Chapter 17: Big Brother
Elizabeth wondered why she had not brought up Anne, George, and the ring when they were all talking at Uncle Williams, it would have been the perfect time. But then there was a lot going on that night and there was no chance to talk to William alone, it would not have been fair to William, his cousin Anne, or Caroline. She would have to make a plan to speak to him on his own.
She whatsapp'ed Caroline and asked for his number, mentioning that she was going to talk to him about the Anne situation. She just felt that there were too many balls up in the air in this whole situation, she also did not want Caroline to think she was moving in on her turf, although it did seem that Caroline was no longer interested in him, not that Elizabeth was, definitely not!
After a ten-minute pep talk with herself, she phoned him.
"William Darcy, hello!' he had a very nice phone voice, Elizabeth almost forgot to speak.
"Hello?" he asked.
"Hello William, its Elizabeth Bennet." She said, so embarrassed.
"Oh! Hello Elizabeth, how are you? Is everything alright with your sister, with Lydia?" He was surprised she was phoning him and thought perhaps something had happened.
"Yes, Lydia is as well as can be expected. I need to talk to you, about something of a sensitive nature, preferably not over the phone." Elizabeth seemed to be in a rush to get her words out.
"Oh, not relating to your sister. I am free later this afternoon, however I need to be home, if you do not mind coming here?" He responded. He had to be at home with Georgiana, the Reynolds had an appointment and would only be back after supper. Perhaps he could ask Elizabeth about Georgiana's birthday event at the same time.
"Yes, I can do that, what time and send me a pin drop." She was relieved he got the urgency.
"Four o'clock okay for you?" He asked, knowing that Georgiana would be practising piano at that time, and would not disturb them for a while.
"Perfect, and do not forget the pin drop" Elizabeth replied.
"Will do. Goodbye Elizabeth, see you later." And he ended to call
Damn the man had the most impressive phone voice! Why did he have to be so rude!
A minute later she received the pin drop, she recognised the area, it was in the countryside, mostly small holdings, or small estates, with mansions. She had done a few events out that way, live styles of the rich and famous.
She spent the rest of the morning sorting out the final arrangements for Anne Wentworth's party, she confirmed the use of Anne Russell's barn, the woman had a barn on her property and no horses; some people really lived the life. The event would be an eastern style bazaar, with Bedouin tents as food stalls with an array of middle eastern cuisine. She had contacted Annes husband once to just confirm one or two of the foods that were quite spicy, but he did not think it would be a problem, Anne was not suffering from any sort of morning sickness, food aversions or cravings. Elizabeth got the impression he was the kind of husband who would take the effort to know these things.
At three she got into her car to do the forty-five-minute trip, giving herself an extra fifteen minutes in case of traffic or some other issue, it would not do to be late when she requested they meet.
Once she left the urban area and was in the country she relaxed, it was a lovely drive. At one stage she could swear there was a black car following her, but it turned off into one of the estates, so she told herself it was her imagination and there was a white car behind her now.
Arriving at the gate with five minutes to spare she rang the intercom, announced herself to the voice coming out of the speaker, she did not think it was William. The gates opened, she drove in to find herself in an avenue of trees, a little way in front of her was a very big house. The trees ended where the driveway opened into a circle with fountain in the middle. Not being too sure, she parked over to the one side of the circle and walked up the stairs to the impressive front door and used the knocker, hoping they could hear her inside.
William himself opened the door, part of her was a bit disappointed that he did not complete the rich man stereotype and have a butler open the door, but also being relieved that at least he was not above opening his own door.
"Hello Elizabeth" he greeted as he opened the door, inviting her inside.
"Hello William, thank you for agreeing to meet with me, I really appreciate it." She said, trying not to openly gawk around her.
The entrance hall not the large sterile affair she had imagine, there was a comfortable sofa, with a dresser to hang coats and hats, with a large potted plant off to the side, there were two doors lead out to the rest of the house, one to the left, the other to the right. A staircase was directly in front, leading up to another part of the house.
William indicated for her to go left, and walk through the lounge and into the kitchen. It was a big kitchen and well fitted, all the modern appliances a person could want. A dining table with chairs was on one side and the sound of a piano could be heard filtering through the house.
"My sister, Georgiana, she practises every day at this time." William said as he indicated for Elizabeth to sit at the table, as he put the kettle on.
"Tea or coffee?" he asked
"Tea would be great, thank you." She noticed that he was very relaxed, more so than any other time she had seen him. It suited him, he looked almost happy.
He placed a tray on the table with a teapot, cups, milk, sugar, and biscuits down on the table in front of her, indicating that she could pour the tea when she was ready, and he sat down opposite her.
"What is it that you want to talk about?" He asked, he had to admit he was eaten up with curiosity, and wished he had made it earlier, but she was here now.
"Caroline." She saw his face drop, "Well actually your cousin Anne, and Caroline."
"I did not know you knew my cousin Anne." He said puzzled.
"I don't, not really, I met her once at Anne Russell's, but Caroline knows her, quite well Elizabeth tried to explain, "Caroline is worried about Anne, and asked me to speak to you, she thinks you will take me more seriously than her."
William did not say anything but nodded in agreement.
"Let me start at the beginning," Elizabeth said and told William how she met Anne and overheard her mentioning Wickham and asked Caroline to find out if it was the same Wickham. She saw him pale as she mentioned that they were in fact together, not only that. They were engaged.
"No, not Anne, she would never, not without her mothers permission…." remembering the new Anne he saw last night, he was not so sure.
"It gets worse." Elizabeth seemed to flinch at what she had to say next. "George gave her a ring, a very distinctive ring. Caroline battled to place it but when she visited your sister after that she saw the self-same ring on your mother in a painting. She is convinced that George stole the ring somehow."
William first looked at her in stunned silence, then he got up, "Please wait here for me, I will be back shortly."
Waiting for William to return Elizabeth did not notice that the piano playing had stopped, nor did she notice the young girl enter the kitchen.
"Hello?" a quiet voice interrupted Elizabeth's thought. "Who are you and why are you sitting in my kitchen?"
"I am waiting for William; he went to check something." She said not sure how much to tell the young girl standing at the door. "I am Elizabeth Bennet." Holding out her hand.
"The Elizabeth Bennet? The Light Fandango Elizabeth Bennet?" the girls face lit up, "He said he knew you, I thought he was just being nice, Is this supposed to be surprise for me?"
Elizabeth was first confused, but fast realised that this must be William's sister, and she knew who Elizabeth was, and what she did, and thought that Elizabeth was here on business.
"I am not sure if it is supposed to be a surprise, we had only just gotten talking." Elizabeth prayed she was saying the right thing. Something about Williams sister reminded her of Lydia, new Lydia, not old Lydia – fragile was the word that sprung to mind.
"I really did not think he would do this for me." She raptured.
William walked in the door, spotted his sister, and panicked.
Elizabeth stood up and said, "I did not give away anything we talked about, I was not sure if the event was supposed to be a surprise."
She willed him to understand, she could see his sisters face all lit up and looking at him with such adoration.
"Its not a surprise, silly muggle, you asked for it." He said smiling fondly at his sister.
Elizabeth, my sister Georgiana, who is supposed to be practising her piano." He said putting his arm around his sister's shoulder, "Georgina, Elizabeth Bennet, The Light Fandango, but then you knew that already!"
She threw her arms around his neck "I love you so much Mudblood." And twirled out of the kitchen.
"I am so sorry, she was supposed to be practicing, which is why I chose this time." William was struggling to regain his composure, that was the most spontaneous thing Georgiana had done since being taken. She had avoided physical contact with almost everybody, including him.
Elizabeth watched the scene unfold, here were two sibling who were close and loved each other, but there was something else. She could not put her finger on it. It was not bad; it was a sadness. She noticed that William was very moved by his sister's reaction, but from Elizabeth point of view, it seemed so natural and normal.
"Your sister wants The Light Fandango experience then?" she asked, as a way of keeping it light.
"Yes, she does, and I am desperate for you to do it for her, but considering my atrocious behaviour, which I profusely apologise for, I would understand if you don't want to." He was battling to keep his emotions in check.
"I will do it, for her, not her rude brother." Elizabeth said light heartedly. He had been rude but what she just witnessed was sweet.
"The ring is gone." He wanted to cry, finding out that George had somehow stolen the ring his father had made specifically for his mother, and then Georgiana now in the kitchen, he could not anymore.
He got up and walked out of the room.
Elizabeth sat there open mouthed. He just walked out again! She was about to walk out of the house and never speak to him again, told her to follow him. He went out the door on the opposite side of the kitchen, she did not know where she was going, but there she was going.
She found herself in a short passageway, there was an open door that the end, and two closed doors in between, one of those had to be the music/piano room as she could hear the music a bit louder. Must be sound proofed she thought as she walked past. Reaching the door at the end, she hesitated then stepped into the room, it was a study.
William was standing with his back to the door, his fists pressed against the desk top crying. She should leave, he would never know she had been there.
There she was walking into the room, taking him by the arms and hugging him, letting him cry in her arms. She had no idea why she did this, this was a Jane move, Elizabeth did not deal in feelings like this, unless it was one of her sisters.
He knew he should not be crying on her shoulder, it felt so normal, natural. He noticed abstractly how lovely she smelled, that her hair was as soft as he thought it would be and her skin was like velvet where his head rested. He did not want the moment to end but he lifted his head "I am so sorry, I did not mean…" he trailed off, he did not know what he meant.
"It's okay, William, sometimes we just need to." She said, wishing she was like Jane and knew what to say to people when things like this happen. Jane always knew what to say.
"I walked off, again, without an explanation." He smiled a little ruefully. "I am sorry, unconscionable behaviour."
"Totally, but I will add it to your bill." Elizabeth teased, he seemed to be better.
"Do you want to discuss your sister's event now, or I can give you my email address and you can email me the details?" She gave him some options, not knowing how he was feeling at the moment.
"Why don't you join Georgiana and I for an early supper and you can discuss it with her, take the middleman out, I will just pay for whatever she wants." He suggested suddenly, as they start to walk back towards the kitchen.
"Don't you need another sister? None of my sisters ever offer to get me whatever I want." Elizabeth pouted.
William stiffened a little, then realised she was teasing him some more, he relaxed and laughed.
He made Elizabeth sit at the table in the kitchen again, offered and poured her some wine. He prepared supper whilst they talked about work experiences, stories from their childhood, keeping the topics very light-hearted and neutral.
Georgiana finished practising and was delighted that Elizabeth was there. The two of them discussed ideas for her party and William watched in amazement as Georgiana came right out of her shell with Elizabeth, talking and laughing as if she was an old family friend.
William was quite disappointed when Elizabeth said she needed to go, he could not remember when last he enjoyed a woman's company and conversation as much as tonight.
He and Georgiana walked Elizabeth out to her car, Georgiana hugged Elizabeth goodbye, whilst her brother stood wishing he had the freedom to do the same, but he just waved as she got into her car, and drove away.
Georgiana chatted like a little magpie as they returned to the house, how much she liked Elizabeth, she hoped they saw her soon again, how excited she was about the event.
William was remembering how it felt to be held by her, how safe he felt. Her smell, her touch, her everything, and the effect she had on Georgiana.
Elizabeth was surprised at how the evening had gone, from the time he started cooking she was impressed by his mad cooking skills, totally belying his rich upbringing, his conversation, the tone and atmosphere of the evening. He was unlike any man she had met before. They had difference of opinion on a lot of things, but he listened to her side, he present alternative views, he challenged her to consider things she had not until he mentioned it. He was educated and knew his literature, especially the classics, but no surprise, the man did own a publishing house.
So George did steal the ring and it obviously had a lot of mean to William, being his mothers ring must have great sentimental and worth a lot. She was also touched by his vulnerability, a little bit awkward but it was still very precious.
It was about twenty minutes after leaving Williams house that she realised that there was a car behind her again, and now as she was entering the more urban area, she took a few unnecessary turns and the car stayed behind her, if it was someone from the area, they would have known they had crossed over a road they had just been up at least twice. Not wanting to stop at her house alone, she carried on driving until she got to close to Charlottes apartment, called Charlotte from her cell phone and asked her to meet her outside.
As she pulled up, she saw Charlotte standing outside with her neighbour, Henry Foster, a retired army colonel. The car that had been following her slowed down and then drove past. It was a white car, like the one behind as she got to William's house.
"Are you alright young lady?" Henry asked, he always worried about these two, very independent they were but still it was a wild world out there.
"Thank you, Henry, I feel much safer with you here." Elizabeth assured him. "I am not sure if I was being followed but rather safe than sorry."
"Indeed, well knock on my door if ever you need." He turned to return to his apartment, "Good night, ladies, keep safe."
Once inside Charlottes flat, coffee in hand, Elizabeth told Charlotte she was certain she was being followed. She took such a convoluted route home, there was no ways another person was driving all that way to her apartment, or even Charlottes apartment.
"Where were you coming from so late?" Charlotte asked.
"William's house." Elizabeth knew she had to explain, "For some reason Caroline did not think that William would take her seriously about Anne, George and the ring. She asked if I would please talk to William, she is very concerned about Anne."
"And how did that conversation go? With William I mean." Charlotte was curious, it was not like Elizabeth to just freely offer up information.
"Well George did take the ring, not sure how, judging by how stressed William was he did not realise until now, but he did not say what he was going to do, admittedly we were interrupted by his sister, who it turns out, has requested a birthday by The Light Fandango, so now we have another party coming up."
Elizabeth for some reason did not tell Charlotte everything, which was odd, she just felt maybe that should stay between her and William. She also realised that William did not say what he was going to do about his cousin Anne; that was important to Caroline, how they were going to help her friend.
Charlotte was delighted, William had money and was obviously prepared to do anything for his sister, even brave Elizabeth after he was so rude to her. But Charlotte could not shake the feeling that Elizabeth was not telling her everything; but that was okay Charlotte had not yet told Elizabeth that Richard had invited her out for supper on Friday night.
Elizabeth stayed at Charlottes house, sleeping over in her spare room, not for the first time. She debated letting William know she was followed but decided it would be better to phone him in the morning and also find out what he planned to do about Anne.