Deplorable Date Part 2

Here is Chapter 3 from my new book, Frosted Window Panes. To read Chapters 1 and 2, click here. That post will also give a little more information about how this book came to be.

Chapter 3

When they returned to the table and sat down, Jane turned to Charles. “Elizabeth said she would be more than happy to drive us to the Gala, or she will invite a date who will drive us both, if that is all right.”

Charles looked at Jane with a wide grin. “That will be great! I was just telling Will I invited you. It is a pretty big affair.” He turned to Will. “Is that okay with you?”

“I see no problem with it.”

Elizabeth had to admit she was curious about seeing the inside of a home large enough to host a gala. Most gala events she had been to or heard of were usually held in a large venue made for such things, not a home. “When is it?” she asked.

“On the first Friday in December,” Charles replied.

“The first Friday?” Elizabeth opened her phone and pulled up the calendar. “That should work. At first, I thought it was the same day as PREP’s Christmas party, but PREP’s party is the following week.”

“Oh!” exclaimed Jane with a clap of her hands. “PREP’s Christmas party is always a big affair. For several years, a company has generously provided a Santa and gifts for all the children.”

Elizabeth reached out and placed her hand on her sister’s. “Well, probably not this year. I heard from Mr. Forster earlier today. He told me that he has retired, and Forster Electronics has changed ownership. They will not be doing the party this year.”

“Oh, no!” Jane exclaimed. “What are you going to do?”

Elizabeth shrugged. “I am not sure, but I will figure out something. I will have one, but this year it will be much simpler.”

“That is unfortunate,” Jane said. “They always did such a terrific job!”

Elizabeth took a few more bites of her dessert and then stood up. “I hope you do not mind, but I am going to bid you all a good night.” She looked at Charles with a smile. “I trust you will get Jane home at a reasonable hour.”

Charles laughed and dipped his head. “I will guarantee her safe arrival!”

Will then stood up. “I ought to leave, as well. I have work to do in the morning.”

He looked at Elizabeth. “I will walk you out.”

“Oh,” she said. “Thank you, but there is no need. I am… I am going to stop in the restroom before I leave.” She looked at him and Charles. “It was nice meeting you, both.”

“Same here!” Charles said.

“The pleasure was all mine,” Will said.

Elizabeth walked away, wondering if he was being honest. It really was too bad he was so rich. He likely never had to worry about where his next meal would come from, how he was going to buy new clothes, and he certainly had no worries about whether he would ever be evicted from his home. And why did he have to be so handsome? She rolled her eyes at the thought.

She dawdled in the restroom, giving Will more than enough time to leave the restaurant. She came out, said goodnight again to Jane and Charles, and grabbed her coat. She was putting it on and walking towards the front when her heart dropped. Will was standing by the door.

“It is pouring outside. A deluge. I thought I would offer you the use of my umbrella.”

“Oh, that is not…” When he opened the door and she saw how hard the rain was coming down, she thought better of it. “Thank you.”

As they walked out, she found herself having to huddle against him to keep from being pelted by the rain. They did not say much, other than him asking her where her car was. She pointed ahead, and he stayed by her side all the way there. She could smell his cologne and again wished he didn’t smell so good.

She pointed to her car, and he walked her to the driver’s side, holding the umbrella over her while she opened the door and stepped in. “Thank you. You really did not have to do this.”

“I know.”

As he started to walk away, Elizabeth asked, “Where is your car?”

“It’s around the corner over there,” he pointed.

She drew in a breath, not really wanting to do what she was about to do, but feeling it was the only proper thing to do. “There is no sense in you having to walk all that way, when you walked out of your way to take me to my car.” She leaned over and unlocked the passenger door. “Hop in, and I’ll drive you to your car.”

He didn’t hesitate to walk around but had to stoop down to get into her small car. He shook off his umbrella before bringing it inside. Elizabeth stifled a laugh as his knees practically hit his chin. “You can adjust the seat if you want.” She pointed to the far side of the seat. “It might not help much.”

“Thanks.” He adjusted the seat, and just as she was about to start the engine, he asked, “Did you always know what you wanted to do?”

“I always wanted to teach, but I had no idea I would be teaching in a tutoring center in Meryton Heights.”

“Do you enjoy it?”

She turned to him, surprised. “In a single day I can experience the gamut of emotions. There are rewarding times, such as when a child finally grasps something for the first time, like in math. But there are heartbreaking and difficult times, as well.”

“What do you find the most difficult?”

She thought for a moment. “The hardest thing for me is to see some of the families’ living conditions. I wish I could do so much more for them. I am not able to help everyone who needs help. Right now, I have a limit of thirty children, and I could easily take another thirty if I had the place and people to help.” She looked down at her hands. “And if that was not enough, our center is in the area they plan to bulldoze to put in the parking lot when they build the new convention center.”

“Ahh, yes. The city is buying up a lot of land and property there.”

She started the engine and pulled out. “At least I have a while to figure out what I will do.”

Will was silent until he motioned with his hand. “Turn here. My car is the black one at the end on the right.”

When she came to a stop behind his car, instead of getting out, he turned in his seat to look at her. “Do you mind if I ask you something?”

She could barely make out the features on his face, which was only dimly lit by a streetlight above, but she could tell by the tone of his voice he was not particularly pleased about something. “Sure.”

“I… When you and Jane went to the restroom the first time, your phone rang. I glanced down, not really intending to look, but I did happen to see the name.”

Elizabeth’s eyes narrowed. “And?”

“I saw it was from George Wickham.”

Elizabeth drew back. “Do you… do you know George Wickham?”

“I do.” He turned back in his seat and looked forward. “How well do you know him?”

Elizabeth felt a surge of anger course through her, as though he was interrogating her. “I have known him a few months. We’ve been on a couple of dates.” She noticed him tapping his fingers on the armrest of the door.

Will drew in a breath and let it out slowly. “He is not a man to be trusted.”

Elizabeth fisted her hands as she took a few moments to calm herself at his audacity. “Look, I think I am fairly competent to make that judgment on my own.”

“Perhaps. You came with your sister tonight to make sure Charles was a decent guy. I have been debating all night whether to say anything to you, especially after you accused me of meddling in my friend’s affairs, but I cannot be silent, especially…”

Elizabeth tilted her head. “Especially… what?”

“Look… You are certainly welcome to invite someone to the Gala, but I do not think it would be wise for you to ask him. It might not be a pretty scene between us if he showed up.”

Elizabeth faced forward, and her fingers gripped the steering wheel as anger surged through her. She took a few deep breaths and turned back to him.

“Will Darcy, you may be CEO of a large corporation and are used to telling your employees what they can and can’t do. You have every right to. You do not, however, have the right to tell me – or even your friend – what you think we should or shouldn’t do, who we should or shouldn’t date. I am certain we are both perfectly capable of making sound judgments without your interference.”

She looked ahead at Will’s car, realizing it was a luxury car that likely cost more than a house. Thoughts and accusations swirled in her head, but she said nothing. Finally, she whispered, “I think this conversation is over.”

He opened the door, but before getting out, he turned back to her. “Elizabeth, it was not my intention to offend you or question your judgment. I am sorry if I did.”

Elizabeth pursed her lips and let out a quick breath.

He turned and opened his umbrella, but then looked back. “Good night, Elizabeth. I will see you at the Gala.”

Elizabeth only murmured an affirmative. He stepped out of the car, and Elizabeth watched as he hurried over to his and got in. “I suppose if he lives in Pemberley Estates, it would be expected for him to drive a car like that.”

She shook her head and pulled away, seething at his meddling in people’s lives. While she had decided that George was not her type, she had always found him to be kind and polite. Her biggest issue with him was that he did not seem to get the hint she didn’t want to date him. She wondered just what it was Will had against him. She pounded the steering wheel with her fist. “The nerve of that man! I have never met anyone like him!”

*~*~*

Will drove away a little faster than he should have, especially considering how slick the streets were. He was grateful for the stability control system his car had, but he still needed to slow down and be careful. He took in a few breaths to calm himself and shook his head. As another car sped past him, he realized he needed to be watching out for other drivers, as well.

“I should not be this upset,” he reprimanded himself. He stopped at a red light and listened to the rain pelting the windshield, feeling pelted himself with prickles of frustration. He began to rub his jaw. Was it Elizabeth Bennet or George Wickham that had him most upset? Or both? He couldn’t decide. When the light turned green, he put both hands on the steering wheel, began tapping it with his fingers, and slowly pulled ahead.

She had gotten under his skin from the moment she had uttered, ‘Snobs on the Hill.’ He was aware of the reputation the elite restaurant had, and at times, he agreed, despite it being unsurpassed in food, service, and atmosphere. At their first encounter outside the restaurant when she had uttered the name – or the derogatory nickname – of Hobbs on the Hill, he had suspected this young lady was either Jane or her sister, as he had been the one who suggested to Charles they go there.

At that first moment he had the fleeting thought – no, in truth, it was hope – that she wasn’t Jane. He found himself unwittingly attracted to her. When he had stepped inside behind her and saw Charles sitting with another lady, he felt that hope surge. He was delighted that she turned out to be her sister, Elizabeth, but at the same time was rather dismayed at her seemingly instant dislike of him.

What was it? Was it something he did or said? Was there something about his personality she disliked? He knew what had prompted her dislike of him to intensify at the end of the evening, but there seemed to be something bothering her about him from the very start.

He shrugged. He might never know, but there was the Christmas Gala that she would be attending with her sister. Perhaps he could remedy whatever it was that she found so distasteful about him. Or, then again, it could end up being just another one of those instances where a woman he found attractive would slip through his fingers.

He could still vividly see her delightful face, but especially her eyes. They were sharp, bright, and intelligent. They laughed and derided, teased and rebuked. But when she spoke of her dreams for the tutoring center, they were filled with such passion. He could see that she loved what she did and loved the children. He truly felt if anyone could accomplish those lofty goals, she could.

She was different, and he liked that. He had not met anyone quite like her. He let out a mocking laugh. “I find a woman undeniably desirable, and she despises me.” He pounded the steering wheel. “Yes, she is refreshingly different!”

He could help her. He knew he could help her and the daycare – the tutoring center – but he wouldn’t want her to feel any sense of indebtedness towards him. She didn’t want his help, and he didn’t want to buy her affections. But he could still help her.

He pulled into a long driveway and entered his code at the gate. As he waited for the wide gates to open, he tapped his fingers again on the steering wheel. He pulled through and drove into the garage.

He turned off the engine and pulled out his phone, pressing the button to call his cousin.

“Hello?” the voice answered on the other end.

“Hey, Richard, are you busy?”

“No, Will, what’s up?”

“I have something I would like you to do for me.” He paused. “And you’re probably going to laugh when I tell you what it is, but I am serious.”

When they finished talking – or at least, when he finished talking Richard into his scheme – he got out of the car, feeling a great sense of satisfaction.

I hope you are intrigued! Frozen Window Panes can be found on Amazon.com.