President Darcy

by Victoria Kincaid

  Darcy blinked. “Mashed potatoes?”

  “Don’t laugh. It was the best analogy I could think of on the spur of the moment.”

  Slumping down into his desk chair, Darcy let his head sink to his chest. Maybe there were ways he could have put pressure on some legislators to finish the damn hearings. He’d been avoiding the whole subject, which inevitably brought back reminders of Elizabeth and how she was no longer on this continent. Of course, she was never far from his thoughts anyway.

  “A lot of the Republicans will listen to reason, particularly since they want to work with you on the infrastructure plan. Their biggest problem is Wickham, and we can—”

  “Actually, I received some news today,” Darcy said, searching through the piles on his desk for a specific folder. “A few weeks ago, the SEC found some irregularities in the venture capital firm Wickham and his uncle run. They pursued an investigation.” Darcy found the right folder and showed it to Bing. “They found evidence of insider trading in seventeen deals Wickham’s firm made.”

  Bing rubbed his hands together gleefully. “Awesome! When are they going to nail the guy and send him to prison?”

  “They’re about to.”

  “Why aren’t you thrilled about this?” Bing frowned at Darcy.

  “I’m worried about Lydia Bennet. She’s living with Wickham. When the SEC raids his New York condo, she’ll get caught up in the whole thing, maybe even arrested. She probably doesn’t even know what insider trading is.”

  Bing scratched the back of his neck. “Forgive me, but isn’t this the woman who accused you—on television—of kidnapping her sister?”

  Darcy stared down at the damning papers. “Yeah, but she’s a kid. I don’t even think she’s twenty yet. Wickham used her. You know how he is.”

  “You’re too nice.”

  Darcy couldn’t meet Bing’s eyes. “It would kill her.”

  “Lydia?” Bing raised an eyebrow.

  “Elizabeth. She…and her family have suffered enough because of me.”

  Bing shook his head and then blew out a breath. “Okay, let me talk to Jane.” He held out a hand to forestall Darcy’s objection. “I won’t say anything about the SEC, obviously. But maybe the family can get Lydia to come home without making her suspicious.”

  Darcy considered for a minute. “Okay. She’s probably sick of Wickham by now. It might not take much of an incentive to get her to leave.”

  Bing grimaced in agreement.

  “Good.” Darcy nodded briskly. I’ll have Peter set up calls with McCray and Ramirez. They must be unhappy about the hearings and searching for a way out.”

  Bing smiled as he stood. “That’s the Darcy I’d like to see more often.”

  Darcy sat up straighter in his chair. “I try…but it’s hard.”

  Bing pivoted to leave the room but turned back before he reached the door. “I think you should call her.”

  “Lydia?” Darcy said, deliberately misunderstanding.

  Bing’s eyes narrowed. “You know who I mean.”

  “Need I remind you that she’s in Indonesia?”

  “They have phone service there.”

  Darcy gave his friend a cold look. “Not all of my problems have a ready solution. She made her decision, and it was probably the right one for her. I’m not going to second-guess her.”

  Bing shook his head sharply. “I don’t think Elizabeth knows what’s best any more than you do.” Before Darcy could reply, Bing had exited the room, closing the door smartly behind him.

  ***

  “So then Lydia decided she did want the hat after all, and she tried to grab it. Of course, Kitty ran away,” Jane said with a tolerant smile on her face. “Around and around the kitchen, living room, dining room. All the time Kitty is shrieking, ‘She’ll ruin it! She’ll ruin it for sure, Mom! Someone stop her!’”

  Jane set down her tea cup, laughing a bit self-consciously. Elizabeth managed some convincing chuckles and then took a sip of tea to cover her absent enthusiasm.

  Of course, she was pleased that Lydia had returned home. For five months, the youngest Bennet had refused all pleas from the family. Convinced that George Wickham was in love with her, she had dropped out of school and lived in his New York condo, no doubt expecting to become a kept woman.

  However, it became apparent that most, if not all, of George’s wealth was illusory. Under the pretext of inviting Lydia to their father’s birthday party, Jane, Kitty, and their mother had gotten on the phone to declare their inability to live a Lydia-free life any longer. Lydia had agreed to return “for their sake,” but once she’d slunk back to their parents’ house, she’d proclaimed herself to be very ill-used and deceived by her one-time boyfriend. Hearing the saga long distance through emails from Jane, Elizabeth had breathed a huge sigh of relief. Their mother had supplied all the pampering Lydia believed to be her right, which soon renewed her previous state of extreme shallowness.

  The timing had proved fortuitous; two days later it was revealed that George and his uncle were under investigation by the SEC for insider trading and other shady business practices. Thankfully Lydia had departed before the SEC raided George’s condo and carried away boxes of papers.

  The congressional investigation into the USDA contract, which had already been faltering due to lack of evidence, had been dealt an additional blow by the arrest of a principal committee member. Although the hearings had not been formally disbanded, On-a-Stick’s lawyer seemed confident that it was only a matter of time before the contract was restored.

  Elizabeth had welcomed the news, not only because she wouldn’t be forced to testify but also because Will’s approval numbers were finally rising.

  However, not all voters’ opinions of him had improved; many still believed he had coerced Elizabeth despite her repeated denials. He still walked on thin ice politically, and it was by no means certain he would win the passage of his renewable energy bill. She hated that she was still being used as a weapon against him; however, there was no way she could help except to stay far away from him.

  Nobody except her family and Charlotte had known she would arrive home for a month-long vacation, and Elizabeth planned to keep a low profile. The media had mostly left her alone in Indonesia, and she was happy to avoid their scrutiny.

  Elizabeth had seen Lydia only once for an awkward dinner at their parents’ house. Although she loved her sister, she still found it difficult to forgive her. It had been easier to avoid Lydia by staying at Jane’s apartment during her visit.

  Lifting her eyes from her tea cup, she met Jane’s knowing look. “Lydia does regret her actions, you know,” Jane said.

  Elizabeth snorted. “She regrets that George Wickham didn’t turn out to be the Prince Charming she expected, not the damage she did to my life or Will’s.”

  Jane leaned forward, regarding Elizabeth earnestly from across the coffee table. “I do think that deep down she’s sorry.”

  Elizabeth sighed. “Maybe. But she never apologized to me or said anything to indicate regret.”

  “Yeah, she’s infuriating,” Jane conceded.

  Elizabeth took another sip of her tea, wishing it was late enough that she could retire for the night, but they hadn’t even had dinner yet.

  “Are you happy in Indonesia?” Jane asked suddenly.

  Elizabeth rolled her eyes. Jane had asked this question in one way or another every day over the past week. “The work I’m doing is very valuable,” Elizabeth answered carefully.

  Jane sighed. “You always say that.”

  Elizabeth shrugged. “It’s true.”

  “You don’t look happy.” This was the most direct observation Jane had made so far.

  Elizabeth ran a hand through her hair. “What do you want me to say? It’s only been about six months, Jane. I miss him, but I’m fine.” Her words weren’t even convincing to her own ears. “I don’t know if I’ll sign up for another overseas assignment when my two years are finished. It’s—maybe I’m g
etting too old for constant travel.”

  Jane gave her a level look. “There’s this guy at work who’s cute and single—”

  Elizabeth held up a hand. “Gah! No. I am so not ready for that.”

  “Didn’t think so.” Jane’s smile was smug.

  Elizabeth gave her sister a poisonous glare. They both knew she was hanging on by a thread, but it was what she needed to do. Why did Jane need to rub it in? Before Elizabeth could say something cutting, Jane’s phone chirped. She pulled it out to scrutinize a text. “Oh, Bing’s in the area and wants to stop by.” Instantly Jane began tapping back a message.

  “Great,” Elizabeth said with absolutely no inflection. The one good result of her disastrous near love affair with the president had been that Jane and Bing had come into contact again, talked about their misunderstanding, and decided to try dating once more. Elizabeth was not surprised that they had already reached the drop-by-your-apartment stage. If any couple was meant to be, it was Jane and Bing. And Elizabeth was happy for her sister.

  She was.

  But she was just as happy to avoid Bing. Besides Jane, they only had one thing in common, and Elizabeth didn’t want to even think about him. “Maybe I should go to a coffee shop or something.” Elizabeth stood, collecting her tea cup.

  “There’s no need for that!” Jane admonished.

  “You should have some privacy.”

  Jane rolled her eyes. “It’s not like we’ll fall into bed the moment he arrives. You’ve been AWOL every time he’s come over, and I know he wants to see you before you escape back to Indonesia.”

  “Sure.” Elizabeth mustered a bright smile to hide her gritted teeth. Maybe she could keep it short by suddenly remembering she needed to watch her favorite reality show about rich bachelors living on a deserted island and forced to compete for a recording contract. She picked up Jane’s cup and fled to the kitchen where she didn’t need to guard her expression.

  Elizabeth put the floral cups in the sink under the window with the yellow floral curtains while standing on the blue floral rug. Jane had good taste; everything went together beautifully, but the apartment was almost aggressively cheerful. Some days Elizabeth couldn’t get outside fast enough.

  Her gaze was caught by Jane’s small countertop television. Even in Indonesia Elizabeth couldn’t leave her television off all the time, but she’d been fairly successful at avoiding images of Will there. How did he manage to be on every screen of every television in Jane’s apartment all the time?

  Now she couldn’t tear her eyes from the sight of him shaking hands with the president of South Korea. They waved as pictures were taken, and then Will escorted the woman and her husband into the White House. Did he have a little gray at the temples? Had he lost some weight? Elizabeth scrutinized the image. His eyes were ringed with dark circles. Damn his staff! Weren’t they feeding him and making sure he slept? Wasn’t anyone paying attention?

  It’s not your business, Elizabeth.

  Jabbing savagely at the remote, she turned off the television and directed her gaze out the window toward the apartment building across the street. How long would it be until she stopped flinching at the sight of him? It had been almost six months. Maybe she should return to Indonesia early. There she was usually too busy to notice the hollowness in her chest cavity—except in the evening and at night and in the morning. And sometimes the afternoon.

  And Jane thinks I might be ready to meet another guy. I have nothing left inside me to give someone new. Her knees were suddenly weak; Elizabeth braced herself on the sink, staring out the window to stave off tears. Her mind repeated the mantra from the past six months: It will get better. Elizabeth still believed it, but she was beginning to despair about when “better” would arrive.

  Out in the living room, the front door opened and closed. Bing. Elizabeth straightened her shoulders and finger-combed her hair, hoping her face wasn’t too haggard. She ground her teeth, suddenly angry with herself for letting Jane guilt her into staying.

  I should have begged off with an emergency meeting at work or claimed a sudden need to go to Mom and Dad’s to feed Mary’s parakeet while she’s out of town. I could stop on the way there to buy Mary a parakeet. Maybe I can chat with Bing for a minute or two and then fake an attack of gout or sudden-onset deafness.

  Peals of laughter and the sounds of kissing emanated from the living room. Maybe an intense round of tonsil hockey would allow Elizabeth to slip out of the apartment unnoticed.

  “Lizzy!” Jane called. “Bing’s here!”

  Or maybe not. Elizabeth took a deep breath. I can do this. Sit and chat for five minutes and then notice a sudden urgent craving for tapioca pudding from 7-Eleven.

  Somehow she slapped on a smile as she trudged into the living room. Bing’s blond surfer looks and easy smile hadn’t changed. She offered her hand, but he entrapped her in a hug instead.

  “Elizabeth. It’s so good to see you.”

  She merely nodded. Yes, and if I had my way it would be a long time before I saw you again. After an awkward pause, they all sat, Bing and Jane side by side on the sofa with their hands comfortably intertwined while Elizabeth took the stiff-backed wooden rocking chair. And then…

  Crickets.

  Surely there was some innocuous topic of conversation she could initiate, but Elizabeth’s mind was blank except for the incessant drumbeat of Will, Will, Will. “Great weather we’ve been having,” she finally blurted out.

  Bing glanced at the overcast skies outside the window. “Er, it does make a change from all that sunshine.”

  Well, that killed two seconds.

  Elizabeth wracked her brain. Surely there was another topic that might not lead back to Will. Say something! Anything! She opened her mouth, unsure what would emerge. “How do you feel about tapioca pudding and parakeets?”

  Jane’s eyes widened comically.

  “How is your job going?” Bing asked at the same time.

  Elizabeth latched onto the subject, pretending she hadn’t spoken. “Good. It’s good,” she said quickly. “I’m doing good work. Making a difference.”

  “That’s good.”

  Elizabeth nodded. “Yes, it is. It’s good.” Okay, this was possibly the stupidest conversation in the history of humankind.

  Silence stretched between them again. Ugh, so awkward. It was like there was a huge hole in the middle of the living room floor, and yet they were all determined not to talk about it.

  There had to be something to discuss besides pudding and parakeets. Elizabeth had stored away some interesting anecdotes about Indonesia, but she couldn’t recall any at this moment. “Did you know that Jane got a promotion at work?” Elizabeth said rather desperately.

  “I did.” Bing squeezed Jane’s hand affectionately. “I’m so proud of you.” Jane gave him a fond smile that somehow hollowed out Elizabeth’s chest even more.

  “Well, somebody will need to take charge of the USDA contract once we get it,” Jane said modestly.

  “I’m sure it’ll be soon.” Bing’s tone suggested he had more to say on the topic. Dangerous territory.

  “I hear you two have a hot date this weekend,” Elizabeth inserted quickly. Jane had already told her all about it, but she didn’t mind hearing about it again.

  “Yeah,” Bing drawled, relaxing as he put his arm around Jane’s shoulders. “I secured a reservation at Le Reynard for Saturday. They say Chef Pierre Bessette is a genius…” He quoted a review about the restaurant, but Elizabeth was only half listening. Her mind was occupied with concocting escape plans.

  Bing’s soliloquy petered out. Elizabeth wracked her brain for another safe topic. Taking a deep breath, Bing leaned forward, and Elizabeth had the bizarre sensation she was about to be subjected to a sales pitch. “Could you meet with Darcy while you’re here?”

  I guess we’re going to talk about the hole after all.

  The mention of his name was akin to a mild electric charge through her body. She bolted upright, not
icing at the back of her mind that all her extremities were tingling. “That wouldn’t be a good idea.”

  Bing jumped up from the sofa and started pacing around Jane’s sparsely furnished living room. “He doesn’t have enough votes for the renewable energy bill.”

  Her stomach lurched; that was not good news, but how did apply to her? “Non-sequitur much?”

  He waved irritably at her as he stalked past the windows. “We’ve been working on this for almost a year. We’re so close, but it’s in danger of going down in flames. He could get a couple more votes on board if he just tried harder—if he spent more time working with the staff, inspiring them. But he’s…not bringing his A game.”

  Elizabeth’s whole body was hot. “That’s not my fault,” she bit out.

  “No. Of course not.” Bing shook his head vigorously. “I…” He rubbed his forehead. “I just thought you might help him get back on track.”

  The anger abruptly drained out of her body. Oh. “I-I can’t. Nothing has changed….”

  Bing ran both hands through his hair, making it stand on end. “I know, I know. If you started dating him, the press would be all over you again. It’s inevitable, but—”

  What?

  “Wait!” Elizabeth held up a hand. “Do you think I broke it off because of the press?” Her voice soared into the upper registers.

  “Lizzy, ” Jane said in a patient tone usually reserved for someone about to have a breakdown, “you never actually explained why you did it. You just came to my apartment and cried on my shoulder.”

  Bing blinked at her. “Why else would you have—?”

  Didn’t anyone understand? Elizabeth was suddenly on her feet. “Being associated with me and the rumors of coercion were hurting his presidency. You know this!” She waved her arm at Bing. “You showed me the secret poll.”