Chapter 3 - competition / camaraderie
The two teams could not have been more different if they tried.
Charles brought out a more youthful side of Lizzy that she had not allowed herself to lean into for some time. They were joking around and already making headroom into a fast friendship. She did not remember laughing so hard or so readily in ages.
Jane and William, however, were sharing a much less raucous introduction. But their conversation flowed smoothly for all it lacked in volume. William was not silent, but he did not waste words or speak without purpose, whereas Jane was friendly and open - almost to a fault.
It could not be denied that he was a skilled athlete, doing much of the running around for their side. In fact, he found that Elizabeth and Charles' easy friendship and clear skill as a pair drew from him a certain competitiveness he could not back down from. He had assumed from his friend's apparent infatuation with the elder Bennet sister that he would be paired with Elizabeth in this ridiculous double date idea almost by default - not that he would complain. So to see his friend so easily pulling laughter from her chest irked him slightly.
Perhaps he was slightly more focused than he might have been on playing at top form. He often retreated into his strengths when out of his comfort zone, and tennis was definitely one of them. Jane remarked multiple times on the skill with which he played, and he returned the compliment on multiple occasions. They were clearly the superior pair, no matter how much running back and forth Elizabeth did in her own competitive manner. She was enjoying herself immensely regardless of whether they won or lost, but there was a part of her - one that refused to be silenced - which wanted to beat the serious William at his own game. After three games of close but nevertheless inevitable defeat, Elizabeth suggested they break off for a game or two of singles.
"What an excellent idea," Charles said quickly. "Bagsy not playing against Will!"
"I don't mind playing against you Charles," came the equally quick reply from Jane. She smiled at her previous partner and gave him an apologetic look before adding, "I think I would hold William back."
"Well," Lizzy walked towards him. "It looks like we're up."
"Indeed," he replied, smiling.
"Go easy on me," she asked with a teasing look. He almost expired on the spot at the gentle flirtation.
"I know we are not particularly well acquainted," he replied. "But you do not appear to me the sort of person who desires a hollow victory, so I believe it would be best to ignore your foolhardy request." His tone was questioning and at the same time laced with humour. It occurred to her that he seemed to speak directly from the dictionary, always full sentences and long words. It was so very uniquely him that she could not help but smile.
"I think you've got a good sense of me, Will," she conceded, a little breathless. He was no less so, hearing her use the contracted version of his name. He could not remember ever meeting someone who affected him so. And yet he knew so little about her, really. From the brief exchange of pleasantries when they arrived, he knew she worked for a large consulting firm, and according to her sister was truly accomplished in doing so. He knew she had many sisters, enjoyed the theatre and loved to laugh. Nonetheless, he was glad for the shared activity to swallow any silences.
"Shall we?" He asked.
"We shall," she replied with a smirk. "I'd tell you not to hold back, but I know you won't."
He met her challenge with a rapid serve which she returned confidently. It was decently well matched, for he had slightly more power in his swing, but she was so determined not to lose that she played an exceedingly intelligent game. Both were furious in their focus, and ended the few games exhausted from the intensity of the exercise.
He admired her skill in the same breath as admiring her figure. She was uniquely gorgeous. He knew her sister to be a conventional beauty - he was sure that was the reason Charles had dragged him out here. However, Elizabeth's looks were accentuated in motion and emphasised by her vitality. She became a lithe creature, graceful and powerful and a little overwhelming, in a way that rendered him certain that he would gladly fall prey to her myriad charms.
And yet, in stirring his competitive nature she irked him. She should not be so readily able to best him. It was truly the best game of tennis he had played in a very long time. She had a way of tricking him, angling her body to make him think she would send the ball racing down the centre of the court, and at the last moment drop it just ahead of the net so that he would miss it entirely.
She would be lying if she denied that his grunts of frustration didn't spur her on in her competitiveness. She could not help herself, they were so hot. Seeing him worked up over her matching his clear skill level gave her a real rush - one she was not sure ended in her head. She felt warm from more than just the exercise.
When they had finished their few games, both breathing heavily and palms moist when they shook hands, he was smug in his victory.
"No need to smirk, big guy. We both know you don't own those perfectly-fitted tennis whites for the runway."
He blushed profusely at her tease, and the nickname. It's because you're tall, idiot, he told himself. Wouldn't she like to know, though?
"I am gracious in defeat or victory," he hedged. He really wanted to laud his victory over her, but he had promised his sister he would try to be genial this time.
"There is no need to be humble, William. I like a man of multiple talents."
"In that case," his tone told her he was flirting with her now. "It will take me too long to list all of my skills today, perhaps we need to organise another date?"
"Is that so?"
"Yes, and preferably soon," he smirked handsomely. "It would not do for me to forget my promise to enumerate my many strengths."
"You do not seem to me to be the forgetful sort."
"You have caught me. I must confess. I have had a marvellous time today." The joy in his voice was infectious, and soon Lizzy was giggling. He continued in a quieter tone. "It is not often I find the time to let loose as I have," then quieter still, "with you."
"Well, what a lovely compliment," she replied in the same intimate voice. "It is just as well that I feel the same."
Her arched eyebrow warned him that a tease was coming. He had learned that quickly enough, and much to his relief as he would not have wished to have taken the next seriously.
"I think it really began to pick up when Charles encouraged my childishness."
He willed himself to not be possessive over this sparkling woman who he had just met. It was a close-run thing, but he managed to joke back to her.
"Well, thank goodness for Charles for smoothing the waters."
They were close enough that she reached over and squeezed his shoulder in a friendly gesture that told him she had been joking, in case he had missed the warning sign in her eyes. Her hands felt delightful on his hard muscles, their softness arresting him as she looked directly into his eyes. He saw a single freckle against the green of her iris, and then her pupils dilating. He broke off their gaze to cast his eyes over her full lips, swallowed, then thought better of it and placed a steadying hand on the net between them instead. His fingers ached to touch her soft curves, but he didn't want to be too forward.
As the gentle pressure of her touch threatened to undo him, he suggested they return to the others - for the afternoon had passed fairly quickly, and the sun was now throwing golden light onto the trees behind the courts.
~. ~
"As much as I am having a marvellous time," Charles said as the pairs reunited, "we really should make tracks."
"Yes, apologies," William responded. "I have a reservation for dinner with my sister Georgiana which can't be missed." His tone told them that he sorely wished it could in fact be skipped.
"Not to worry," Jane said softly. "We still have the dinner date with our parents to look forward to."
"Of course-"
"The what-"
Charles and William had spoken at the same time, although the surprise in the latter's eyes caused a lurch in Lizzy's gut.
"Jane and I have planned our next double date," Charles replied quickly, stumbling over his words in an uncharacteristic display of deceit. "We're going on a trip to see their parents in Hertfordshire."
"We're going-" he seemed to think better of questioning openly in front of the girls, but gave his friend a look as if to say we'll be talking later.
"I know it's forward," Jane explained. "But we compared calendars whilst you were busy thrashing Lizzy-"
"Pffft, thrashing? You mean narrowly avoiding losing to…"
Jane rolled her eyes affectionately and William laughed heartily.
"As I was saying, we compared calendars and it seems the two of you," she eyed Lizzy and William disapprovingly, "have very little overlap in free time."
"That sounds like me," Lizzy said apologetically. William nodded in tandem.
"So either we miss the next month of Friday Night Dinners and find a table in town, or it's time for you both to meet the parents," Jane finished.
"I don't truly think that is an 'or' statement, Jane. Mama will kill us if we miss a whole month."
"In that case, challenge accepted," Charles said stoically. Will made a noise of assent, not wanting to sour the wonderful afternoon they had spent in the girls' company.
"It's a date then, I'll text you the details."
"Thank you both," William said politely. At that moment the sun broke through the trees it had been setting behind. Elizabeth's face was framed in sunbeams and William thought he might melt with the warmth of the moment. Somehow, he turned his back and returned to his car, dragging Charles in tow.
~.~
"Wow," he said when they were out of earshot. "I know I threatened to throttle you for forcing me on this date, but I am very glad you went ahead and forced me anyway."
"You're welcome, Darce. Thank you for not doing the throttling."
"Seems like Jane succeeded in capturing your attention?" He nudged his friend in the rib. "I have to admit she is your type; classically beautiful, smiled incessantly, good conversation partner."
Charles rolled his eyes - his friend was correct on all counts, but he was not ready to concede.
"Seems like you are partial to brunettes after all," he teased in reply instead.
"Damn," Will breathed, letting the pent up tension settle onto the air as they reached the car park. "I think you are correct except to say brunette, singular."
"That fast, huh?"
Fitzwilliam Darcy blushed like a schoolboy and felt the full weight of the afternoon settle into his bones. There was no point in denying what he knew his friend had seen. She affected him so entirely, throwing him completely off-balance.
"I cannot remember such a joyful afternoon in recent memory," he ruminated in lieu of a proper admission. He was not a fool, he did not believe himself to be in love already. But he did believe himself in danger of becoming so, if he were to spend an extended period of time in her presence.
"Well, I am glad we managed to find an overlap in your schedules," Charles said wryly as he climbed into the passenger seat of his friend's Porsche.
"Yes, I am glad to be saved any awkwardness in asking if they should like to go on a second date. Remind me," he questioned, "how did you meet the two of them?"
William's invite to the afternoon had come in the form of a message from his sister saying that she had agreed on his behalf to a double date with Charles, who had sent a voicenote to her asking her to persuade her brother to attend. William Darcy was a resigned bachelor who had been single for over three years, since before his father had died and left the entirety of his company to his eldest and only son. His previous experiences with dating had been limited, and the few exes he had wracked up had not seemed too interested in anything beyond the number of zeros in his bank account. He had become fairly cynical of love and very opposed to the world of dating as a result. Well, until a certain brunette had entered the picture. He had agreed to the afternoon with the Bennet sisters mostly to appease his sister, whom he was awfully bad at saying no to, especially since the sad event of their mother passing away shortly after their father had, around two years ago.
"I made this profile on a double dating app. Trust me, you should just be glad this is the one I forced you into." Flashes of other awful dates came unbidden to his mind. "I'd been chatting to them for a few days before I roped your sister in, only when I was certain I had to meet Jane did you become a necessary accessory."
"Oh good to know how valued I am when I am not chauffeur or accessory to the crime of being infatuated by a stranger." The sarcasm dripped from his voice like syrup.
"It wasn't like that," Charles scrambled. "We thought you wouldn't ever go on another date if we didn't intervene."
"You were probably right. I have not been in the habit of casual dating."
He paused for effect. "Of course, you are forgiven," he replied graciously.
Charles visibly relaxed upon receiving his friend's forgiveness. In for a penny, in for a pound, he thought as he clicked his seatbelt into place.
"You should know," he said, swallowing. "Their half of the deal is slightly more complicated than ours."
William pierced his friend with sharp blue eyes as he asked for the definition of complicated. He did not like where this was going.
"Complicated - in that it for them is not a straightforward date. Their side is a bit like you and your sister-"
"What about my sister?" He hissed, interrupting.
"Calm down," Charles implored. "I only mean how she was one step from bribing you to upgrade your relationship status"
"I will calm down when you stop being so bloody conspiratorial. Out with it," he asked.
"They have a wedding coming up, their mum is quite overbearing. She made them promise to-"
"My sister is not overbearing," he interrupted, indignant.
"I think you're focusing on the wrong part here, Darce."
William did not need it spelling out. He felt the bubble of joy that had settled into his chest deflate and a great weight came to rest in its place.
"We are their fake partners, are we not?"
"Yes, but what I feel for Jane is very real."
"But you cannot know whether they are performing or whether their flirtation and interest is actually engaged," Will argued.
"No more or less than any of the other dates you have ever been on," Charles countered.
"Touché," William replied wryly, thinking of all the women who had been so insincere in their attempts to win his heart - or his wallet. He pondered for a moment.
"I don't know, doesn't that make us kind of gigolos?"
"Don't get ahead of yourself, big guy," Charles laughed. The jest reminded him of how he had felt earlier when Elizabeth had had him reddening at the tips of his ears and wishing he was alone. But his friend continued. "Nobody said anything about sex or money. We're just in it for a good time and free food and booze at the wedding."
"I don't think you've convinced me," Will lamented, his tone resigned. "I can't believe you let me spend the afternoon actually thinking we were on a regular date, where she might be interested in me."
"She was-"
"She was pretending, to make sure we show up to the wedding, idiot."
"No, I think they wanted to make sure we'll make a good impression with the parents before committing fully to the arrangement," Charles reflected.
"The parents," Will groaned. A rare expletive crossed his lips as he pinched the bridge of his nose. Charles made it sound so dispassionate, like a business arrangement. Well, if I had to pick someone to find a partner via a business arrangement, he thought, it does sound like me. He continued with a question. "What have I let myself in for? I suppose it is too late to back out now?"
"You suppose correctly," came the jovial reply from his friend. He decided to reserve his judgement until this whole affair had been played out to see if he was angry or not. He'd ask his sister to see the back and forth of texts over dinner to work out whether there was any chance of something more, or if this was in fact entirely business.