Legally Darcy: A Modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice

by Denise O'Hara

  “Oh, I see.”

  Elizabeth fell silent, at a loss at what to say next. She itched to ask him why he’d done it but she was afraid she wouldn’t like the answer. It was probably some jealousy game he was playing with Caroline Bingley. He struck her as the sort of man that would play with people’s emotions that way. Whatever his intention was, by the way Caroline kept sending metaphorical daggers her way he’d probably succeeded. They danced in silence for a while until Elizabeth couldn’t stand it anymore.

  “You know, you’ve only paid for me for the length of the dance. I’d suggest you at least get some of your money’s worth with conversation.”

  “I rather think I’m getting my money’s worth already just by being able to examine those eyes in close quarters. They’re quite stunning.”

  Well! He knew how to be a charmer anyway. She had to give him that, but knowing what type of man he was she didn’t find his comment flattering in the least. She didn’t want to be a part of his games and if it weren’t for the money, she would walk off the dance floor this minute. Instead, she danced, keeping her eyes averted from his. Finally, it was over and she could take her leave. She made her way back to her parents. Her mother practically jumping up and down with excitement.

  “Clever, Lizzy! I just found out that man was Mr. Darcy. Imagine catching his eye!”

  “I’m sure I didn’t. It was all for the benefit, for the event.”

  “I don’t believe that for one minute. I saw the way he was looking at you.”

  “Please, Mom, don’t read anything into it. I detest that man, so even if what you said did have a shred of truth, it wouldn’t ever go further than this one dance, and that was for Jane’s sake.”

  Mrs. Bennet pouted and sulked, leaving Lizzy to occupy herself watching other couples on the floor and making occasional small talk with people she knew through work. She kept a close watch on her mother, relieved to see that she was beginning to look tired. She would want to leave soon and Lizzy was more than ready to go home. The band took their second break of the evening and Lizzy thought it was a good time to gather the family together and determine if they were all ready to leave. She found Lydia and Kitty at the edge of the dance floor talking, or rather flirting with some of the younger men in attendance.

  “Time to go, you two.”

  “Oh, not yet,” Lydia wailed. “The night’s not over.”

  “It’s over for us. Mom’s looking tired and she won’t leave without you two.”

  Lizzy waited, rolling her eyes while the girls exchanged numbers with the guys and dragged out saying goodnight. Suddenly, she heard the strains of piano keys. She tried to usher the girls away, knowing that if the band were to start up again she would never get them out. Then a voice began and Lizzy turned to stare at the stage. There was Mary, standing at the band’s keyboard, playing and singing! Her cheeks instantly turned bright red and even Kitty and Lydia looked like they’d rather be anywhere else but where they were and took their leave. They all hurried back to their parents.

  “What on earth is Mary doing?” Lydia hissed in the silence of the bemused patrons. “She’s making a fool of herself, and us. That guy’s never going to call me now! Oh, this is awful!”

  Lizzy had to agree, not that she would have said it aloud.

  “I think she’s performing wonderfully,” Mrs. Bennet cried. “Dance with me, my dear.”

  “I think not, darling. Everyone’s staring at us as it is. I should get her down.”

  With a sigh, Mr. Bennet stepped up onto stage and leant down to his daughter. “That’s enough, Mary,” he said firmly as he laid a hand over hers, stilling them.

  Mary continued singing for a few more seconds before faltering to a halt. “But Daddy—”

  “No buts. This isn’t your equipment and it isn’t your moment. This is Jane’s night. Come on; time to go. Don’t embarrass us any more than the rest of you do.”

  Someone in the crowd snickered and it was only then that Mr. Bennet realized that every word he said was being broadcast over the room by the microphone that sat on top of the keyboard. Mary burst into tears and stormed off the stage, leaving Mr. Bennet to follow, shamefaced. He hurried them out of the door, none of them reluctant to leave this time.

  Jane could only look on as they left, her obligation requiring her to see this night through to the end. Her only consolation was that she’d broken every record in terms of how much money she’d been able to raise at one of these events.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  “Thank you for meeting me for lunch, Will. I know how full your schedule is.”

  “You’re most welcome, Caroline. The pleasure is mine, although I’m very intrigued as to what the matter of importance you were so anxious to discuss might be.”

  “Let’s order first shall we?”

  Caroline picked up a menu and chattered about the various options, making sure to show off her knowledge of French cuisine. She’d chosen the restaurant with that very idea in mind. She’d thought some sophistication and culture would highlight the point she wanted to make as well as impress Darcy with her skills. Once their orders were placed, she sat back in her chair and took a sip of her iced water. She licked her lips before she began, holding his gaze as she did so.

  “Will, I asked you here today out of concern for my brother. I know you’re a good friend as well as his business partner. His welfare and happiness are as important to you as they are to me, isn’t that right?”

  “Of course there are, but why do you mention it? I admit to being rather preoccupied recently. Is there something happening with Charles that I should know about?”

  “That’s the thing; you do know about it, although I can see your preoccupation with your own concerns has maybe prevented you from seeing it clearly. It hasn’t failed to escape my attention though.”

  “Then please, tell me what it is so I can be of assistance.”

  “I certainly hope that you will be.”

  She paused as the server delivered their starter. When they were alone again at the table, she continued. “It’s this business with his current girlfriend. It has me pretty worried.”

  “Jane Bennet? I’m afraid I’m lost. She seems quite a charming young lady.”

  “Perhaps,” Caroline said. “I agree that Jane does seem rather sweet but of course, if they were to take their relationship further and consider marriage, then it wouldn’t be Jane alone that we’d have to think about would it? You know the prestigious position he holds and the circles he has to move in to uphold it. I just can’t see how he would able to maintain any level of respect if he were to be connected to that appalling family. The two youngest girls are wild and uncouth and heaven knows what the future holds for them. The studious sister is usually completely unsociable unless she decides to embarrass herself, and the other one well, she’s either blind or stupid for all she does is defend them, and quite outspokenly at that. I can see her being a troublesome lawyer, probably some human rights activist fighting for all the wrong causes, if her directness even lets her become such a thing. Don’t you agree with me?”

  “I’m not sure if I know them all well enough to make those kinds of judgments, but I can see where you might be coming from in a general sense. The three youngest at least do seem to draw unnecessary and unbecoming attention to themselves.”

  “The father himself is a pushover, unable to control any of the women in his life. Therefore, we can only assume that all the girls get their qualities from their mother. Can you imagine! If one only has to look at the mother to see what the daughter will be like in twenty years’ time then Charles is in serious trouble. Then there is the no small matter of her illness. I’m sure she must be touched upstairs,” she said tapping her finger on her temple. “There’s no telling how she will act at any given moment. Can you imagine how this might affect Charles at functions including important clients? I also have to wonder if such a condition could be hereditary. I bet Charles hasn’t even considered th
e possibility and how it might affect his children in the future.”

  Darcy was silent for a moment, deliberately taking a mouthful of food and chewing it slowly to give him time to think. Caroline nudged him a little more. “Of course, you can’t just think of Charles personally here, although I’m sure it’s your main concern. You also have to think of how detrimental it could end up being for the firm’s reputation. Even losing one or two clients could be the start of a rapid decline when they begin to associate a senior partner with the likes of the Bennets. She’s just not good for him, Darcy. Don’t you think it might be easier to nip this in the bud now than to let things go that far?”

  Darcy nodded. “Yes, you’ve made some very good points there. I see exactly what you mean.”

  Caroline let out the breath she’d been holding. “I knew you’d see it my way when it was pointed out to you. So can I rely on you to back me up when I speak to Charles? I’ve mentioned it briefly in passing and he shrugged me off. I need to sit down and point this out to him in detail but I’m already worried that he won’t listen. However, I’m certain he’d listen to you.”

  “I think I can do better than that,” Darcy replied. “We can mention our concerns to Charles if you wish, or we could do it another way.”

  Caroline leaned forward in her chair, interest and excitement flashing in her eyes. “Go on.”

  “I have a very high profile client in Los Angeles who has asked me to send someone from my firm as a personal adviser due to certain issues he has going on right now. The client is, shall we say, a touch eccentric and has an impressive ego to match. He will expect whomever I send to be at his beck and call twenty-four-seven. He’ll monopolize all his time as the issues I mentioned are highly complex and will culminate in a lengthy court case.”

  Caroline grinned. “Are you saying that whoever you send will be so swamped he won’t have a minute to even think of anything else, never mind keep in touch with people?”

  “Yes, and I will, of course, demand detailed daily reports, just to add to the already impossible workload. He’s a most lucrative client, very important to the company, so it would stand to reason that I send one of my best.”

  “And how long would you expect this special assignment to last?”

  “Six months at least.”

  “Perfect! It’s the ideal solution. You’re so clever, William Darcy. I knew you’d come up with a way to help. Maybe it would be best if we don’t tell Charles about anything else we spoke of, but play the sympathetic and caring friends and family as the relationship naturally fizzles out.”

  “I can go along with that,” Darcy agreed. “I hadn’t made my mind up, but I had been considering sending Charles anyway so I don’t feel I’m doing anything particularly underhand. At least this way we can offer him our genuine sympathy and support. They haven’t been seeing each other for that long, and it’s not as if they’ve made any promises to each other. We’re also acting with his best interests at heart.”

  “Exactly, and getting over Jane Bennet will be much easier than getting over a ruined career.”

  “I’ll tell him this afternoon as soon as I get back from lunch. I’ll make sure he’s booked on a flight first thing tomorrow morning. Ah good, here come our main courses.”

  ******

  “I’m so sorry, Jane. I know the timing’s dreadful, but he’s such an important client and I can’t let the firm down on this.”

  “It’s okay, Charles, I understand. It can’t be helped. I’m going to miss you so much but your work has to come first. I’m disappointed that it’s such short notice, but I’ll be fine.”

  “Promise?”

  “Yes, I promise,” Jane replied with a small laugh, wiping away the tear that had managed to escape despite her fighting them back. “It’s only a few months.”

  “They’re going to feel a lot longer being separated from you.”

  “By the sounds of it, you’ll be so busy you won’t even have time to miss me.”

  “I’ll miss you every second of every day. I’ll call and email as much as I can.”

  This time, Jane’s smile was less sad and more genuine. “I’ll look forward to that. Are you sure you can’t stay for dinner?”

  “I’d better not. My flight leaves at 5 am so I’d better go home and start packing. I also have to read over the preliminary paperwork tonight so I can write up my first report on the plane before I arrive. Can’t show up unprepared. I know this guy, and he’ll expect a lot.”

  “I’ll walk you to the door then.”

  Charles pulled Jane into his arms for a farewell kiss as they reached his car parked on the drive. “I’ll miss you so much,” he whispered, holding her close.

  “I’ll miss you too, but go and do a good job. Make Mr. Darcy even more proud of you.”

  “I’ll do my best. Take care and I’ll call as often as I can.”

  Jane waved until the taillights of his car disappeared. Forlorn, she turned and walked back inside the house, steeling herself to explain to her mom why he hadn’t been able to stay for dinner tonight.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  “I’m sorry, Charles dearest,” Mrs. Bennet said, her tone sympathetic as she pressed her ear to her landline telephone. “She’s out doing one of her fundraisers. Have you tried her cell?”

  “Several times but to no avail I’m afraid,” Charles replied. “No matter. I’ve left messages so I’m sure she’ll get back to me when she can.”

  “You can count on it,” Mrs. Bennet assured him. “She does miss you very much.”

  “I miss…I’m sorry, I have to go. The client is calling for me again. You will tell Jane that I tried won’t you?”

  “Of course. Bye, dear. Take care.”

  “You too.”

  Charles hung up with a deep sigh. They’d been doing this dance for the past six weeks. If he ever felt he could grab a few precious moments to make a call, Jane was never available. It was the same the other way around. Every time her number appeared on his screen, he wasn’t in a position to answer. All they’d managed to exchange were a few text messages or hastily composed, short emails, the responses received hours or sometimes days later. It was getting ridiculous.

  “Charles! I need you down here now! What’s this clause twelve about?”

  Charles turned off his phone and went downstairs to explain the added clause to his demanding client.

  It was after 2 am before he had the opportunity to turn it back on, making it 5 am in New York. He found two missed calls from Jane and one text message. It was filled with such sadness that he knew what he had to do. This was so unfair on both of them, only causing them sorrow. He couldn’t bear to be making her unhappy this way. Instead of going to bed he sat up and thought for the next two hours As much as it was going to hurt him, there was only one fair course of action to take. Despite the early hour, he dialed her number.

  “Hello?” Her voice was sleepy yet hopeful.

  “Jane.”

  “Charles! I’m so glad to hear your voice.”

  Charles closed his eyes, his heart already aching. “Jane, don’t. Please just listen. I can’t do this anymore. It’s too frustrating, too hurtful on both sides. You’re young and beautiful; you should be living your life to the fullest, not waiting for calls that never come.”

  “Charles, I—”

  “No. I’ve made up my mind. We should both be free to live our lives, whatever that may entail. I’m calling this off, for now anyway. Maybe we can see how things lie when I get back. There’s nothing more to say.”

  “I see.” Her tone was as sweet as ever, no animosity, only sorrow. “Then I wish you the very best in that life, Charles.”

  The line went dead and Charles was left to lie back on his bed, staring at the ceiling. As exhausted as he was, sleep just wouldn’t come. He felt like crying.

  ******

  She rose and went into the bathroom, splashing her face with icy cold water to try to rid it of the telltale signs. Af
ter that, she went to knock on Lizzy’s door.

  “Come in.”

  Jane entered to find Lizzy already up and dressed. She was sitting at her dressing table, brushing out her hair. She went over and took the brush from her, taking over, just as they used to do when they were children.

  “Lizzy. I need your help with something.”

  Lizzy smiled at her in the mirror. “Anything at all, you just need to ask and I’m there.”

  “I know. You always have been.”

  “So what’s up?”

  “I need your advice on how to break something to Mom.”

  Lizzy looked startled. “Jane! You’re not… you aren’t…”

  Seeing where her sister’s train of thought had taken her, Jane was quick to respond. “Good grief, no! Nothing like that. My choice to wait until marriage hasn’t wavered, and that it’s the right decision is clearer now than ever before.”

  Lizzy puffed out her cheeks in relief. “What is it then?”

  “To be honest, I think it’s something Mom will take even worse. At least if I were pregnant she’d have her head filled with plans of big weddings with high-society guests. She wouldn’t care about any scandal or shame, as long as the outcome was what she dreams of for all of us.”

  “You’re probably right there. So if that would have been the good news then it must be something really bad. Jane, for heaven’s sake, tell me what it is. My imagination is running wild here.”

  “Charles broke up with me.”

  “What! When? How… Oh Jane, I’m so sorry.”

  Lizzy rose from her seat and took the brush from Jane. “Come over and sit down on the bed with me. Tell me what happened.”

  Jane sat down and Lizzy clambered behind her, wrapping her arms around her. Another memory from childhood recreated.

  “He called me first thing this morning. It’s the first chance we’ve had to talk since he left and he used it to dump me.”

  “I’m sure that can’t be true. Everyone could see that he was devoted to you. What did he say exactly?”