Chapter Six: Phishing
Ok, he was a smooth liar, no doubt about it. He had put Jane to bed, moved the bin next to her, filled a few glasses with water and laid them next to some aspirin, before rejoining the party with Lizzy by his side. She had wanted to stay with Jane, but he had insisted that she back his story up to Charlie and Caroline. He was showing her sister a kindness, she knew that, but it was the way he went about it all. Looking down, condescending, with no hint of emotion whatsoever. He was just so cold. The Bingley siblings swallowed his lies immediately, it appeared the bond of trust between them was absolute. No questions at all, just blind agreement. They both made a show of being concerned, although Charlie's hit as a lot more genuine than Caroline's unsurprisingly. The way the three of them interacted however had Lizzy thinking and going back to Darcy's words from earlier about Caroline being one of his best friends. That immediate, slightly angry defence had struck her as odd, in all the interactions she had observed between the two, it appeared that Darcy saw Caroline as no more than an annoyance. She was constantly touching him, attempting to flirt, seemingly un-noticing of his slight wincing whenever this happened. She had seen Caroline as a hanger-on to her brother and him, a judgement that suddenly struck her as perhaps wrong. Maybe there was more to Caroline than meets the eye. Maybe she was every bit the grifter that Charlie was, had she maybe been part of Will Darcy's legendary crew after all? It would explain a lot and made sense now she thought about it. Caroline had been droning on and on about how she had organised all of this today, she had been responsible for the guest list that first night they met. Lizzy still thought she was a stuck-up bitch, but was beginning to conclude that there was more to it….
"I best go and check on her.." Charlie was saying in a concerned tone, beginning to walk towards the spare room before Darcy caught his arm.
"Best not, Charlie," Darcy said firmly. "Leave it until after the party ok? Let her rest for a bit."
"Yes, of course," Charlie muttered distractedly, again deferring to Darcy instantly. They really were in total awe of him weren't they, Lizzy thought. "Can we wrap this up sooner rather than later? I fear I may be quite distracted with the thought of Jane lying sick just over there…"
Lizzy was touched by his words, even if it was a bit dramatic. He seemed to truly care. He was so different to the other two, she wondered at how they had all ever become so close. They say opposites attract, but she had never found that to be a particularly true insight.
"You still have plenty of people to meet Charlie," Caroline admonished. "It took a lot to get all these people in one room."
"Charlie's right," Darcy interrupted with a sigh. "There's no point in continuing if he's going to be distracted. Besides, I think the aims have mostly been achieved."
"I suppose this means we have to cancel at the Ivy tonight as well?" Caroline said disappointedly.
"Yes, yes of course." Charlie said, perhaps not realising that Caroline had posed it as a question, not a statement.
"The Ivy eh?" Lizzy couldn't help herself. "It's all go with you lot isn't it?"
"Oh yes," Caroline nodded self importantly, missing the sarcasm in Lizzy's words. "These exclusive places do grow to be quite the bore, but we must keep up certain important connections."
"Of course." Lizzy smirked.
"Right then," Caroline said briskly. "I'll get Hurst and Louisa to wrap this up."
"No," Darcy spoke up. "I'm afraid you're going to have to grit your teeth here Charlie. It would be rude to let your guests be shown the door by anyone else."
"You're right. Lizzy, let me know how she's getting on, ok? I'll wrap this up as soon as I can."
"Thanks, Charlie." she nodded as he and Caroline linked arms and made their way back into the party, leaving her alone with Darcy for the first time in their short acquaintance. Oh, if only it could never be so, she thought.
God, he annoyed her. And what was it about him? What had Charlie nodding like a puppy at everything he said? Don't get her wrong, she liked the man, but she thought Charlie needed to man up a little bit. Even in retirement, it seemed that Darcy was the puppet master, pulling all the strings around him, ordering everybody around like they were his subjects. A dictator clinging to power.
"Thank you," she managed to say through gritted teeth. "You know, for not telling them."
"It's fine," he replied coldly. "It's Charlie's career being affected, not mine."
Again, there it was. That disapproving tone, the words designed to make her feel bad and small and ashamed. She didn't feel any of those. Jane had got a little drunk at these ridiculously strong cocktails. So the fuck what? Jesus, was this man even human? Did he have an empathetic bone in that perfect body of his? Yes, she could admit to what Lydia had suggested. The man was ridiculously attractive on the outside, but inside she thought he was rotten to the very core.
"I apologise," she said back, her tone betraying that she didn't mean it at all. "It was not our intention. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to check on my sister."
Without waiting for a reply, she stormed away towards the spare bedroom, not pausing for breath until her back was safely leaning against the closed door.
She stayed in the room nursing Jane for as long as she could get away with. She knew she was being rude and that Jane didn't need her, but still she stayed. She just couldn't face it. Charlie had made almost constant visits as soon as the party had calmed down. You'd think from his expression and seriousness that Jane had meningitis or something. She was passing it off as a 24-hour bug and that all Jane needed was sleep. Luckily, Jane hadn't woken up and given herself away as being merely hammered. Charlie was endearing himself more and more to Lizzy however, and she maybe believed that Jane had finally managed to fall for a good one. He was everything a young man should be.
She snooped around the room a little, just delaying the moment she would have to step out of the room and face Caroline and fucking Darcy again. Worse, she'd heard through the door that two of the more awful of guests were staying here tonight as well, Louisa and Hurst, old pals of Charlie's. This man needed some new friends, Lizzy rolled her eyes. Pulled open a couple of drawers, finding nothing really of interest. However, when she reached the bottom one, she found a cellophane bag, full of what appeared to be phone sim cards. She supposed she shouldn't be surprised. These were top grifters, all with reputations that invited the law onto them. Of course they were careful. She heard footsteps approaching and quickly shoved the bag back into the drawer, closing it before rushing back next to Jane just as the door opened.
"How is she?" the voice of Caroline came through to her, with a surprising amount of concern in it. Lizzy thought it might actually be genuine.
"Ok I think. She'll be fine by tomorrow." Lizzy replied softly.
"Good. Why don't you come out for dinner? We'll take it in turns to check on her. You can't stay cooped up in here all evening."
She had to agree, and Caroline's tone had undoubtedly softened her. Caroline had always been kind to Jane at least and did seem to care a little about her. Lizzy nodded and followed Caroline out into the main suite. Was surprised to see a stack of Pizza boxes on the table, would never have envisioned Caroline agreeing to that choice of dinner….
"I know," Caroline grabbed her arm, mistaking Lizzy's expression of surprise for one of disgust perhaps. "But Charlie insisted. He's always been a big kid deep down."
"Nonsense," Charlie raised his voice from across the room. "I just get bloody sick of all those fancy places you and Darcy are always dragging me to. At least I have an ally in Hurst here, eh old sport?"
Hurst belched out in agreement, his sloppy posture on his chair betraying the fact that he was quite drunk.
"Charming." Caroline turned her nose up.
"Hey, I love pizza," Lizzy conceded, the sight of the unopened boxes causing a rumbling in her stomach. She hadn't eaten since breakfast and the cocktails had made her slightly tipsy, although that had mostly cleared. But alcohol made one desire greasy fast food.
"Another ally!" Charlie exclaimed. "Come on then Lizzy, let's inspect the offerings."
They ate mainly in silence, each doing their own thing. Caroline and Louisa sat together, occasionally whispering conspiratorially. Hurst appeared to be asleep, Charlie was munching away contentedly and Darcy was sat at the table, typing furiously away on his laptop, a few slices of half-finished pizza next to him. His brow was furrowed mostly but sometimes she caught the glimpse of a smile as he read something from the screen. It changed him completely, washing away the marble just for a second before the frown returned. There was a sadness about him as well, Lizzy observed. That same look as when he'd cast his eyes on George was present. It annoyed her no end that she knew she wanted to know more.
After she'd finished eating, she stood up to explore a little. Her eye had caught a grand bookcase earlier, the size of an entire wall of the suite, and she began to peruse, stopping every now and then to pull a title off the shelf. Just as she had picked out something to sit quietly with on the sofa, she felt Charlie's presence next to her.
"Darcy insists on it," Charlie whispered to her. "Everywhere we go, he has to have a massive bookshelf fully stocked. Says it relaxes him when he's working. Money goes to people's heads doesn't it…"
"I can hear you, Charlie." Darcy said flatly, Charlie laughing loudly.
"Well it's true!" he exclaimed, leading Lizzy back to the sofa, closer to Darcy. "It's like you think you're in a rock band with all these tour demands!"
"Yes, because so many rock bands demand books on tour," Darcy replied dryly. "Forget about the coke and smack…"
Charlie laughed again, before going quiet.
"I'm sure some bands take books with them," Lizzy couldn't help herself, feeling the need to spar. "Some artists are very literate."
"If you say so." Darcy muttered, turning back to his laptop, leaving Lizzy feeling angry at his rudeness and strangely disappointed at his reluctance to have any sort of debate. She could use some entertainment.
"Oh, you've done it now Elizabeth!" Caroline cackled out of nowhere, Lizzy didn't even realise she'd been listening. "You never insult books in front of Darcy."
"I wasn't insulting them at all!" Lizzy protested. "Reading is one of my favourite hobbies."
"What do you make of that then Darcy?" Caroline asked slyly. "Does it endear Elizabeth here to you, knowing she is a grifter who appreciates the written word?"
Darcy only briefly glanced up, shooting Caroline an inscrutable look before promptly ignoring her and going back to his laptop.
"I'm not a great reader myself," Charlie said jovially, seemingly oblivious to any tension in the room. "Life's so full these days that it is hard to find the time to sit quietly for an hour. I would get quite distracted."
"It's nothing to boast about Charlie," Darcy spoke up again, his tone superior as always. "Reading enriches the mind, knowledge makes you a better human being all around. It can even make you a better grifter. Better than some of the useless ones I see around these days."
"Oh nonsense Darcy," Charlie grinned. "I must say I don't know how the modern grifter does it these days without a good crew. They have to be so good at everything."
"I can only think of about five names alive I would class as a true con artist." Darcy shot back.
"And what in your opinion constitutes a 'con artist' then Darcy?" Lizzy asked, her tone betraying a slight mocking.
"Oh, here we go…." Caroline groaned, causing Charlie to laugh again. He did that a lot.
Darcy sighed and leaned back in his chair, looking directly at Lizzy searchingly. She felt a slight shudder at his appraisal.
"The true con artist has to be the smartest person in the room at all times. They have to be arrogant and daring, bold and innovative. Well-read, fluent in several languages, a passable knowledge of every aspect of business and the arts, technologically savvy, always keeping up with the latest advancements, adaptable to the extreme. Ready to walk away at a moment's notice if necessary. Meticulous, always one step ahead, always in control of everything around them. At once the most memorable and forgettable person in the room. We are conductors in our own orchestra, everyone around us is the instruments. They have to sing to our tune."
Silence met his short speech. For the first time, Elizabeth believed she really saw Will Darcy. Saw how he could in fact be a legend of the game. His eyes seemed to come alive with every word as he spoke them, his commitment to them absolute. However, she couldn't help but laugh a little. I mean, come on….
"I'm surprised you can think of five names who fit that description," Lizzy broke the quiet. "I have certainly never known any such grifter. It's a wonder any can exist at all."
"Well, we do move in different circles Lizzy dear." Caroline patronised snidely.
"You're not wrong." Lizzy muttered, by no means taking it as the insult it was meant to be. She actually liked her friends.
"Besides," Caroline continued. "There is no doubt that the game is becoming weaker. No one plays the long con anymore, outside of the Ton of course."
"They don't because they can't." Darcy fired.
Lizzy snorted. The Ton was the informal nickname, given to them by the fraud squad, of the elitist criminals in the country. The gentlemen thieves if you like, all tuxedoes and Rolex's. It wasn't an organisation so to speak, just an umbrella under which crews like Darcy's were referred to as. They were well-known as snobs, closed off to anyone who wasn't wealthy and connected.
"Or maybe they are just not presented with the opportunity to do so," Lizzy felt the anger well up at the patronising of these upper-crust wankers. "I know plenty of talented grifters who find doors constantly shut on them."
Darcy studied her again before surprising her with a conciliatory nod. The room went quiet again, the silence broken only by the tapping of Darcy's keyboard.
"What are you doing anyway Darcy?" Caroline called out, Lizzy didn't miss the small sigh that escaped Darcy's lips at the interruption. Grinned inwardly.
"I'm writing to Georgiana."
Lizzy couldn't miss the change in the room. It was tenser than ever before at the mention of this Georgiana. She wondered who she was, a girlfriend perhaps? She couldn't see it. But she couldn't miss the way even Charlie's ever-present smile slipped a little.
"Oh, do tell her I miss her dearly." Caroline cried dramatically.
"I do not think I shall have the space." Darcy said, causing Caroline to deflate.
"How is she, Will?" Charlie asked quietly.
"As well as can be expected." he shifted in his chair, obviously keen to get off the subject.
Every curious bone in her body was screaming at her to ask questions, but she knew it would be impertinent. They weren't friends, they obviously didn't like each other, so why the hell would he give her any form of answer? She would let him have his secrets. She didn't care that much anyway…
"Good, god I'm bored," Caroline's obnoxious tones again interrupted the room. "Lizzy, what do you say we try out this pool table that Charlie insisted on having put in?"
"And I'm the one with the excessive demands….." Darcy muttered churlishly.
Again, Caroline had surprised her. I mean come on, Caroline on a pool table? Surely such things were beneath her?
"Why don't you join us, Darcy?" Caroline attempted to flirt, and suddenly her motivations became clearer. She probably wanted him to do that thing where he stood behind her and lined up the shot for her. How sickening.
"I think that would defeat the purpose," Darcy responded.
"How so?" Caroline batted her eyelids at him.
Darcy sighed again and finally looked up from his laptop.
"Either you want some alone time with Elizabeth to talk about confidential things, in which case I will be in the way, or you're attempting to draw my attention with your um… posture. If that is the case then I can admire you better from here."
Charlie laughed loudly before standing up to go and check on Jane. Even Hurst let out a small grunt, although that may well have just been a snore. Had Will Darcy just shown some personality? Lizzy didn't think so. By his tone of voice, it was clear that he was just calling Caroline out on her shallow attention-seeking ways. She, of course, chose to see it in a different light.
"You pig William!" she flirted. "Whatever should we do with him Elizabeth, darling? He must be punished for such misogynistic remarks."
It seemed Caroline was quite the feminist, Lizzy snorted to herself sarcastically. Nevertheless, she weighed her words while she racked up the balls into the triangle, gesturing at Caroline to break off.
"We should tease him." Lizzy pondered, her eyes on Darcy, his looking back at her.
"Oh, that's no good!" Caroline said adoringly. "Darcy is not to be teased, there is nothing about him to laugh at whatsoever."
"Is that so, Will?" Lizzy asked, seeing his eyes flicker with something at the first use of his first name escaping from her lips. "Is there nothing to be laughed with? No flaw?"
"Everybody is flawed," Darcy conceded in a serious tone. "I just try to minimise mine as much as possible. It's what allows me to be a very successful grifter."
"So, vanity then?" Lizzy grinned, enjoying seeing Caroline's smile slip out of the corner of her eye. The conversation was obviously turning a different way to how she intended it to. Darcy, however, kept his eyes firmly on hers before hitting back.
"I do not believe myself to be a particularly vain individual," he replied slowly as if carefully considering every word. "Prideful perhaps, yes, I am proud of what I have achieved, no doubt about it. I do not think it is vanity if it is earned. No, maybe I am too quick to temper on occasion and I'm unwilling to forgive as readily as others. My good opinion if lost is lost forever."
Lizzy considered him for a moment, his serious expression peering at her with the glow of his laptop screen lighting his face as if it were artificial. She thought again about the meeting with George, the rage in his eyes and wondered if he was thinking about the same thing.
"That is indeed a flaw Darcy," she replied after a while. "Forgiveness is what makes us human."
"That may be so," he inclined his head. "But everyone has a thing, do they not? Everyone has that one aspect of character they recognise as flawed but can't do anything about. It is just how it is I suppose."
"The thing is, everyone in life will disappoint you at some point, whatever their intentions. So, your flaw is that you eventually come to hate everyone?" Lizzy challenged.
"And perhaps yours is that you wilfully misunderstand them." he smiled at her for perhaps the first time, before dropping his gaze to his computer. Lizzy thought she saw a slight tinge of colour in his cheeks.
Louisa coughed, and Lizzy was pulled out of her bubble. She had forgotten the others were even there if truth be told. She glanced around her slightly embarrassed.
"I'm going to check on Jane." she muttered before fleeing, the game of pool forgotten and the challenge in Darcy's eyes still filling her mind.
She missed the way Caroline was glancing between the two of them, her retreating form and Darcy's occupied face, a frown beginning to form.