by Aimée Avery
The day passed slowly for Elizabeth, but finally she was headed home to get answers. As she stepped into the foyer, Will was going out, a suitcase in his hand.
“Ah, Lizzy! Good. I’m glad you’re home. I’m going to have to be gone for a bit. This problem is bigger than I realized. I’m taking a taxi to the airport, but I left the keys to the cars in the kitchen. Just don’t let Georgiana drive Baby.”
“If you don’t want her to drive your beloved sports car, then don’t leave the keys!” Elizabeth said a little too severely.
“Yes, well, you might need it if she takes the CR-V, now won’t you?” He smiled and looked down the hall at his sister, who stood with her hands on her hips.
“You are the meanest brother in the universe!” Georgie yelled.
“Oh, yes, I know, I should be imprisoned for not allowing my lead-footed little sister to speed through the streets in a car that goes with her prettiest party dress,” Will grinned with his words, and Georgiana stomped her foot.
“Goodbye, ladies!” William added as the taxi pulled up in front of the house.
“Call when you get there!” Georgiana ran to hug William.
“I promise,” he said as he kissed her forehead and then leaned over and kissed Elizabeth’s cheek. “Keep that crown polished, Princess.” William was down the steps and in the taxi before Elizabeth could think of anything to say in return.
Though he called as promised when he arrived at his destination, William hadn’t managed to call again. It had been over week since he left, and Elizabeth gave up on the reasons behind the kiss. She decided that it was just one of those meaningless things, and bringing it up would be just too embarrassing. If it had been more, he would have called her. Chances were that he took the opportunity of being away from home to satisfy things he couldn’t with Georgiana and Elizabeth always underfoot. His kissing her was probably the reason he left in the first place. He was getting desperate and slipped by kissing Elizabeth.
“That has to be it! And as for that stupid vision, well, it was just stupid. After all, I have had them where they haven’t come true, so!” Lizzy told her reflection as she brushed her hair. She turned away from the mirror and picked up her purse. She looked inside and smiled at the keys to Will’s sports car. She decided that she wouldn’t drive it, but it was fun just to have the keys in her purse. She turned back to the mirror, stuck her tongue out, then turned and skipped out of her bedroom to join Georgiana for a Saturday of Christmas shopping.
~ • ~
Georgiana slumped into a chair and sighed. “My feet are killing me! I’ve haven’t had so much fun shopping in a long time!”
Lizzy smiled at her and set down the coffees they had ordered as she eased herself into a chair. “I couldn’t agree more! I spent entirely too much money, but I sure had fun doing it!” The two women giggled.
“So this is where you run off to and do your tutoring, hmm?”
“Yes, well. There is nothing like a Starbucks for studying. Plenty of coffee to keep your brain going, and lots of sweets to go with it!” Lizzy giggled again, then took a sip of her steaming mocha. Her gaiety came to a sudden end when she looked across the lounge and saw a couple being overly intimate in public. She had seen couples making out before, but she was shocked with the two that made up this couple. Ronny Saunderson sat with a scantily clad Mary King on his lap. His mouth was completely covering hers, and it looked as if he were devouring her as he groped her.
“What’s wrong?” Georgiana turned and followed Elizabeth’s line of vision. “Oh that is just disgusting. Don’t people have any manners anymore?”
“It’s worse than that?” Lizzy croaked.
“Huh?”
“The guy… the guy… that’s Ronny!” Lizzy said before she put her hand up to her mouth as if she were going to be sick. “And the girl is Mary King.”
“Your old flat mate? The one who spread the rumors?”
“Yes.” Lizzy said, trying to somehow hide by turning her back to them.
“Do you want to leave?” Georgie whispered.
“No. If I stand up now, I might retch.” Elizabeth felt guilty for wanting to introduce Georgiana to Ronny. Any guy who would have anything to do with the likes of Mary King was definitely not good enough for Georgiana.
Both women stilled as they heard Mary let out a laugh. Georgiana had a good view of the couple, but Elizabeth continued to keep her back to the duo.
“I wish you would have been able to find out where she lives now. I really want to make her life miserable,” Mary said in a voice everyone in the entire store could hear.
“I’m supposed to have another tutoring session on Wednesday. But this time I’ll have Terry get into the same carriage with her. It’ll be easier if someone she doesn’t know is following her.”
“Terry might try to hit on her,” Mary added.
“Yeah, so?”
“I thought you might have a thing for our poor little Lizzy?”
“That bitch? Fuck no! Let Terry make her one of the thousands in his harem,” Ronny spat. “She’s probably a virgin. I want an experienced woman!”
“I thought all men wanted a virgin.”
“Been there, done that. Now I want experience, babe!”
It had taken all of Georgiana’s will not to let out a gasp at the mention of Terry Younge’s name. It was Elizabeth’s hand that suddenly clutched hers that kept her from it. As if by silent communication, the two women quietly stood, picked up their purchases and made their way out of the coffee shop. Heading down to the Central Line trains, neither spoke until they made it to Holland Park and their street.
“I’m so, so sorry, Georgie!” Elizabeth started, emotion heavy in her voice. “I thought he was… I’m so… I’m such an idiot!”
“No, Elizabeth. You aren’t,” Georgiana stopped and stared at her friend. “Like my brother says, some people are just very good at disguising themselves.”
“But…”
“No! No buts!” Georgiana said with anger. “He was supposed to be your friend, and I realize that finding out he isn’t hurts, but better that you know now what he really is. And think of it, you now have the advantage over him. He can’t ever hurt you again. Furthermore, he has to put up with Mary King.”
Elizabeth stared at the younger woman, and noticed that there was a wisdom she never realized was there before. Georgie was correct. It did hurt to think Ronny had been a friend when he obviously wasn’t, but Ronny’s betrayal made her understand that Georgiana was more than the young girl she had always known. She was a caring and mature young woman who learned from her mistakes, and decided to be positive about them. More than that, Georgiana Darcy was a true friend, a true and loving friend, who was upset that someone dared to hurt someone close to her.
Elizabeth suddenly smiled and broke into laughter.
“Oh! And that’s punishment to fit the crime, isn’t it?” she let out between laughs.
Spitting giggles, Elizabeth and Georgiana headed home arm in arm.
Chapter 9
“Georgiana?” Elizabeth interrupted the young woman who sat at the breakfast table with her tea and the newspaper.
“Oh, good morning, Lizzy!” she exclaimed with a smile, putting the broadsheet aside. “Do you want some tea? I made some toast, but I’m afraid I’m not as handy as my brother in the kitchen.” Georgiana frowned slightly and continued, “That sounds rather sad, doesn’t it?”
Lizzy chuckled, “Well, I don’t know about that.”
Both women laughed, and Elizabeth moved toward the counter with the coffee maker and began to prepare what normally was already prepared and sampled for her.
“I wanted to apologize to you, Georgie.”
“Whatever for?”
“For Ronny,” Elizabeth said with shame.
“Lizzy, why in the world do you need to apologize to me for Ronny?”
“I wanted to match the two of you up and…”
“Lizzy…”
“No. Please. I was up most of the night trying to understand why I wanted to get the two of you together, especially after he tried to follow me home and…”
“Wait! He tried to follow you home? What for? When did this happen?”
“The night before your brother left on his business trip. And, as you heard yesterday, he was planning on trying to again.”
“With Terry’s help. Yes, I remember that. But, Lizzy, why would Ronny or this Mary girl want to cause you trouble?”
“I don’t know Ronny’s reasons, other than he wants to do whatever Mary wants him to do in order to get into her pants. As for Mary, well, she likes things to be her way, no matter what is considered to be proper, or even kind. I was very demanding about the rent being on time and that sort of thing, which she didn’t particularly like, and my study schedule is more my own…”
“Yes, well, you are in an advanced program, of course your study schedule is your own.”
“I know that, Georgie. You know that, but it doesn’t matter that I had to go through all the undergraduate course study, I am not doing that now and…” Elizabeth sighed. “She is simply jealous of what she thinks I have or can do. Your brother rescuing me from the police station was the icing on the cake, I think.”
“Why would she care?”
“She is a fan of the tabloids,” Elizabeth said suggestively.
“Oh, gross! She’s hot after my brother?” Georgiana grimaced. “I’ll give it that my brother is a good looking guy and, okay, so he is rich, but that is just… ew!”
Elizabeth laughed. “I have the same feeling when I think of my parents having sex!”
“EW! Elizabeth! Now I am picturing Will having… oh, that is just gross!”
Elizabeth couldn’t help but laugh whole-heartedly. She poured a cup of now freshly brewed coffee and sat down at the table with Georgiana.
“I’m sure my brother has sex, I just don’t want to know about it. Ew!”
Elizabeth’s humor quickly died at the thought of Will with another woman.
“Lizzy, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that!” Georgiana said apologetically.
“Said what?” Lizzy tried to cover her emotion.
“I’m not blind, you know. I know you have feelings for my brother.”
“Of course I do. We have been friends forever…”
“Elizabeth?” Georgie’s voice was more that of a mother questioning the validity of the statement than that of a younger friend.
“Okay. Okay. Yes, and I think that is one of the reasons why I was pushing toward Ronny.”
“I don’t understand,” Georgiana shook her head at the suggested rationale.
“Oh, I don’t either. I thought about it all night long, and all I could think was how angry I was at Will for something that happened years and years ago. I wanted prove in some way that he was… Oh, I don’t know. It’s all so stupid. I don’t understand the logic at all.”
“You wanted to prove you’re his equal.” Georgiana stated matter-of-factly.
“I guess, I don’t know. All I know is that …” Elizabeth lowered her head. “… that I’m not.”
“Oh, Lizzy. Yes, you are. You’re just different, and that’s a good thing.” Georgiana reached across the table and held her friend’s hand. “I’m so very lucky. I have two wonderful people who love me and look out for me. Will isn’t always right, neither are you, but you both help me in ways that no one else can. You helped me come out of my shell after my mother died, and Will kept me from slipping back into one after Terry and the baby. Now, the both of you encourage me to think things through, give me advice when I ask for it and don’t push me when I won’t. You are always there if I need to talk, and that is worth more to me than anything.”
“I think maybe I should be saying that to you.” Elizabeth smiled.
Georgiana smiled and said, “To me, you are just as much a part of my family as Will is. You’re the sister I’ve always wanted. And what is family for but to help each other?”
Elizabeth smiled and thought it was a wonderful sentiment coming from Georgiana, but she knew that William felt the same way, and more than anything, she now knew she didn’t want Will to think of her as another sister.
~ • ~
With the holiday approaching, Elizabeth managed to rearrange her schedule and change her tutoring session with Ronny for early Wednesday. The coffee shop was crowded and noisy with holiday shoppers, and not at all conducive for studying.
It was Elizabeth’s plan to make it difficult for anyone to follow her. She would spend just a couple hours with Ronny, to at least show the effort of being some help to his studies, but then would take the rest of the afternoon to shop. If Ronny wanted her followed, she wouldn’t make it easy.
“Hey, don’t you think it would be better to change venues for studying?” Ronny asked.
“Well, I actually wanted to take care of this now. I’m meeting someone after our session, and we’re going holiday shopping,” Elizabeth elaborated. Georgiana made her promise to meet her promptly at two in the afternoon. Georgiana hoped that her presence with Elizabeth would deter Terrence Younge from following.
“This is my time, Elizabeth!” Ronny said snidely. Ronny had not offered any compensation for Lizzy’s help in over two months, not to mention he managed to persuade Lizzy to purchase a coffee for him most meetings.
“Actually, your time is up,” said a deep voice from just behind Lizzy.
Ronny quickly looked up and frowned. “I beg your pardon. This is none of your business.,” he said as he made to stand up.
“I’m afraid it is. This young lady has a date to go shopping with me.” William winked at Elizabeth’s surprised and slightly flushed face. “Are you ready to go? I know I’m a bit early, honey, but I didn’t think your student would mind.”
William placed his hand on Elizabeth’s shoulder and bent to kiss her cheek. As he did, he whispered in her ear, “Georgie told me. I’ve already taken care of this person’s friend. Terry Younge will not be following.”
“Okay,” Elizabeth said loud enough for Ronny to hear. “Let me just put my trash in the bin and I’ll be ready.” She picked up the empty paper cups and headed for the trash receptacle.
“Mr. Saunderson,” William addressed Ronny. “I’m afraid Elizabeth won’t be able to be your tutor after the holidays. This is your last session.”
“Don’t you think that is up to Lizzy?”
“I wouldn’t argue with me if I were you, Mr. Saunderson. Your friend, Mr. Younge, can expatiate on that for you if you wish. He and I have… been that route. He’s already gone, by the way.”
Ronny looked at the older, taller man in front of him, and then glanced to where Terry had made camp in a chair earlier. He was gone. Ronny knew Terry wasn’t the type to do what anyone told him to do, unless it was someone with enough power. Obviously the man in front of him had power. Ronny stood stock-still and said nothing, just swallowed hard. Elizabeth returned to the men and smiled at William.
“Princess, your friend here says that he won’t be needing your services anymore. Isn’t that correct, Mr. Saunderson?”
“Yeah. Yeah, Lizzy. Thanks for everything. I’d better get going.” Ronny spoke as he took steps away from the couple. By the time he made it to the door, he was running.
“What did you do?” Elizabeth asked, slightly irritated. “Did you threaten him?”
“No.” William answered with a smile. “I missed you too, Princess.”
Elizabeth stood staring up at him with her hands on her hips. “William Darcy, I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself!”
William’s smile grew and he bent closer to Elizabeth. “I don’t doubt it, Princess. I just wanted to expedite the matter.” He smiled at her as she drew her brows together. “Let’s get to that shopping.”
“I wasn’t really going to go shopping, Will. It was just a diversion.”
“Ah, well, I think you might need to.”
“And why
is that, you big bully?”
William smiled and pulled Elizabeth’s arm through his. “I helped you move, if you recall. I’ve seen the contents of your closet, and you don’t had the appropriate frock for the formal Christmas party hosted by Darcy Corp tomorrow night.”
“Who says I’m even going?” Lizzy growled, secretly excited about attending something related to William’s business. It must mean he wanted her to go as his date.
“I do. I make Georgiana go every year, and since you are part of the life at home, you’ll have to suffer it as well.”
Lizzy’s heart plummeted, but she kept up her teasing. “Next you will tell me I will have to serve the hors d’oeuvres.”
“No, but you will have to dance. I believe you owe me one.”
“I do?”
“Actually, I think you will have to dance at least three with me. You promised me a dance that last summer. With interest rates as they are, I say three dances is a cheap price to pay.”
“You really wanted to dance with me then?” Lizzy gave him a questioning look.
“Yes, Princess,” his answer was spoken in a soft, caressing voice. “I did.”
“Oh,” she uttered.
“Come on. Let’s go shopping.” Will pulled Elizabeth out onto the pavement, and they began their search of Oxford Street for the perfect dress.
~ • ~
