mental picture of him; he was probably sitting behind a large oak varnished desk in his modern but stylish office in the centre of London. His hair would be swept to one side, falling loose at the front, allowing it to dance over his defined eyebrows and his Armani suit jacket would be hung up on the coat stand that was beside the door and he would be wearing a white suit with a blue tie, to compliment his eyes and show off his toned athletic physique.

Elizabeth was right about everything but the colour of his tie, today it was purple, to compliment her shirt.

"I know where you're calling from . . ." Lizzie tried to laugh; sometimes her humour didn't translate well over the phone, "How are you? Did you get home okay?"

"I am very well Miss Bennett, how are you? I got home very well indeed thank you, I slept most of the way back; it was an exhausting night."

"You're right about that, it's not every day I have to evade the world's media but the good news is we're not on the news." Her tone was light, she was trying to make him smile; she didn't realise she didn't need to try he always smiled when he thought of her.

"They'll get us eventually."

"Us? Mr Darcy?" Was he implying they were an us? They'd have to be together a lot to be an us.

"Figuratively speaking, the universal . . . us." Darcy couldn't believe he had let that slip; privately he hoped to get caught with her every day for the rest of their lives, he wouldn't even mind if newspapers got pictures of their wedding because at least he would be marrying her but he didn't want to scare her off too soon so he tried to move on, "How is William?"

"William is good thank you, he's actually sitting on my lap at the moment; I'm surprised you can't hear him." William at this was point was banging wildly on her key pad, she was trying to restrain him but this only made him more determined to hit the keys, different windows kept popping open on her screen as she banged in commands.

"Ha! I can hear him. Was he awake when you got in last night?"

"No, I think he was worn out by you . . ."

Darcy laughed, which caused a smile to spread across her face and she pulled William tighter, gently kissing him on the head.

Darcy was desperate to ask her who the Mercedes belonged to that had been at her house but he daren't ask. "When I got home last night my uncle had come over to see my aunt, I don't know whether you noticed his car in the driveway but he'd been over playing with William as well."

'Her uncle,' Darcy breathed a sigh of relief; it was only her uncle, not a boyfriend or William's father.

"Anyway, how can I help Mr Darcy?"

"Well I expect you're busy but I was hoping that you and William would join me for dinner tomorrow night."

" No I'm fre . . . oh no, sorry I'm busy tomorrow night."

"Oh, okay."

"Are you free later in the week; William and I are free then?"

"No unfortunately, I fly to Japan the day after tomorrow for three weeks; it will just have to wait till I get back."

"Hmm . . ." Lizzie hoped the disappointment in her voice wasn't too obvious, "When do you get back?"

"The 2nd June anyway, I think I have kept you long enough I'm sure you're very busy, thank you for your time. Goodbye Miss Bennett, pass a kiss from me to William."Elizabeth murmured her goodbye but the other line went dead, it was now utterly official today was a bad day.

Elizabeth turned William around to face her and he stood with her legs on her rights as she held his hands, "Please don't hate me when you get old enough to understand what I've done. I only did it because I love you." William smiled and garbled something that sounded like 'Sausage rabbits' but he stumbled forward and put his arms around her neck, Elizabeth held her head against her shoulder allowing her to stroke his soft hair and his head; he didn't know what she'd just said but for now she just hoped he'd forgive her.

Since their talk last night Elizabeth's thoughts had been consumed by images and sound bites of Mr Darcy; everything he'd ever said and done was documented in her mind and she couldn't stop reliving it.

Before yesterday she probably could have gone on deluding herself that she didn't need to tell him he had a son but after seeing them together it was like her axis had shifted, it was now her duty to William that she tell Mr Darcy the truth.

Elizabeth had always found solace in believing that Mr Darcy wouldn't have wanted children; it would be a scandalous burden for him and like the other father's she had known from the upper classes who replaced genuine affection with materials possessions and shipped their children off to boarding school so they'd only have to see them at major holidays; she couldn't believe that anymore. Darcy had already missed so much of William's young life; his birth, the first time he'd smiled, the first time he opened his eyes, the first time he crawled, the first time he walked, his first semi words, his firth tooth . . . she'd been there for all of those moments but he would never get any of those moments back; how many more would be continue to miss before she told him?

For what felt like the millionth time in the past week a tear began to trickle down her cheek, a big sob stuck in the back of her throat as she held their baby to her chest; how could he ever forgive me?

"Charles, I am so sorry about Elizabeth." Jane perched herself on her chair, staring into her coffee cup as she tried to excuse her sisters scandalous behaviour back at the office.

Charles just laughed, he gently placed a hand over hers and tilted her chin up with his finger, "Jane, no harm was done. Lizzie wasn't in the wrong; she was in her own office. I can't tell you the number of times I've walked in on my team doing the dirty when they think no one's there . . . don't tell anyone but I even saw Fitzwilliam in a compromising situation once. So Lizzie really wasn't doing anything wrong, I think I saw her pull out a pen lid from her . . ." Charles blushed, he didn't want to refer to Lizzie's ample breasts, it would hardly impress Jane.

"Mr Darcy?" Jane couldn't hide her shock, she was sure he had never done anything scandalous in his life; well not that he knew about . . . William.

"Okay if you tell anyone this I may have to revoke our secret sharing privileges but he's not as starchy as his demeanour suggests, I happen to know that two years ago he was seen taking a mysterious brunette woman back to his room at our AGM; it was the same meeting that Elizabeth helped organised, I'd be surprised if she didn't know about it, it was the talk of the conference on the last day. Darcy nye on had a fit when he found out that someone was going to expose the girls identity."

"Oh my god, I can't believe it." Jane hoped she knew exactly who the brunette woman was but she wasn't going to shop out her sister no matter how mad she was with her.

"Actually that story didn't turn out so funny in the end, although Darcy will never admit it I think he really liked that girl; damn near broke his heart I reckon." Charles' expression was slightly forlorn but he perked up when the waiter came over with their Panini's.

Jane had to know more "What do you mean broke his heart?"

"Oh yes, Darcy has a heart. He's a great friend, cares about his family a great deal, his sister and cousin in particular."

"No, I mean how did she break his heart? How do you know?"

"Oh, he spent months afterwards trying to find her, came quite close at one point but he just never found her; it's like she just disappeared off the face of the planet."

"Well how did he make sure the girl's identity wasn't exposed?"

"Forced to shut down the hotel and sue every last one of the staff for slander, turns out it was a perfect motivation because no one's spoken a word about it since. It pays to be Darcy rich."

"I can't believe it." Jane sat back in her chair, breaking her perfect posture; the weight of all the new information she was getting was a burden on her slim shoulders.

"Neither could I . . . . umm this sandwich is good would you like a bite?" Charles proffered his half chewed sandwich to Jane, who politely declined; suddenly she didn't feel hungry at all.

Author's note:

Thank you for all your reviews.

I know this chapter is a bit of a filler but I want to start filling in some holes before we move on to the good stuff; coming up is Richard and Lizzie's date (boooo, I know but Darcy will be back).

If you guys haven't already check out the poll I've posted on my profile, I'm going to start working on a new story but can't decide which one to do . . . I could come up with ideas forever I think.

Anyway keep reviewing as it makes me smile :)

Thanks again

Kx