Chapter Fifteen: Alibi Store

Her holiday was coming to an end and truth be told she was looking forward to going home. She missed Jane, missed Lydia, missed London itself. Vegas was a fun novelty, but she had come to the realisation that she could never live here permanently. Charlotte had taken to it like a duck to water, she had great new friends, a great house, a great job, and she loved the city in all its contradictions. But Lizzy needed something more real. And London was always the place for her, always would be. The dirt, the filth, the grime, the unexpected beauty, the fact that anyone and everyone was there if you looked hard enough. The corners that no one went to, the parks and the lakes that were hidden, the housing estates and the kebab shops, the dealers and the bankers and the rastas and the grifters.

Also, her brain was hurting. She had tried to push her doubts to the back of her mind but they niggled away. She knew Darcy was up to something, she just knew it. And every day when her mind was wandering she went back to him and all the interactions she had ever had with the man, trying to spot something, some clue that had remained buried in the reaches of her mind.

"The true con artist has to be the smartest person in the room at all times….. We are conductors in our own orchestra, everyone around us is the instruments."

It didn't help that he seemed to be around her an awful lot. She and Richard had struck up a fast friendship, she found him hilarious and ridiculous in equal measure, and he thoroughly enjoyed her teasing and sarcastic nature. And where Richard was, Darcy normally followed. To be honest, she was warming to him a little. Had picked his brains about grifting on numerous occasions since their lunch and he had been generous in his responses, always taking her seriously, happy for her to challenge his viewpoint, even though he normally brought her around to his point of view without her even realising she was now agreeing with him. He'd always do this half-smirk thing that really got on her tits when this happened. Didn't help that it made him look even more ridiculously attractive than he already was.

But still, he was difficult to be around for the most part. Still uptight and distant, as if he was always holding himself back. She marvelled at his and Richard's friendship, at how two people so different could share such an intimacy. It was clear that Richard, more than Charlie and Caroline, was the one who really knew his cousin, the one who was perhaps the only one who understood him.

"Whether I have intended it or not, they have all come second to my pursuit of the long con. Richard will tell you the same thing. It's just how it is, how a grifter is wired. Grifters are all sociopaths, there is something in us that is not present in other people, some deficiency maybe, I don't know…."

Yeah, despite the slight softening in relations between her and Darcy, she was looking forward to leaving the man behind. Let him get on with his shit and stop fucking worrying about it. He had given her some good advice, and Richard had even offered to put her in touch with some of his contacts in England, people who may well be of the same persuasion as she was, may be ready to step up their game and play the long con.

She was looking forward to going home.

She was sat at the kitchen table with Charlotte and some half-finished take-out boxes, absentmindedly playing with her already battered deck of cards.

Billy went all in, and then something strange happened. It was so obvious that Collins was bluffing, everybody around the table knew it. Even if he got lucky on the river and somehow won, it would do little harm to Darcy's chip pile. Surely he was going to take him out.

But then, after a moment of deliberation, Darcy threw down his cards and folded.

"Lizzy…. Lizzy!" Charlotte was calling her.

"Shit, sorry, what were you saying?"

Again, she was thinking about him. Again she was fucking doing it. This was her second last night, she should have been cherishing every moment with her friend, but no, she was thinking of William fucking Darcy.

"I was saying that Richard wants us to go out tonight to say goodbye to you."

"I thought we were doing something tomorrow?" Lizzy asked, confused.

"Apparently he and Darcy have some business meeting tomorrow night that means they won't be joining us. So that means it'll be you, me, Catherine, Billy and Anne. Joy, fucking joy."

"Indeed," Lizzy sighed. "So, where are we going?"

"No idea," Charlotte said, lightly. "Richard says it's a surprise."

"Probably be a bunch of hookers and pills then."

"Not with Darcy there. The fun sponge himself." Charlotte laughed.

"Oh, God, is he coming as well?" Lizzy groaned. She didn't want to see him, not tonight.

"Course he is, you're going," Charlotte smirked.

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"That he, like, obviously fancies you."

"Are we suddenly six years old again? Who the fuck says fancy anymore?"

"Alright, he wants to fuck you then."

"Charlotte!" Lizzy put her head in her hands.

Ever since the night Darcy had shown up, Charlotte had gotten this ridiculous idea in her head that Darcy had 'feelings' for her. It was ridiculous. The man was a fucking robot, pretty much incapable of that kind of thing she'd wager. Admittedly, she did catch him staring at her a fair bit, but it was always with this frown on his face like he was judging her for something. And, yes, they had got on better over the last week, but they had been talking about work, nothing else, nothing personal, nothing that normal people would do.

"Look, fine, if you want to spend your time with some bottom-of-the-rung weirdo family then by all means go ahead."

She was still that to him. Sure, he talked with her about her ambitions, gave her advice, but he still did it with a superior tone and that half smirk. He still didn't think she had it in her. That was fine. She was going to prove them all wrong in the end. She was going to have the world.

"Just saying." Charlotte held her hands up.

"Will Darcy does not want to fuck me," Lizzy said with a hardened tone. "He doesn't like me, he never has, I'm too far 'beneath' him. So please, just drop it!"

"You telling me you've never thought about it, Lizzy?" Charlotte said with an evil smile. "I know you think he's attractive…"

"Everybody with eyes knows he's attractive Charlotte," Lizzy conceded. "But that doesn't make up for his awful personality. So no, I have never imagined it."

Ok, that was a small lie. She was a female who could appreciate a good-looking bloke and it had been a while, alright? She was only fucking human after all.

"Liar."

"Just shut the fuck up, alright?" Lizzy groaned.

"Fine, fine. You need to loosen up a bit though, Lizzy, have some fun, if you know what I mean…."

"CHARLOTTE!"

Billy Collins met them in a bar just off the strip. Apparently Richard had invited him. The Colonel found Billy hilarious and was constantly laughing at him. Not in a nasty way really, even if it was Billy was too dense to realise anyway, just in a friendly mocking sort of way. Billy often had him in stitches without understanding why. Richard was just like that, he saw the funny side of everything, saw the funny side in people and gently mocked it.

"Oh, Mr Bingley, thank you so much for the invitation! You must all come to dinner tonight as a thank you. You can meet Mr Collins himself!"

Again, it might have been her imagination, but she swore she saw Charlie take a quick glance at Darcy who gave him the barest shake of the head. Maybe she was being paranoid, but something seemed a little of with it. The three of them, Charlie, Caroline and Darcy seemed to have their own language of the body that they communicated in.

Stop it, Lizzy. Stop it.

Darcy and Richard walked in around half an hour later, Richard spotting them first, leaning into Darcy to say something, causing Darcy to give him one of his withering stares. Looked like he'd brought the fun with him tonight then, Lizzy thought sarcastically.

"Ladies!" Richard clapped enthusiastically as they approached. "Where's Billy gone? Ah, here he is, my man! A good night would not be complete without you, my friend!"

Billy did his ridiculous half-bow thing as he came back over with drinks for her and Charlotte, causing Richard to collapse in laughter.

"Classic, just classic!" he managed to choke out, collapsing onto the seat next to Lizzy.

"You know what a big deal that guy is right? Rosings is like one of the top Casinos in Vegas!"

"I'll get the drinks in then shall I?" Darcy muttered, walking away towards the bar.

"Bottle of champagne, Darcy!" Richard howled. "And get a couple of tequilas in while you're there!"

Lizzy laughed at him, determined to thoroughly enjoy this last night. Her actual last night was being hijacked by Lady Catherine who insisted they thank her personally for her hospitality, so tonight was basically her goodbye to Vegas. She was glad Richard was here, hell, even glad Billy was here. They chatted aimlessly for a while before Darcy came back with what was decidedly not a bottle of champagne and no tequila in sight.

"What the fuck man?" Richard looked at the offered beer disdainfully. "You too tight to shell out for Lizzy's goodbye shindig, you bastard?"

"It's not about the money," Darcy frowned. "Remember we have a lot to do tomorrow and I would prefer it if you were at least slightly coherent."

"It's not about the money."

"Spoilsport," Richard sulked, before catching Darcy's expression. "Ok, ok, you're right. Sorry, Lizzy, looks like I brought the fun police with me tonight."

Lizzy laughed.

"Come on, Darcy, loosen up will you?" she looked at him. "Be happy, this may well be the last time you are forced to be in my presence, so suck it up with a smile and get through it!"

"I assure you, that brings me no happiness whatsoever," Darcy said, seriously. He was looking at her intensely again, and for a moment Lizzy forgot they had company as she held his gaze. Laughed quickly to disguise it, seeing Charlotte smirking out of the corner of her eye. Bitch.

"Whatever you say, Darcy," she said, taking a sip of her beer. "So what is it that is so important for you two tomorrow that you are leaving me in the lion's den all alone then?"

"Lizzy!" Billy admonished, he actually looked personally hurt by an insult thrown towards Catherine.

"Sorry, Billy," she smirked.

"Important business, I'm afraid," Richard said, dismissing it with a wave of his hand. "No more work talk, tonight, we get fucked up!"

"Richard…" Darcy warned.

"Alright, tonight Lizzy slips me drinks while Darcy isn't watching!" he raised his glass with a laugh.

"For fuck sake…" Darcy sighed, and Lizzy laughed at him again.

As the evening progressed, they got a little more rowdy. Even Billy was cutting loose a bit and was pretty rosy in the cheeks. Much to Darcy's horror, they had decided to go on to some club that Richard had heard about. She realised why he had recommended it when she saw the half-naked women dancing in cages…

"Fucking hell, Richard!" she shouted in his ear over the pumping bass. "You've not brought us to one of your weird fetish clubs have you?"

Richard howled in laughter, not responding, just wrapping an arm around her and steering her towards a cornered-off section of the club. Lizzy noticed Darcy trailing behind them as she looked around the club, his eyes fixed on Richards's arm around her waist with a frown on his face. Miserable fucker.

"When I am playing a score, I am playing a character. Unfortunately, when I am being myself, I find it a lot harder."

More drinks were waiting for them as they sat down, and they began to flow freely. Darcy had pretty much given up on trying to control Richard and was just sitting sulking in a corner. Billy was turning out to be a hilarious drunk and was pulling some of the worst dance moves she had ever seen, although maybe they were the best for sheer entertainment value. She felt her inhibitions loosen as the alcohol took hold and she and Charlotte danced for a while, Richard joining in. Darcy just watched. She saw him get up out of the corner of her eye and disappear off somewhere. He was gone for a while before Lizzy realised he hadn't come back. She stood up on one of the VIP sofas and looked out over the crowd, not entirely sure why she was bothering. Wasn't like he was much fun. Eventually, she spied him by the bar, looking out of place in his formal suit. He appeared to be being chatted up by a stunning blonde woman, all high heels and sleek hair, and she watched as her hands began stroking his arm. Felt a flash of something that could have been anger. Before she could process it, Richard was dragging her down, pouring her another drink, which she downed in one.

"That's the fucking spirit!" Richard cheered. "I told you didn't I, Lizzy? When I barged into your hotel room! Told you that we'd get there!"

"You did, Richard," Lizzy raised her glass, ready for it to be filled. "You did indeed."

"LIZZY! LIZZY!" Charlotte was yelling at her from only about three feet away. She was obviously already battered. "I'm gonna go and wing woman Billy!"

She preceded to do this ridiculous bird impression as she followed Billy out into the throng of people, flapping her arms around a yelling "KACOW!". Lizzy collapsed in laughter at the sight and allowed Richard to fill her glass up again…

She was monumentally drunk. Epically drunk. Drunker than she had been in a long time. Darcy had finally returned and she had frowned at the napkin sticking out of his top pocket that obviously had a lipstick scrawled number on it. For some reason, it pleased her when he'd taken it out and thrown it over the sofa behind him.

"Darcy is something of a legend amongst our peers you know. Picasso himself. They say he can't be caught, say he's too good. Always three steps ahead of anyone who comes within a mile of him. And just when you think you've got him, bam! It turns out you were looking in the wrong direction the whole time and away he slips."

"Look, Lizzy…." Richard slurred to her. The club was about to close up, people were streaming to the doors. They, on the other hand, were still prolonging the evening. "I jusht wanna say I'm sorry, you know?"

"Sorry for what?" Lizzy giggled for some reason.

"Oh, you know, all this!" he waved his arms around dramatically.

"What are you talking about?" Lizzy managed to reply, she couldn't even see straight at this point.

"That's enough, Richard," Darcy grabbed his cousin's arm, hoisting him up. "Time to go."

"But Darcy….." Richard whined.

"Everybody's leaving. And you have spectacularly ignored my advice and gotten completely wasted again."

"Richard Fitzwilliam. Long con artist, fixer, gambler, international lover and playboy, and finally, 2002 Edinburgh inter schools triple jump champion!"

"I'm fine," Richard stood up, swaying slightly but managing to keep upright. The man could definitely handle a drink. He couldn't even talk properly but even now he had full command of his movements. He began to walk out of the club, waving behind him.

"I'll go hail a cab. You help Lizzy here."

"Come on." Darcy held his hand out to her.

"I don't need help," she said angrily, pushing his hand away and promptly toppling over. Darcy laughed slightly.

"Come on, Lizzy, stop being so fucking stubborn."

"Fine," she conceded with a huff. "But I'm accepting your help because I want to ok? Not because I need it."

"Of course," Darcy smirked.

They began to follow the crowd out of the club, Darcy steering her through the masses. She clutched his arm like a life jacket, she knew she'd fall over and probably get trampled to death if she didn't. They finally exited into the warm night, Darcy looking around for Richard.

"Hey, Lizzy!" Charlotte called out, and they moved over to where Billy was leaning sloppily against a taxi.

"Come on, back to Rosings! Darcy, Richard's over there somewhere, said something about seeing a woman he liked the look of…"

"Oh, for fuck sake," Darcy sighed. "Ok, let's get you in here, Lizzy. Night, Charlotte, Billy."

Darcy opened the door and bundled her gently into the backseat of the cab. Lizzy looked up at him for a moment and saw the same sadness in his eyes that she had when he had seen George or talked about his sister. She never did get to the bottom of that.

"Georgiana Darcy's in prison."

"What is it?" she asked, reaching up and touching his face.

"I'm sor….. Nothing," he pulled her hand gently away. "Goodnight Miss Bennet."

He moved away and shut the door. Lizzy looked back as the car pulled away, saw him look to the heavens before his face was briefly illuminated by that familiar speck of orange as he lit his cigarette. And then he was gone.

"… perhaps you are just seeing what you expect to see in me."

Lizzy closed her eyes, leaning her forehead against the window, against the world as it rolled by, fully aware that she would remember very little of this tomorrow.

It was fucking hell. That's the only way she could describe it. The evening after found her dressed to the nines, wandering around Rosings Park casino floor with Lady Catherine, Anne, and a worse-for-wear Billy and Charlotte. She was so fucking hungover. Could barely remember anything of the night before, it was all mostly haze. She was getting through the evening on autopilot, she knew she wasn't fooling Catherine, she was undoubtedly too sharp for that, but it appeared that her ladyship's mind was on other things.

Lizzy sensed something was wrong straight away, from the moment they met on the casino floor. Catherine was acting differently from how she had before. She was restless, on edge, her eyes darting around regularly. Less composed, and her expression was harder than it had been before. Whereas in every previous meeting she had been incessant with her questioning, unwilling to be left out of discussions, tonight she was the opposite. Billy had fussed around her asking if she was ill, but she had brushed him off with a biting putdown.

Lizzy had managed to escape to the Roulette table when Charlotte appeared next to her, finally having given Billy the slip.

"Jesus, Lizzy, this is fucking torture!"

"Tell me about it," Lizzy put a few chips on red 12. "This is like, top three hangovers."

"No doubt," Charlotte nodded. "Thank God Catherine's in just as bad a mood. I dunno why she doesn't just go back to her suite. It's obvious she doesn't want to be here."

Lizzy nodded, watching the wheel as it spun. Had to look away, it was making her feel sick. Groaned as black 28 was called. One fucking slice away. Fucking mug's game.

"Bad luck, Miss Bennet," Catherine's voice appeared close to her ear, causing her to start slightly, something not missed. "Any reason you look so shaky tonight?"

The tone was one of suspicion that didn't sit right with Lizzy. She presumed she was just being admonished for her hung-over state, but there was a little too much bite for that to be justified. God, she couldn't wait to get home.

"I'm fine, Lady Catherine." Lizzy managed to reply, turning to look her dead in the eye. She saw a challenge reflected back at her briefly, before the old woman's eyes flicked away from her, disgust replacing it. Charlotte scuttled away quickly.

"I ask you, why do people do such things to their bodies?" Catherine said out of nowhere, confusing Lizzy.

"Sorry?"

"A woman just walked past with this bloody monstrosity crawling all up her neck. I heard someone call it art once you know. Bloody ridiculous. If my Anne ever came back home covered in tattoos, I would most likely disown her."

"Well, I don't think there's much danger of that." Lizzy snorted under her breath, but it was loud enough.

"You're right, I raised her better than that. If only I could have been there for all my family…"

There was a shout from across the room, one of surprise, of delight, of incredulity. Someone had obviously won big tonight.

"So it begins….." Lady Catherine sighed sadly.

Lizzy couldn't help but laugh. Here was one of the richest women in the world, annoyed that some poor bastard had actually won some money in her casino, a casino that would still turn a stupid profit tonight.

"Anyway, what was I saying?" Catherine was continuing. "Oh, yes, my family…"

"What about them?"

"His parents died very young, you see," Catherine spoke, almost like she was talking to herself, unaware of the company. "By society's rules, he was a man, yes, but in reality he was nothing more than a boy. I always said he'd been given too much freedom but no one listened to me. And then they were gone, just like that, and he was left alone. A sister to look after, a business to run. He wasn't ready for all that. I offered to take Georgiana of course, but he refused flat out. I offered them both a place here with me, but he resisted again. He was determined to be stubborn, determined to ignore reason. Then he started to break, pieces at a time, as it all crumbled. It was just too much for someone so young. It was the only thing I could do! I hoped one day he would understand it, accept it, even realise that it was the right thing for me to do. If he'd just stayed straight, if he'd just stepped back, he could have had it all. But no, he decided to become 'Picasso', and now here we are…."

"What are you talking about?" Lizzy asked, her heart beginning to pound, those elusive shapes suddenly coming into focus.

Another shout of triumph, this time from the roulette wheel next to them. Lizzy couldn't see the winner through the crowds that were gathering. It was clearly another big win. Funny, these things rarely came in twos in casinos…..

"I gave him the benefit of the doubt for all these years. He thinks I don't know, see, he thinks I can't see what he wants and what he's been doing to try to get it. Every time, I say to myself, he's young, he will come to his senses soon enough. But that day has never come and now my patience is exhausted."

"Lady Catherine, what the hell is going on?"

Catherine looked at her with appraising eyes.

"I thought you were in on it, you know. Even up until this very moment, I thought you may well be part of all this. But no. Now I see you're not. You're too young, too stupid, too arrogant, too blind, too cocky. No, you're as ignorant as the rest I think."

A security guard tapped Catherine on the shoulder and whispered something in her ear.

Catherine's eyes shut tight in a grimace.

"What the fuck is happening?" Lizzy half screamed.

She was drowned out by another deafening cheer, this time from the blackjack table.

Then, Catherine turned to her. Gone was the nostalgic faraway look. Now it was just steel and a half smile.

"Well, Elizabeth Bennet, it would appear that William Darcy is in the midst of attempting to rob me."

"Anyway, yeah, Catherine got Will to sign over the deed to the casino, Pemberley, just after his parents died … My guess is he's still pretty bitter about it."

It crashed over her like a tidal wave. Fragments of conversations, of pointed looks, of overheard mutterings, all suddenly slotted into place. Turned to look at the room, eyes finding Billy straight away. Looked down at the glint of silver adorning his wrist. Of course.

"You know what a big deal that guy is right? Rosings is like one of the top Casinos in Vegas!"

Of course.

"That motherfucker." Lizzy breathed out.

"It's not about the money."

Lizzy couldn't help it. She laughed out loud.

"Does it amuse you, Elizabeth?" Catherine asked her.

"I've been conned," Lizzy ignored her, still laughing in disbelief. "He fucking conned us. They conned all of us."