“That is regrettable. Hard to believe a homeschooled girl is our best candidate. You’re sure of that, are you?”
“Positive. She’s as sharp as they come. In many ways she reminds me of how you were when we first interned here. Very passionate about the law and focused.”
“I will need to apologize in person,” Darcy said as he seemed to slowly regain his usual composure.
Charles felt a little safer in broaching the subject further. “So what sort of man is this George Wickham?”
“A devil,” Darcy stated. “Graced with the charm and wit of a fox, ready to con his way into a hen-house. I pity whoever has the misfortune of dealing with him next. I wish I could say it would be the last we ever heard of him, but with the likes of him, one can never be sure.”
Chapter Eighteen
Elizabeth made her way down the hallway with a tall stack of files. She could hardly believe how dramatic the past week had been. First, she had been jobless, and then came the embarrassing incident at the Darcy Office. That incident still stung greatly, but she knew that she could not allow it to affect her confidence. She simply had to carry on as before, had even resigned herself to the idea of applying to firms in towns further away, despite the long commute that would take precious time away from her studies.
However, in what seemed by way of some miracle, only one day after the horrible event, three firms had been in touch requesting that she attend an interview. By the third, she had been offered an internship, effective immediately. It had transpired that an unusually large number of interns either had dropped out or had proved themselves unsuitable and had been let go. The firms were aware that this always happened and normally accounted for it during hiring. It had obviously occurred to a greater extent than they had anticipated so now they were essentially trying to fill the void in a hurry.
She wasn’t exactly happy with the idea of being hired by default this way. She had no intention of being labeled a fill-in intern or as sloppy second choice. However, she desperately needed the placement so could not refuse. That left her with only one alternative: to accept and be absolutely resolute in her determination to prove herself one of the best interns they’d ever had. It was difficult to shine in such a competitive world of course, but she had to remind herself that it was only the first day. The firm was very nice, but very large, so large that she hadn’t seen the slightest glimpse of her supervisor since she’d been handed the company policy manual and shooed out to set up her desk. In short, it was the direct opposite of Darcy's quiet, intimate office.
She pushed that thought away as quickly as it came. She did not need to dwell on that humiliating episode. She would be more than glad to forget it all once and for all. Charles Bingley had apologized to her once again when he came to pick up Jane the other day of course, and he’d extended Darcy's apology as well. However, she had taken a guilty pleasure out of telling them that she had taken another offer, even if she was scant with the actual details.
“Hey Lizzy!” a young man called to her, running up with a well-practiced smile.
For some reason, despite the short time she’d been here, the man seemed to have taken a liking to her instantly. It was possibly because he’d also been picked up by the company by the same luck of the draw that had facilitated her own employment. She welcomed the attention. A friendly face could be hard to come by in this industry.
He was a very likeable guy. She’d already discovered that he had a great sense of humor and a quick wit. He also had a talent for making people around him feel at ease. He had even taken the time to give her a quick tour of the company, doing his best to make her feel at home in the large building.
“I was just thinking,” the young man smiled brightly at her, “Some of us are going across the street for pizza .Perhaps you might like to join us?”
She envied him. He’d only been here a few days longer than she had, yet everyone seemed to love him. It was apparent that he’d integrated himself flawlessly and was often included in the plans for lunch excursions or other breaks afforded throughout the day. She needed to make the effort herself if she was going to blend with the other employees. However, she wasn’t sure yet what her exact workload would be, and that had to be her first consideration. “Could I give you a more definite answer later?”
When his face lit up, she was glad that she hadn’t simply turned the offer down flat.
“No problem! Lunch is late for the interns so you have time to ponder. You could sit alone in the company lounge, or you could come bask in my company.”
Normally the line would have earned him a well-deserved eye roll. However, he followed up with such a comical eyebrow waggle that she only laughed and swatted at him with a file. “I'll think about it. I like a quiet lunch but just in case it comes up in future, just for the record, I hate tuna.”
“Hatred of tuna has been added to the records,” the man said with exaggerated solemnness. “Ham and cheese?”
“Wrong again!” she stated as she started down the hallway.
“Awww!” He threw back his head in a playful display of defeat. “I'll guess it by lunch time.”
“I doubt it. But keep trying, Mr. Wickham!” she called over her shoulder as she rushed to see what else she could do to assist someone and keep herself busy.
“Call me George!” the guy called back with a grin before disappearing into an office.
She should make the effort, she told herself. Starting off her very first day by going out to lunch with her co-workers was a nerve-wracking thought, but she really did need to learn from George’s example. Office dynamics and politics often played as big a part in success as did professionalism and hard work. It certainly wouldn't hurt her to be social.
As she rounded the corner in her rush, her eyes widened as she came within an inch of running into a man. In fact, if the man did not raise his hand to take her shoulder, they would have ended up with papers scattered everywhere.
“I'm so sorry!” she said as she rebalanced her load in her arms and looked up to see…that man!
Chapter Nineteen
“Pardon me,” Darcy said as he stopped short and looked at the woman who had nearly run into him, a large pile of files in her hands.
This was not one of his favorite places to visit. He only came when he was already in this part of town. While this particular firm was passable as a consulting agency, their employees always seemed to be scrambling around underfoot. He'd spoken to them many times about the poor organization of their minions. However, he'd have more success advising a rock to roll uphill.
“No, pardon me,” the woman said stiffly.
Darcy was taken aback as he gazed at her. She was rushing about like an underling, but there was something striking about her eyes. He could almost see the gears whirling in her mind. Taking in the situation at a glance. Weighing and measuring her surroundings. They veritably sparkled with intelligence.
“Oh! Elizabeth!” Charles exclaimed, stepping up from behind Will and extending a hand. “It's a surprise to see you here.”
“The feeling is mutual,” she responded as she accepted Charles’ hand.
“I guess so! While you're here, let me introduce you to Mr. Darcy,” Charles said as he gestured to him.
Darcy was intrigued. The name sounded somewhat familiar. He began to extend his hand toward the young woman as he searched his brain. Charles apparently knew her well, and the name rang a faint bell. He thought he knew all of Charles’ acquaintances. This felt like something he should remember. “The pleasure is mine, Miss—”
“Hey Lizzy! You won't believe what just happened!” an all too familiar voice rang out, interrupting him.
Darcy felt every muscle in his body pull taut as he glared toward the doorway. It was impossible. There was no way…
His hand balled into a tight fist as George Wickham strutted into view, grinning like a moron. The smile faltered as George caught sight of him, but he recovered almost instantly.
; “Heeeeeey! Darcy! Will, what are you doing here? Out to put me out of another job?” the man said with nervous laugh.
He reached out a hand and Darcy felt an overwhelming urge to grab that hand and slam it in the nearest doorframe, those same hands he’d planned on laying all over…no, he couldn’t go there right now. If he did, he may well be giving into exactly what Wickham wanted. He wouldn’t put it past him to attempt to provoke him into throwing a punch at him so he could press charges and sue to squeeze even more money out of the Darcy family. It seemed plausible, except that there seemed no way Wickham could have known that he would be coming here today.
He took swift, purposeful strides with his teeth clenched hard to prevent himself from saying anything unprofessional. He needed to vacate the premises immediately. Never mind the consultation. He'd send one of the other lawyers back another day after a discussion and once he'd cleared his head. He never should have let the man get away that day. What had he been thinking? Neither loyalty to his father nor his own sentimentality to a long-gone friend was worth this. He'd thought that he could let things go, just as he must do with every court case, but this situation was proving to be very different indeed. Cases faded with time, only perhaps lessons learned remaining. That night, Wickham had planned to elope with Georgiana, to lay claim on her family inheritance, and to take her innocence and break her heart along the way no doubt! That night was forever etched into his mind and he could not let go of the intense emotions that accompanied the memory. Like a fool, he'd thought it would be the end of it but it seemed like it would continue to dog him forever.
“Well, you are two for two,” Charles said with a long-suffering sigh.
At the voice by his side, Darcy snapped out of his brooding to glance at his partner who’d hurried down the hallway to catch up with him.
“Pardon?” Darcy rose a brow at the apparent irritation on Charles' face.
“Elizabeth Bennet. You've managed to snub her twice now,” Charles stated as he matched his pace with Darcy’s brisk stride. “What in the world happened back there?”
“I needed to get away from Wickham.” Darcy glowered at the reminder and shook his head.
“Wickham?” Charles asked, puzzled.
He furrowed his brow briefly and before Darcy could think up some plausible excuse or polite explanation, his eyes widened in horror. “Not that Wickham? The one that, the man who, well, the one who went after your sister?”
“One and the same.” Darcy forced a smile that felt more like a grimace on his face. “But I don't want to discuss it right now. Give me a distraction. Who is this Ms. Bennet? How do we know her?”
“Are you serious, Darcy?” Not even Charles could hide the exasperation in his tone. “Brilliant intern? One that got away? Insulted her beyond comprehension?”
“Ah! That was her then?” Darcy rose a brow at the news.
What was an intern like that doing in a disorganized madhouse like this one? Surely, she qualified for better. “That's a shame. Those were the most beautiful eyes I'd seen in a while.”
“Ah, well, maybe I should have given you her photograph instead of her resume?” Charles said in a strained attempt at humor.
Darcy gave him an annoyed glance. “I was referring to the brilliance in them,” he said quickly. “She struck me as someone who remembers and analyzes the small details. Most interns nowadays cannot process their world unless it is on one of those media pages they frequent.”
Why was he defending himself? He frowned at the sudden realization. He never tried to validate a passing comment like this. This was unlike him. Wickham must have him much more rattled than he’d realized. I'm only interested in how alert and intelligent she seemed, he told himself. There is nothing to defend. Still, he couldn’t help regretting that she wasn't working at their office. He'd certainly made rather a mess of that one he admitted. Then again, if she were associating with the likes of George Wickham and working in this facility then there were obviously some limits to that perceived brilliance. It was a shame. It felt almost as if he’d just spotted a prodigy wasting her potential. Ah well, the chances were that this would be the last time that he would ever cross paths with the young lady anyway, so it probably wasn’t of any importance.
Chapter Twenty
Elizabeth sat across from George at the end of the three tables that had been pulled together to accommodate the group that had headed out for lunch together from her firm. She’d been a little nervous about meeting all these more experienced colleagues at once but George had been both charming and a joker, quickly making her giggle and putting her at ease. Everyone had seemed relaxed and friendly. So far so good, she thought. It was already proving useful to have his friendship, since it seemed to gain her ready acceptance by the others.
On the short walk over to the pizzeria, he’d started a guessing game on what her favorite topping might be. After several incorrect attempts he’d finally hit on it by chance, pure luck yet celebrated as if he’d hit a home run, making Lizzy laugh at him. They’d chattered all through lunch but now that they’d finished eating there was a subject Lizzy wanted to broach.
“So earlier,” she began, slightly wary of bringing the man up but feeling she should, since they both seemed to be in the same boat. “You spoke to the great Mr. Darcy, greeted him as if he was a friend. Do you actually know him, personally I mean?”
“Why do you want to know?”
Elizabeth couldn’t help but notice that George’s usually warm, friendly tone had turned a tad icy. “No particular reason,” she was quick to assure him. “I was just wondering which one of the two of us he wanted to snub the most. He’s already done a stellar job with me on another occasion so I wondered if he was just hammering his point home.”
She smiled warmly, letting George know that she considered Darcy’s opinion of either of them of no importance. He relaxed a little. “What other occasion was this?”
Elizabeth gave him a quick explanation of how she’d met Charles Bingley, and how her interview for internship had gone at Darcy’s firm. By the time she’d recounted her tale, embellishing only a little to let George know she was on his side, she had him laughing again. “Well, to be honest, that sounds exactly like the Darcy I’ve come to know of late. I knew it wouldn’t escape your notice that I greeted him and he blanked me; you’re far too sharp.”
“You had a similar encounter previously?”
“Actually, our encounters run much deeper than that. You see, Darcy and I had been friends since kindergarten. Old lady Catherine de Bourgh is his Aunt, by the way.”
“Really? Yes, I can see it now; they both have the same condescending air about them.”
“Ha, that’s one way of putting it. Anyway, my mother died when I was young so it was just my father and me. He worked long hours as a head chef in a restaurant that belonged to Mr. Darcy senior, the current Darcy’s father. As business colleagues, they spent a lot of time together and that led to their developing a deep friendship, despite the employer, employee relationship. I would spend a lot of time at the restaurant too, being too young to be home alone while my father worked and was often invited to the Darcy’s. Mr. Darcy Senior seemed to take a liking to me and in light of his son and I being close friends, I ended up spending more and more time at their house while my father worked. We fell into a routine of my being picked up from school along with Will. Darcy Senior was a wonderful man. When I was at an age where I began to show an interest in the law, he used to tell us both that if we studied and worked hard he’d make sure there was a place waiting for us as partners in his firm.”
“It sounds as if he was almost a second father to you.”
“Oh, he most definitely was. I always felt treated like a son. The Darcy’s always wanted more kids. I think Mrs. Darcy had some problems. They tried for years before she was finally carrying Georgiana. We were ten years old when she passed away. Complications after the birth. It was such a sad time when it should have been a celebration. I
was there to see Darcy through it, comforted him as best I could. His father coped by throwing himself into work so I was really all Darcy had at the time. Of course, we both adored his new baby sister.”
“I’m sure you did. You were a good friend to him by the sounds of it.”
“I always thought so,” George replied with a rueful smile.
“May I ask what happened, or would it be too painful for you?”
George looked as if he were considering it, ripping apart a leftover slice of pizza on his plate. “I suppose it can’t do any harm,” he finally said. “In fact, it might be better for you to know what you’re up against when it comes to him since you plan on entering his world. Things started to go wrong when we were in high school. Will’s dad was always very fond of me. He was a big sports fan and I was the quarterback at our school. He and Will grew apart because of Will’s refusal to do anything with his father. I guess that’s why he took me under his wing, and we became even closer. He never missed a single one of my games. He was so supportive. It was in our Senior year that Mr. Darcy suggested my father ride with him after the game. Apparently, from what the staff at the restaurant said, Mr. Darcy was in the mood for some particular dish and had my father go back to the restaurant to make it for him, but I guess that’s not important anymore. Once they’d concluded their late dinner, Mr. Darcy drove my father home. That was the night they were in the car accident; Mr. Darcy somehow lost control of the vehicle and both of them were killed instantly.”
Elizabeth’s hand flew to her mouth. “I’m so sorry! I had no idea, I never would have asked…”
“It’s fine, you weren’t to know. Anyway, it hit us both really hard but the first thing I offered to do was help raise Georgiana. We were all heartbroken, but the thought of that darling little girl having to grow up and live her life with no parents at all was the most unbearable. Like I said, we were only in high school at the time, and it seemed like a lot for Darcy to take on alone so obviously I wanted to do whatever I could. Will agreed he needed help and that it was a good idea. I was shocked when he pushed me aside in favor of his cousin, Richard Fitzwilliam. It was as if the minute he inherited everything, he changed completely and forgot about all the years I’d stood by him. Suddenly, Richard, who never liked me by the way, moved into the Darcy mansion, while Darcy would barely even return one of my calls. Then, well, there was the matter of his father’s will.”
Legally Darcy: A Modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice Page 9
