It was the plane that did it. Getting up early, saying good-bye to her parents and sisters, even the limo ride to the airport all had a vague, hazy, surreal sensation. But when Elizabeth saw the large jet sitting alone on the tarmac bearing the name De Bourgh on its side, she knew it was real. She was really doing it. A desire, an ambition she had held for longer than she could remember was coming true. She smiled at everyone in the car and squeezed Jane’s hand.
The black limo pulled up beside the plane and stopped. As Elizabeth exited the car and walked around to the trunk to get her bags, another limo pulled up beside her own.
Like a warrior, Darcy strode out of the car, his black sunglasses shielding his eyes from the early morning light, his long coat protecting him from the chill. Without acknowledging anyone, he walked purposefully to Rebecca, waiting at the bottom of the ramp.
“Good morning, Darcy,” she said, her eyes making only the briefest contact before returning to their constant scanning.
“Are we ready to go?” he asked, his face turning to the others, who were moving toward the ramp.
“Almost.”
Darcy turned his head and stared at Rebecca, his expression displeased.
“Charles and Caroline aren’t here yet,” Rebecca said by way of explanation.
In a flash Darcy snapped open his cell phone. He punched a button and held it to his ear. “Caro, where are you?” he demanded.
“Five minutes, Darcy,” her voice replied apologetically.
“Caro!”
“Seriously, Darcy, we will be there in five minutes.”
“You know, Caroline, generally it is the job of the tour manager to call the artist, not the other way around,” he snarled.
“I’m sorry,” she repeated, sighing.
He looked up. “Damn!” he swore softly but emphatically.
“What? What’s wrong?”
Darcy’s eyes swept over a third limo, just pulling up along his. “The bitch is here.”
“Who? Which bitch?”
“The one who owns the plane,” he growled, “and her stooge.” As he watched, Anne de Bourgh exited the limo and walked toward Darcy and Rebecca. He snapped the phone shut and put it away.
“Darcy,” Anne said coldly as she passed by him and climbed up the ramp. Darcy nodded once in acknowledgement.
“Mr. Darcy,” ogled Bill Collins, his hand extended. “It is such a pleasure to really meet you at last.”
Darcy ignored the bubbling fat man and addressed Rebecca. “Is everyone else here?”
She nodded. “As soon as the Bingleys arrive, we can go.”
Elizabeth watched the interaction as she gathered her bags. She wasn’t really eavesdropping, because Darcy had made no attempt to hide what he was doing. She stumbled slightly as she climbed the steps of the ramp, unbalanced by her bag. She was relieved to feel a strong hand on her shoulder steadying her.
“Easy there. You okay?” Richard Fitzwilliam asked.
“Yeah, thanks,” she smiled embarrassedly and made her way into the plane.
It was a large jet with a custom interior. Instead of the normally cramped seating, larger seats were installed. Halfway into the cabin were four tables with chairs around them, clearly designed for workspaces. The front of the plane contained more seats and another smaller work area just behind the cockpit.
Elizabeth was surprised at how crowded the plane was. The seats in the rear were filled almost entirely with people Elizabeth had never seen before, despite her time at the studio. She stopped to look for a seat when Richard again came to her aid.
“This is where the crew sits. Our seats are up in the front,” he said kindly from behind her.
“Oh, thank you,” Elizabeth said softly and moved forward.
There were empty seats in the front of the plane, just as Richard had said. Elizabeth sat down with Charlotte, Jane taking a seat in the row in front of them, and Alex across the aisle. As she settled in, Elizabeth watched Anne de Bourgh stride to the front of the plane and sit down. Darcy followed her a minute later, taking the other front seat across the aisle from her, stretching out his long legs. Collins ignored Long Borne Suffering and instead followed Ms. de Bourgh and took the seat directly behind her. Rachel took her seat behind Darcy. Elizabeth could see that clearly the battle lines were drawn.
Five minutes later, running feet were heard and Charles, Caroline, and Rebecca entered the plane. Darcy, his sunglasses removed, gave Caroline a black look as Rebecca moved to the cockpit and spoke to the pilots before sitting down beside Caro.
Charles, for his part, took the seat next to Jane, and attempted to begin a conversation as the plane taxied forward. “Good morning,” he grinned. “I hope you weren’t waiting too long. We can never seem to get out on time, you know?”
He waited a moment for a response, then receiving none, tried again. “How was your trip down?”
Silence was his only answer. He leaned forward to see Jane’s face very pale and her eyes looking large and nervous. Her hands were tightly clenched together in her lap as she bit down hard on her lips.
“Jane?” Charles asked, concerned. “Jane? What’s wrong?” He touched her arm lightly and felt her trembling. “Jane? Are you okay?”
When she felt his touch on her arm, Jane looked at him. Her beautiful blue eyes were anxious and desperate. “Jane,” Charles asked worriedly, “are you afraid?”
Jane could only shut her eyes and nod nervously.
Charles’s heart immediately went out to her. She was plainly terrified. He ran his hand along her arm and spoke softly to her. “It’s okay, Jane. It’s okay.” She opened her eyes to look at him weakly. “Can I help?” he asked, his eyes full of concern.
His kindness broke through the thin barrier she had created to hold in her feelings and she started crying softly.
In a flash he lifted the armrest between them. He moved closer to her, taking her ice-cold hand and holding it firmly. “Jane, can you look at me?” he said in a low, calm voice. When she turned slightly, he continued. “That’s good. Now listen to me carefully, we are going to be okay. I won’t let anything happen to you, Jane. I promise. The plane is perfectly safe.”
He could see the panic rising in her eyes as she thought of a hundred things that could go wrong. “No, no, shhhh, Jane,” he said soothingly as he rested his forehead against hers. “Jane, trust me.”
“What if something happens?” she said in a tiny voice.
“Nothing is going to happen. Rebecca has been here for hours. She oversaw the inspection of the plane herself and triple-checked the pilots.”
“Are you certain?” she asked in an even softer voice.
He pulled her close and pillowed her head on his shoulder, his arm slipping around her shoulders and his other hand holding her hand tightly in his. “I’m certain. It’s going to be all right.”
“Thank you,” she murmured brokenly. “I know I’m not being sensible. I just suddenly got so afraid. I know it’s foolish; it’s just, I have no control over the plane, and it terrifies me for some reason.”
“It’s not foolish. I totally understand.”
“You aren’t afraid,” she challenged him weakly.
“I used to be,” he spoke softly in her ear. “I was so afraid of flying I couldn’t travel.” He grinned for a moment. “And for a California boy, that’s no good. I knew I had to beat it, so I took flying lessons. Even got my pilot’s license.” He shrugged against her. “It helped me feel not so out of control.”
“Really?” she asked as she pulled back enough to look at his face.
He grinned. “Really, that’s why I told you to trust me. I won’t let anything happen to you, Jane.” He stared into her eyes for a long time, until the plane started moving again and Jane’s face turned white with fear.
Charles pulled her close and held her tightly, his head beside hers. “We are just getting into position and waiting for the signal to take off. Once we are up and cruising, you won’t be so scared.” His voice was calm and reasonable. “Now I want you to talk to me. Tell me anything you want to about yourself, and I will listen, completely fascinated. I promise.”
Jane closed her eyes and even chuckled once, which produced a relieved grin on Charles’s face. “Have you always sung, Jane?” he asked, his voice soft and warm in her ear.
“Yes,” she whispered into his ear, “always. Even when I was a little girl, my father would play piano and I would sing duets with him.”
Charles nodded, rubbing her back and encouraging her to go on. “When did you start writing songs?”
“When I was in middle school.” She told him in a low voice about how she would write songs to deal with her frustrations with her mother and her schoolmates. “What was that?” she asked suddenly as the plane started moving abruptly.
“We are going to take off now,” Charles explained calmly. “Hold on tight, and, remember, I won’t let anything happen.”
Shutting her eyes, Jane wrapped her arms tightly around Charles as he held her close and he rubbed her back, making soft, reassuring noises in her ear. It was crazy, but somehow he did make her feel better. She believed him. Somehow he would keep her safe. Holding on to him with a death grip, she let herself focus on the sound of his voice and the scent of his skin as the ground dropped away and the plane climbed.
“Oh, Jane, you’re doing fine,” he whispered to her, his voice warm with admiration.
“Don’t let go,” she gasped raggedly.
Charles smiled to himself. “Never,” he promised to both of them. When the plane leveled out, Charles could feel her relax slightly. Only then did he loosen his grip. “Are you okay?” he asked softly.
Jane nodded, her head still close to his. “I’m sorry. I’ve never had a panic attack like that before. It was just like, all of a sudden, I was so afraid and I didn’t know what to do.” She looked at him gratefully, uncertain if she should say anything more.
“I’ll stay with you and be you for the landing too, if you need it,” he said, his emotions flaring into a need to protect her.
“Thank you, Charles. You are very kind.”
He smiled, tilting his head and touching her soft cheek. Without thinking about it, he leaned close and kissed her lightly on the forehead. As soon as his lips touched her, a circuit was made. He was suddenly fully aware that he was holding a beautiful woman in his arms. Slowly he pulled back, his eyes fixed on hers.
Jane flushed, her breathing shallow and her heart racing from something other than fear. She closed the short distance between them and kissed him.
Words left him as he kissed her gently. Jane filled his senses. She was all he had dreamed: sweet and giving, yet more; there was a spiciness and heat to her that he never had expected that stole his breath away. He pulled back with a look of wonder on his face and pulled her close to him again. She snuggled against his shoulder: safe, relaxed, and amazed.
“Why is Charles kissing Jane?” Darcy asked as his eyes glared at the pair of blond heads that were joined at the lips.
Rachel looked at Caroline, who said, “I know it’s been awhile, Darcy, but even you must remember something about boys and girls.”
Darcy fixed her with a look that told her she was still in trouble for being late and said crisply, “Let’s begin.”
Elizabeth watched as Darcy snapped at the two women before him. Rachel got up and sat with him at the small table and began going over notes and papers with him. “What do you think he is doing?” she asked Charlotte.
Charlotte had been drumming her fingers on the tray in front of her and looked up, distracted, when Elizabeth spoke. “Who? Darcy?” she shrugged, unimpressed.
“Looks like paperwork to me.”
“It’s the morning routine,” Richard volunteered from behind them. “See, every morning, Will has a meeting first thing with Rachel. She goes over everything happening with his business and any other personal stuff he has to deal with.”
“The family business? Darcy Technologies?”
Richard nodded distractedly. Elizabeth suspected he was still half-asleep. “I thought he left that. Turned away from it all to be an artist and all that.”
“Oh, he did.” Richard frowned. “As much as Will is able to. He isn’t the president of DT, but he still owns the company. Rachel has a counterpart who stays at DT, and they work together so that Will is always up to date on what the company is doing. But he doesn’t interfere with how it’s run, usually.” He rolled his eyes.
“Hm,” Elizabeth snorted. “Sounds like he’s got some control issues.”
“Issues?” Richard said sarcastically. “Liz, he’s got a whole subscription.”
Elizabeth laughed softly. “I noticed he doesn’t seem to like Ms. de Bourgh too much.”
“Will doesn’t like anyone who tries to tell him what to do,” he said as he looked over at the tiny woman in the severe black suit. “Anne doesn’t make it any easier by challenging him every chance she gets.”
“So she provokes him?”
“Oh yeah. That’s our Annie,” he nodded. “See, poor Anne is stuck under her mother. She is always trying to prove she is good enough, and the only job Anne has is Slurry. So consequently, she is always trying to prove she can manage Will.” He shook his head. “It’s what you might call a bad situation.”
As Elizabeth watched, Rachel went back to her seat and Caroline moved forward to the table. “What’s this?” she asked Richard, who was lying back across his seat and drumming on his chest.
He sat up to look over at what Elizabeth had indicated, then laid back down. “That is just Caro’s morning meeting. She always goes after Rachel. Caro handles all the tour business with Will.”
“Do you do any of the business work?” Elizabeth asked him archly.
“Nope, I leave all that to Will.”
“How come?”
“Well one: because he actually cares, I don’t, and two: because he’s better at it than me.”
Elizabeth looked at him skeptically.
“Believe it, Lizzy, I’m just along for the ride.”
With a mental shrug, Elizabeth leaned back in her seat and opened her laptop. The trials and tribulations of Slurry were interesting in a morbid kind of way, but she had work to do.
The afternoon passed in a blur. Starting with their arrival at the airport, then meeting the press for pictures of Long Borne Suffering, it ended with the trip to the arena, where they spent the afternoon doing sound checks, rehearsing, and waiting.
Elizabeth was amazed at the amount of work done around them. Technicians were everywhere, doing final checks on lights and sound and preparing their instruments. Caroline Bingley was moving at a constant pace, always speaking into her headset, making sure everything was perfect. LBS experienced their most exhaustive sound check ever, then were dressed, groomed, and wired for sound.
At seven, the girls participated in their first meet-and-greet with Slurry. About fifty people from the area, winners of tickets from the local radio stations, were brought backstage to meet the bands. Although Elizabeth was a little nervous about the experience, her natural charm got her through it. The fact of the matter was that while everyone was polite to LBS, they were really there to see Slurry.
Elizabeth expected Darcy to be rude and glare at everyone, but to her surprise he was completely unlike the arrogant, brooding grouch she had seen at the studio. This was the Darcy she remembered from the grocery store. He was completely approachable. He shook hands, signed autographs, and even posed for pictures. She was surprised by this change in his demeanor but suspected it was simply a role he performed as part of the job.
While their fans distracted them, Elizabeth had a chance to observe Slurry. Darcy was dressed in his concert attire: black leather pants and black sunglasses. His long torso, broad shoulders, and long arms were completely bare. From her close position, she could see clearly the tattoo on his chest. It was a lyre, strangely enough: an instrument that would be more at home in the hands of an ancient Greek than a rock god. It was finely done; Elizabeth could even see the individual strings on the skin just to the left of his heart. He had another tattoo of a black spiral over his right shoulder and going down his arm.
Richard was simply dressed in a pair of jeans and boots. With his broad chest and powerfully built arms, he didn’t need a shirt. Elizabeth could not count all his tattoos in one sitting without being obvious. She started with his back, where a large Celtic knot was centered over his spine and spread out to his shoulder blades, the top just brushed by the tips of his long curls. For a full minute Elizabeth entertained herself by watching the tattoo move as Richard’s muscles flexed. Just above the waistband of his jeans, at the base of his spine, was a small blue-black scarab. The Fitzwilliam family crest in all its glorious color adorned his right upper arm, and a blue sun sat on his right forearm.
Charles wore tight jeans and a royal blue T-shirt. The shirt matched the color of his eyes. His blond curls flowed over his collar and rested on his shoulders. Once the meet-and-greet was over, the girls had thirty minutes before they were to begin the show. Elizabeth thought she would burst from the excitement and nervousness burning inside her, but she kept control of her passions. She was away from the others, tuning her Taylor one last time and mentally rehearsing her song, when she realized with a start that Darcy was standing in front of her.
“Can I give you a word of advice?” he said softly.
Elizabeth nodded, her neck stretched up to look at him.
“When you get out there, don’t look at the crowd at first. It’s too much. Get on your mark and as soon as the others are on theirs, just start playing. Don’t look around, don’t think, just play.” He lifted a shoulder in a shrug. “Your music is programmed inside of you. Trust it. You know what to do; play, and it will be all right.”
Elizabeth nodded, not quite sure what to say. She was disturbed by the intimacy of his voice and the intensity of his gaze. “Thank you. I’ll try to remember that.”
“Good luck,” he said quietly and stepped away.
Charles called her over, “It’s time, ladies.” He smiled brightly. “You all look great! If you are ready, I’ll walk you out.”
Charlotte frowned. “But Alex always walks us out.”
Alex’s voice came over their earplugs. “Char, I’m right here.” They looked up to see him wave from the control station. “I’m going to be watching you on the monitors with Caro.” Caroline waved distractedly. “Let Charles walk you out tonight, okay?”
“But what about our kiss?” Elizabeth asked in a tone of amusement mixed with concern.
Alex smiled, came around the control desk, and quickly kissed the three women. Charles then led them through the dark maze of cables, curtains, and consoles until they reached the edge of the stage.
“Ready?” Charles grinned. “You will be great, don’t worry, okay?” He kissed each girl, lingering over Jane slightly, when Alex’s voice in their heads commanded them to take their positions on the stage.
The words “Long Borne Suffering” filled the hall, lights flooded the stage, and Elizabeth started her opening riff. Four bars later Charlotte and Jane joined in on their instruments and she started her song. She lost herself in the words and dance she had drilled for two weeks solid. It was only when her song was over and Jane was singing “Wanted” that Elizabeth allowed herself to look at the huge arena. It was full of thousands of faces, many of which were ignoring the band, but still more were smiling and nodding slightly with the beat. A sense of euphoria filled her as they ended the song and paused for applause.
Their set was over in a shorter time than they could have imagined, and they left the stage to warm applause. A roadie led them back to the green room, where Alex was waiting.
“Wonderful!” he exploded, kissing the girls and hugging them tight. “You were perfect!”
They laughed, each a little giddy and speechless from the experience. “Oh Alex!” Jane said, remembering something. “Where can we watch Slurry from? We want to see their show.”
“Where are they anyway?” Charlotte asked.
“Right here,” Charles answered. Elizabeth turned to see all three men standing together. “We just wanted to tell you how great you were.”
“You girls rocked,” Richard grinned.
“Did you want to watch the show?” Darcy asked.
“If you don’t mind,” Jane answered. “We’ve never seen you perform,” she smiled happily.
The men shared a look, and Richard said slowly, “We prepared for this.” He grinned and pulled out what looked like a credit card. “Private skybox, number twelve,” he said, passing over the card.
“Or you could watch from the side of the stage,” Charles offered, teasing. “But we thought a box would be more comfortable.”
“And then the speakers are facing the right way,” Richard added, joking.
“Thank you,” Jane said, astonished, speaking for them all. “This is so thoughtful.”
“You’re welcome,” Darcy said softly, his eyes again masked by his shades.
“Thanks for coming on tour with us,” Charles added. “You might want to go up now. See you after the show.” The men moved off with Caroline for their final check.
Rebecca hurried up with a man beside her. The man was of average height, but with a powerful build. He wore a black T-shirt that had “Security” printed across the chest in red block letters. “Girls, this is Tommy. When you are ready, he will take you up to your box.”
Elizabeth nodded and with the help of a couple of sound techs, their microphones, receivers, and the accompanying wires were removed from their bodies. As soon as she was free, Elizabeth hurried to where the instruments were being kept and found her beloveds waiting to be cleaned.
Darcy was there, with Ronnie, the guitar tech, doing a final check on his Paul Reid Smith. He looked at her, surprised. “We’re about to start, you’re going to miss the show.”
Elizabeth shook her head. “Guitars first, show later,” she replied lightly. Carefully she put the Guild in its case and moved on to the Taylor.
“You know, Ronnie can do that,” Darcy sounded amused.
“I know,” Elizabeth said coolly, taking offense at his tone. “But these are my babies. I missed not having them last night and I need to take care of them.”
Understanding crossed his features and he crouched down beside her. “You can keep your guitars with you, if it would make you feel better.”
Elizabeth looked up into his face, feeling quite small and insignificant next to him. “Thank you,” she said softly.
Darcy nodded once and rose while Elizabeth put the acoustic guitar in its case. She didn’t see Darcy move off to go onstage as she thanked Ronnie and ran for her friends. Joining them, Tommy quickly led the three women and Alex to the elevator, which took them to a private, lush hallway. After a short walk, skybox number twelve appeared before them and Tommy directed them to stay there until the show was over, when he would come and walk them backstage.
Smiling, they entered the small room to find two surprises. The first was a small spread of food on a table along the back wall. The second was Bill Collins, standing in front of the glass wall, stuffing his face.
He turned with a start and smiled beneficently, “Oh, there you are! Just in time!” he said loftily as he licked his fingers then held out his hand to the girls. “I can’t tell you how proud of you I am. You girls put on a lovely little show. Even Ms. de Bourgh was impressed.”
Elizabeth was horrified, but by quickly getting a drink from the minibar she was able to avoid touching Collins. A silent yet urgent conversation, conducted only with looks, got Alex to sit between Collins and the girls. They just settled down into their seats when the intro tape ran out and the arena grew silent.
Darcy’s flawless guitar flooded the room. Elizabeth’s jaw dropped as first Richard’s drums and then Charles’s bass exploded with a crash of lights and pyrotechnics. The crowd roared as the lights came up and the show started. Elizabeth sang softly along with Charles, smiling at Jane and Charlotte, who were singing as well. They all knew the words so well: words about searching in the dark, trying to find answers, trying to know what one’s life path is.
As Elizabeth watched, her hair swinging unconsciously back and forth to the beat, she considered that Darcy probably wrote those words as well. They seemed so doubtful and questioning, from a man who seemed so secure and in control. The enigma of it challenged her mind and she watched him, trying to reconcile all she knew about this puzzling man. Try as she might, she could come to no conclusion about Darcy. She resolved to find out more about him and allowed herself to enjoy the show.
Slurry was tight and masterful in their playing, but there was more to it. They did more than simply play music; they knew how to communicate with the crowd, to move it and control it. It was amazing. Elizabeth was impressed not only with the music but with the whole experience. She watched the thousands of people below her, laughing, singing, and dancing. It was only when the band broke for intermission that she realized that she had not been still once during the entire set.
“Wow!” Charlotte said as Elizabeth and Jane smiled and nodded in agreement. “Oh my God!” She laughed, giddy. “That was so intense!”
“They’re extraordinary,” Elizabeth observed, grinning in spite of herself.
“Hey, don’t sell yourself short!” Alex objected. “You girls rock too, you know.”
“Alex, thanks, but we are nothing like that,” Jane gently disagreed.
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” their manager objected. “Seriously, I really think you have as much talent as them.” He nodded toward the stage. “You just need a chance.”
Elizabeth smiled gratefully. “Well, this is certainly going to be our big chance.” She looked at the crowd. “And I’m going to do everything I can to succeed.”
“I’m so pleased to hear that, Lizzy,” Collins said silkily. “That’s the kind of attitude that is going to get you places. Stay focused on your goal.”
Elizabeth nodded, but she didn’t like the way he was looking at her. As quickly as she could, she turned back to the stage, to watch the band begin the second half.
The crowd was deafening as they screamed at Slurry’s return. Charles smiled broadly and waited a moment for the crowd to quiet down, and then he spoke easily over them. “Oh man!” He laughed. “You’re all so great!” The crowd cheered back for him. “So, let me ask you something.” He paused and the crowd roiled in anticipation. “What did you think of our new act?” Screams filled the air.
Elizabeth turned to Jane and Charlotte her mouth hanging open. “Yeah, we like them too,” Charles grinned conspiratorially. “Give it up for the ladies of Long Borne Suffering, Charlotte, Liz, and Jane!”
Elizabeth cynically suspected that Charles could have told them to “give it up” for the T-shirt venders out front and the crown would have gone nuts, but that didn’t stop her from grabbing her band mates in a huge hug as they squealed and jumped up and down excitedly.
“But I know you came to see us,” Charles continued once the crowd quieted, “so let’s get back to work.” He winked and the band started the riffs for “Bound.”
As Charles sang about domination, Elizabeth found herself again watching Darcy. He seemed entirely focused on his playing, his expressive eyes hidden behind those dark glasses, but Elizabeth could see he was subtly communicating with his band, and even more fleetingly, with the audience: a nod, a glance, even a rare grin. The crowd ate it up; the tiny flashes of attention he showed them only made them long for more.
She had to admit he was startlingly handsome. His skin had a soft sheen of sweat over it at this point. His arms were pumped up, his muscles bulging. He radiated sex, danger, and talent, a combination Elizabeth found very arousing.
The concert finally ended after 10:00 p.m. As they waited for Tommy, Jane caught her eyes and grinned knowingly.
“Okay, you are right; he’s gorgeous,” Elizabeth said sotto voce, recalling their conversation from the night before.
Jane nodded happily. “I’m in love,” she sighed half-mockingly.
Sooner than she expected, LBS and Slurry were loaded into limos and whisked away to their hotel. Rebecca brought them straight through the lobby to the waiting elevators. Once inside, she passed out keycards to each of them. The girls would be sharing a three-bedroom suite, while the men each had their own room. Charles was, as usual, standing next to Jane, and Elizabeth saw him whisper something into Jane’s ear, which caused her smile to drop. After a moment, Jane responded with a tiny nod.
Charlotte was oblivious, drumming on the side of the car, Darcy was silent and withdrawn behind his glasses, and Richard was talking softly to a pretty young woman with long dark hair.
Charlotte, Jane, and Elizabeth were delighted to find that their luggage had been brought up and arranged in their bedrooms. The suite was large, light, and luxurious. Elizabeth doubted that every band lived this high when they were on tour, but she also suspected that LBS was being handled with kid gloves. It was a strange situation, but she was willing to take advantage of it. A knock on her bedroom door preceded Jane’s entrance. “Can I talk to you, Lizzy?” she asked worriedly.
“What’s wrong, Jane?” Elizabeth’s eyes reflected the concern she felt.
“It’s Charles,” she said softly. “He asked me to come to his suite,” Jane explained bluntly. “I said I would, but now I’m not so sure.” Her eyes were troubled. “I mean, he is so nice and a good kisser and everything, but I worry. We are going to be working together for a long time, and I don’t want any bad feelings between us.”
Elizabeth motioned for Jane to sit on the bed beside her while, unbidden, Darcy’s warning came back to both of them.
“Lizzy, do you think he thinks I’m throwing myself at him?” Jane asked worriedly.
Elizabeth frowned. “I don’t know, Jane. I know you are not, but he doesn’t know you,” she shrugged. “How do you feel about him, really?”
Jane looked at the floor and whispered, “I’m crazy about him.” Once she got that out, it seemed easier for her to speak. “I know it sounds like a stupid fangirl crush, but I’ve been thinking about him nonstop since we met. It really feels like there is something between us, and then this morning,” she sighed and laid back on the bed, drawing up her knees. “If we weren’t working together, Lizzy, I’d be all over him.”
Elizabeth sighed and lay down on her side next to her. “No, you wouldn’t, because you wouldn’t know him.”
Jane nodded. “You’re right. Oh Lizzy, I wish I hadn’t kissed him! What must he think of me?”
“What are you going to do?” Elizabeth asked.
“I don’t know!” Jane fretted. “If I go to his room, I’ll look easy, and I don’t know what will happen, but if I don’t go, he might think I’m playing with him or he might be angry. I just don’t know.” She looked at her sister. “What do you think I should do?”
Elizabeth was interrupted by a knock on the door. Thinking it was only Charlotte, she sat up and called out, “Come in.”
The door opened and Charles walked inside. “Hi,” he said awkwardly. “Charlotte told me you were in here.” He eyed the two sisters on the bed with embarrassment. “Am I interrupting something?”
Jane closed her mouth, sat up, and smiled nervously. “No, we were just having a talk.”
“Oh.” Charles eyes widened. “Girl talk, right, sorry; I’ll leave.”
“No,” Jane exclaimed. “I mean, please don’t leave. I just wasn’t expecting you.” She got up and moved closer to him.
“Uh,” he said uneasily. “I thought about what I said before, and I realized I might’ve given you the wrong impression, asking you to come to my room like that.” He looked away a moment. “I was wondering if instead we could hang out here, with your friends.”
Jane’s lips pressed tightly together as she realized what he was saying. Then she smiled and nodded. “I’d like that very much.” She took a step closer to him. “Would you like to sit in the living room?” she asked politely, suddenly at ease again.
“Sure,” he smiled back.
“Charles,” Elizabeth called out before they left. “Do you know if the pool is still open?”
“I know it is,” he said, looking back. “Are you going for a swim?”
“Yeah, it helps me to unwind.”
Charles nodded and closed the door behind him as he left. Elizabeth quickly changed into her suit and threw a pair of running pants over it and her shoes.
When she exited the suite Charles and Jane were curled up on either ends of the couch, talking and laughing softly while Charlotte was watching TV. She passed through with a friendly wave and went to the elevator. Riding it down alone, she took a moment to reflect on the ground she had covered in one day. Austin was such a long way from Meryton, where she had slept the night before.
Even further was the distance she had traveled in her career. Years of practicing, dreaming, and rehearsing had paid off. All those rejections she had suffered through were finally answered. She had done it. She had successfully performed in front of a larger crowd than she had ever done before. A milestone had been reached, a challenge completed. It was with a small smile of self-satisfaction on her face that she entered the pool.
The area around it was empty, but she could hear someone in the pool itself. Looking closely, she saw a lone swimmer doing laps. With a single glance she knew who it was, the black spiral on his shoulder a dead giveaway.
Fitzwilliam Darcy was in the pool. For a heartbeat, she considered turning around, but then she thought, to hell with it, draped her towel over a chair, and took off her pants and shoes. She watched Darcy as she approached the side. His long, lithe body stretched out on the surface of the water, his long powerful arms were pulling him forward, and his feet were kicking a foamy trail behind him.
He must have been spotting for his turn when he looked up and saw her. Their eyes met and he stopped, his chest surging out of the water as he stood. “Do you mind?” Elizabeth asked, not sure of what else to say. He just shook his head in response, his eyes watching her. Elizabeth dived off the side and started her lap, ignoring the way he was studying her body. She knew her figure wasn’t perfect. She would never be gorgeous like Jane, but Elizabeth was strong and in shape. She didn’t feel ashamed, despite the critique she saw in his eyes.
Darcy’s eyes were still burning from the sight that had greeted him when he looked for the wall. She wore a plain racing suit, he noticed. Irrationally it pleased him that she chose something designed for speed, not attractiveness. Nevertheless, the suit fit her body in a way that left little doubt what was underneath it. It was a revelation he enjoyed.
The suit and her shape suggested to him what her dive confirmed: Elizabeth Bennet was a swimmer. Like him, she had the signs of someone who had trained and swum competitively. He suspected that it had been in school, because while she was good, she wasn’t particularly fast.
Suddenly, he realized he had been staring at her for an unforgivably long time and began a new lap.
Elizabeth finished her twentieth lap. Her arms and lungs were burning. As she looked up for the wall, she saw Darcy still there, waiting for her on the side. Why wouldn’t he leave? she snapped in annoyance to herself. She realized that he was not going to leave without her and that the embarrassing encounter she was hoping to avoid was inevitable. Giving up her attempt to outwait him, she came out of the pool, forcing herself not to reveal how tired she was.
He handed her a towel, which she accepted with a polite smile. “Did you race in college?” he asked quietly.
Elizabeth stared at him a long moment, stunned by his perception, then answered, “No, just in high school. But I worked as a lifeguard and taught during college.” She dried herself off as she walked away. Deciding that a little payback was in order, she asked, “What about you?”
“High school and university,” he answered. “But I was never really serious. It was mostly a way to work out.”
Elizabeth nodded in understanding. She sat down on her chair and started pulling on her pants. “So you swim every night?”
Darcy shook his head. “No, most nights I’m on the bus. But I swim when I can.” Elizabeth saw that he already had a T-shirt and shoes on. He was wearing plain swim trunks at least; she hated men wearing Speedos outside of competition. “If you want to swim with me, it would be nice to have the company,” he said quietly.
“Thanks,” Elizabeth said noncommittally.
“What did you think of the show?” Darcy asked as they exited the pool area.
Elizabeth repressed her initial reaction. “It was very impressive. You’re excellent performers. I really enjoyed it.”
“And the box?”
“Oh yes!” She remembered his kindness with a flash of embarrassment for her coolness toward him. “Thank you, and thanks for the refreshments. That was great.”
He acknowledged her thanks with a nod as they waited for the elevator. “You were good too. I watched you on the monitors.” He looked at her, his eyes observing her closely.
“Thanks,” Elizabeth said sincerely. She didn’t understand his look, but she was determined not to let him fluster her again. “This is a big step forward for us. It’s a challenge. Considering Slurry’s track record, there’s no guarantee we’ll make it through the tour.”
“I believe you will,” he said sincerely. “I think our bands work well together.”
“That’s good to know,” she said cheekily, not quite able to look at him. “You signed a pretty big contract to have us here.”
He looked at her meaningfully. “Contracts are just about money, Elizabeth. I can assure you, if you weren’t good enough, you would not be on my tour.”
Elizabeth’s jaw dropped as the doors to the elevator opened. She could not believe he had just said that. With an ice-cold “good night” she moved off to her suite, rigid with anger.
When she got through the door, she found Jane sitting alone on the couch, staring at nothing and smiling to herself. Elizabeth stood stock-still, clenching her fists, and counted to ten.
“What did he do this time?” Jane asked easily.
Elizabeth took a deep breath and released it noisily. Then she looked at her sister. “How did you know?”
“Charles told me,” she answered with a smile. “He said that Darcy has the hotel open the pool for him after concerts. That’s how he knew it would be open when you went downstairs.” She grinned. “So, what did he say this time?”
“Oh, forget about that, Jane,” she said with an aggravated snort. She sat down on the couch beside Jane. “Tell me about Charles.”
Jane glowed with a smile that lit up the room, “He was wonderful. We sat and talked and laughed. He’s very smart. Did you know that?” Elizabeth grinned and shook her head. “And he is so nice. He is the nicest person I’ve ever met.” Jane sighed and leaned back against the couch. “Did you see how he came to me, Lizzy?” Her voice was soft with a happy disbelief.
“I saw,” Elizabeth assured her, “and I have to say, I was impressed.”
“And he never tried to kiss me, not even once.”
Elizabeth frowned, “Jane? Are you sure he’s not gay?”
Jane shook her head with a wicked grin. “I kissed him good night, and yes, I am quite sure he is not gay.”
The sisters laughed together, then Jane took Elizabeth’s hand and insisted that she tell her what had happened with Darcy. Elizabeth related the whole story, including his remark in the elevator.
“Maybe he was trying to compliment you, Lizzy. Maybe he is just awkward with words.”
“Or maybe he was threatening me and letting me know if we don’t play up to snuff, we will be out on our asses!” Elizabeth snapped. She stopped and sighed. “Oh, I’m sorry. I’m not mad at you. It’s just that man!” she hissed. Elizabeth got up and paced the room angrily. “First he was staring at me at the pool.”
“Oh, and I’m sure you didn’t look at him,” Jane challenged her gently.
“Yes, but—” She stopped and frowned thoughtfully. “It’s different when he looks at me. I always feel like I’m not good enough or something.” She remembered she was angry and resumed her pacing. “And then he has to go and be so insulting like that in the elevator. Ohhhhhhhh, he makes me insane!”
“Do you think you might be overreacting, Lizzy?” Jane frowned. It was unlike her sister to get this upset over anything.
“Oh, if you could have heard him, Jane, you would know I’m not. He was so snide about it, so superior.” She kicked a sofa pillow. “Arrogant prick!”
Jane smiled kindly. “Come on, Lizzy, we need to go to bed.” She rose and gestured for Elizabeth to follow her.
Elizabeth agreed. She was tired and her body was aching. She took a hot shower, letting the water carry away the rage and the chlorine from her body, and tucked herself into the strange hotel bed. Within minutes, the arrogant Fitzwilliam Darcy was forgotten, and she was asleep.