“Yes, he is quite a catch,” Mrs. Bennet said, eyeing Elizabeth.
Georgina fiddled with the last remnants of food on her plate. Where had that steak disappeared to? “Hmm,” she said, setting her fork down. “Maybe he just needs to get to know me.” Then her eyes homed in on Mary. “How are things between you and Patrick?”
Mary’s brows rose, and her eyes went wide. She’d never been the type to talk with girlfriends about boys. She glanced at Elizabeth who nodded with a smile. “I’m quite fond of him...and I think he fancies me.”
“You think?” Georgina said, sounding disgusted. “That won’t do at all.”
Mary’s mouth fell open; Elizabeth’s pulse quickened. “Georgina, they are just getting to know each other.”
“Of course, but I can see in Mary’s eyes how hopeful she is.”
Elizabeth turned to her sister. “There’s nothing wrong with being friends first.”
“No man wants to be friends,” Georgina said, passing her gaze around the table.
“I’ll have to agree with you on that one,” Mrs. Bennet said.
Georgina put on a sweet smile and delivered it right to Mary. “This is a whole new world for you. There are certain ways in which a woman can ensure a man she’s fond of becomes interested in her. Have your sisters not taught you these things?”
Mrs. Bennet nodded as if she and Georgina had some secret recipe no one else knew about. “Mary’s never been interested in such things...and when it comes to men, I wouldn’t say my daughters are experts.”
“Thank you, mother,” Elizabeth said while the server refilled her tea. She couldn’t imagine how she kept the glass still.
“Mary, I’ve just gotten the most wonderful idea,” Georgina said. The sparkle in her eyes hinted of something less than sweet. “Something that will benefit both of us.”
“What do you mean?” Mary said.
Elizabeth braced herself for the idea. Her sister’s wellbeing came before her future sister-in-law’s feelings. She wouldn’t hesitate to put Georgina in her place if needed.
“You’re mad over Patrick, and I’m mad over Granville. The four of us should spend time together, and you can watch me win Granville over, so you can do the same with Patrick.”
The table fell silent. Mary appeared to mull the idea over. Georgina waited anxiously. Elizabeth shook her head when she realized it was on her shoulders to be the voice of reason. Just as she was about to speak up her Mother leaned forward. “Georgina, dear. I’m sure Mary could learn a great deal from a lovely young woman such as yourself, but I do not think this is a good idea.”
Elizabeth didn’t attempt to hide her surprise. Her mother not in favor of another opportunity to snag a rich husband for one of her daughters? The disgruntled waiter must have slipped something into the delirious woman’s drink. “I’m going to have to agree with mother on this one.” For once in her life that statement felt right.
“It makes perfect sense,” Georgina continued. She turned her attention to Elizabeth. “Take this music concert for example. William isn’t thrilled about you going.”
She couldn’t argue with that, but she avoided Georgina’s eyes and picked up her empty glass.
“And why would you want to go with a single man when you’re engaged and quite busy planning your wedding?”
“Well...that’s true. But, I’m doing it for Mary.” She nodded at her sister and glanced her mother’s way to see if she would comment. “Besides, I’ve made the commitment, and it would be rude to cancel.”
“Be that as it may, for my brother’s sake, I hope you will steer clear of Granville after this concert.”
“And for yours as well, it appears,” Elizabeth said, giving Georgina a hard stare. It wasn’t as though she had any interest in Granville, but she couldn’t imagine him being interested in Georgina. Ultimately, no matter how much Georgina got under her skin, she was right. Spending time with Granville could only cause problems for everyone involved. But the thought of disappointing Claude left her with an empty feeling in her chest.
***
Mrs. Bennet walked through the town square, sat on a bench, and rested her purse in her lap. Feeling quite annoyed, she planned to wait only five minutes more. When ten minutes passed, she stood and headed toward the car park.
“Mrs. Bennet.”
The voice reached her before she crossed into the lot. Turning, she found Granville dressed so casually she almost didn’t recognize him. He wore jeans and a white hooded sweatshirt. “I’m surprised you own a pair of those,” Mrs. Bennet said, gesturing down to his tennis shoes.
“There may be quite a bit about me that surprises you. Were you leaving?”
Mrs. Bennet darted her eyes around, avoiding his. “I’m very busy with the wedding and I...well, I’m no longer sure this is a good idea.”
“I got here as quickly as I could. Why don’t we go sit and have coffee?”
She glanced over her shoulder at the coffee shop a few yards away. The complicity of the situation overwhelmed her enough that she hesitated.
“Please...you are the one who rang me. Tell me what’s concerning you, and I’m sure I can remedy the situation.” He took two steps toward her and put out his arm for her to walk.
They found a small table in the corner of the patio. The two sat for a moment sizing each other up, Granville with a coffee and Mrs. Bennet with tea. She’d been jittery enough all on her own.
“I can see you are unhappy, madam. Did something happen with Elizabeth?”
She took a small sip from her mug and stared at Granville, deciding how to present her concerns. “Elizabeth is fine.”
“Have you changed your mind about...” he glanced to the side before continuing, but his words revealed nothing telling. “Helping me.”
“You make it sound like I’m giving you a lift to the airport. You want me to deceive my daughters.”
His hands froze with the cup to his lips, but his expression didn’t change. “Deceive is a strong word. Are you not looking for the best possible life for your daughters?” He watched her reaction as he set his coffee down. “And for yourself?”
“Of course I am. And I’m not convinced William is best for Lizzy. But that doesn’t mean you are either.”
He flashed her a confident smile. “Well I believe I am. I know you’re not fond of William to begin with, but this is your opinion based on the knowledge you have. Imagine how you’d feel finding out he’s not all he presents himself to be.”
“Let’s cut to the chase, shall we? If you have something I should know about William, have at it.”
“All in good time. Soon Elizabeth will discover her honorable man has a few secrets of his own, and she’ll need her mother’s response to be genuine.”
“You’ve got it all figured out, do you?”
“It’s how I work. It’s why I’m so successful.”
She held her tea mug as if to toast him, but her expression relayed quite the opposite.
“You do not approve of success?”
“Success is not always worth the cost to get there.” She set down her cup.
“You share wise and honorable words as you sit here in conspiracy with me.”
“I’m well aware of my hypocrisy thank you kindly. My motives are genuine, and my situation could turn desperate. But if I think for a moment you’ve got something sinister in mind or you boys hurt my daughters, I’ll not only back out of this whole thing, I’ll bring a wrath down on you.”
Granville chuckled the way a lion might when confronted by a house kitten. “Let me set your mind as ease. I’m a man with good intentions, too. And I am a man who takes care of his family. Can you say the same of Mr. Darcy? Has he made any offer to help you financially?” He didn’t wait for her response. “With both Patrick and I in your family you’re going to be well taken care of no matter what befalls you.”
“Patrick? So now your future mother-in-law will be pawned off on your brother?” She sat back in her chai
r, coming to the conclusion that Granville would face an uphill battle convincing her to continue with his plan.
“Mrs. Bennet, I’m merely pointing out that should you and your husband continue on this financial crisis, you’d have a much better situation with relations to the Ackerman family.”
She raised a skeptical brow at him.
“Let me ask you this. Has he plans to take you into this dream home he is building if you lose your home?”
She wasn’t sure how he knew the answers to those questions, but she didn’t want to give him confirmation. “And I’m to believe you would? Here you are taking over your poor grandfather’s company.”
Granville’s eyes darkened and narrowed. “Did Elizabeth say that to you?”
Mr. Bennet had filled her head with lots of tales about the dastardly Granville, but at this point she wouldn’t set his mind at ease about Elizabeth. “Is it true?”
“I’ll have you know my grandfather is the most important person in the world to me. I’m running the company because he can’t do it properly right now. He may never be able to. He’s also the reason I know Elizabeth is the woman for me. He adores her, and he’s never been proud of my choices.” His chest rose and fell quickly by the time he finished.
“And if he doesn’t approve you just might find yourself selling SBLs at the local branch, right?”
He looked away for only a moment. “I’ll admit grandfather has influence, and now with Patrick on his way up I need to keep in his good graces. That doesn’t negate anything I’ve said to you or any feelings I have for Elizabeth. All I’m asking for is a chance...and a little help.”
“I’m not sure there’s much more I can do to help you now. You’ve got a problem beyond William to contend with.”
His eyes widened. “What do you mean?”
“Georgina has her sights on you.”
He let out a helpless laugh. “Wonderful. I’d have thought my demeanor that night at your house would have squelched that.”
“Oh, she thinks you’re a cad all right. But she aims to win you over. And she thinks she can use her performance to teach Mary a thing or two to use with Patrick.”
His wide smile and head shaking told her they were thinking the same thing.
“Sound a bit too familiar, Mr. Ackerman?”
“Touché, madam.” He tipped his head down once. “So I need to find a way to be a cad in Georgina’s eyes while being a prince in Elizabeth’s eyes.” His smile faded when he caught her discerning gaze, so her next words surprised him.
“Elizabeth told me you’d helped her get placed at the hospital. Well done.”
He couldn’t tell if the woman meant that sincerely or was complimenting him on his strategy. “I would have done that regardless. She’s a very capable and intelligent woman.”
“You don’t need to tell me that. She just doesn’t know what is for her own good.” For a brief moment, Mrs. Bennet wondered the same about herself. Had she Lizzy’s best interest in mind or was all of this merely about her protecting her own future? In her mind, when she needed convincing, it always went back to this: If two eligible and well-to-do gentlemen were vying for Lizzy’s heart and a place by her side, then it might as well be the one who treats her with the respect she deserves and who will give her financial stability in the future.
“It’s Elizabeth’s good fortune to have such an intelligent and caring woman for a mother.”
“You can save that glittery prose for someone else, Mr. Ackerman. I won’t stand in your way...and if I have the opportunity to usher the girls your way, I just might do that. I will keep an eye on William, too, for any opportunities to cause a rift between them. Because with or without you, I don’t want her marrying that man.” She gathered her purse and stood. “Keep me updated, keep your word, and don’t screw up!”
His eyes widened, but he kept his mouth closed, only nodding in agreement.
“I’ll have to be going now. I’d tell you to simply steer clear of Georgina, but I know she’ll be relentless. So good luck with that one.”
“Ackermans don’t need luck. Good day, madam.”
Chapter 12
Elizabeth grasped William’s hand so hard he winced.
“Are you all right, love?” he asked as they strolled through the grand foyer of the Royal Wentworth Country Club.
She leaned into him and spoke quietly, fearful of the echo from the high ceilings. “Is it too late to ring the burger van?”
William chuckled and wrapped his other hand around her arm. “It’s just a location...like a burger van only bigger.”
“It’s not just a location. It’s not just the country club.” Her eyes traveled up ahead to the leader in their royal procession: William’s Aunt Anne. She could handle whatever Georgina threw at her, but Anne—a widow who inherited her third husband’s newspaper fortune—left Elizabeth tongue-tied whenever in her presence. Anne made it no secret that Elizabeth’s family should be grateful the union provided them a step up in society.
“Anne adores you, Lizzy. And it’s all going to be wonderful. You’ll see.”
That was hardly the word she would use to describe it, but she didn’t have much choice. Having the wedding there, where Anne wanted it and was respected and admired, would save her parents a financial burden they could hardly afford. She glanced over her shoulder where Mary and Mrs. Bennet walked side-by-side. In a rare instance of commonality, the mother and daughter appeared dazed and doe-eyed.
Anne raised an arm in the air like she was leading a flock of children through a museum. “Follow me, everyone.”
Georgina sped up and said something quietly in Anne’s ear. Elizabeth imagined conspiracy, and her already knotted stomach clenched further. Would this family ever stop making her feel as if she wasn’t good enough? If she could only manage a moment alone with William; they had so many things to talk through. That would be the only way to set her mind at ease. As difficult as it would be to talk about what Claude had told her, a marriage had to start with complete honesty. That’s why Elizabeth also planned to tell him about Granville’s part in her hospital placement.
Their party entered a small conference style room where several tables displayed trays of food. Each tray contained small portions and had a sign next to it signifying the dish. Anne’s peach, short-sleeved sweater and starched, gray dress pants screamed society matron as she walked by each table scanning the platters like she was the health inspector. Finally she looked up at the others. “Perfect. Everything looks exactly as I’d requested.” She swung her head left to right. “Now where is Cora?”
As beautiful as the spread of food looked, Elizabeth couldn’t help but feel like things would never be perfect with Anne in charge and paying. Still, she put on a smile and looked to her mother and sister. “Hope you’re hungry, ladies.”
William held up a finger and stepped aside to answer a call, an act she was becoming less and less understanding about. Then a tall, lanky woman dressed all in black and donning a tight bun perched on her head glided into the room holding a clip board. She hugged Anne, and they spoke briefly before stepping over to the ladies to be introduced. Anne presented Cora and explained she would help them plan the menu, the bar stock, and the cake cutting service. Any other details would be handled among their family and wedding party members.
Cora set the clipboard on an empty table and gazed over at the three women who absent-mindedly huddled closer together. “Now where is our bride?” she said, turning to Anne as if none of the three women could possibly be the bride. Anne outstretched her hands beckoning Elizabeth. A quick look at William told her she was on her own, and she shuffled over as directed.
“Ah...Elizabeth. I should have known,” Cora said.
Having no clue what that meant, Elizabeth muttered out a hello and cursed herself for not wearing her heels. “Nice to meet to you, Cora.”
They shook hands, and then Elizabeth introduced her mother and sister who received a once over from Cora as if s
he was visually taking their measurements. “Hmm...mother of the bride and maid of honor. Not my department,” she said, sounding relieved. When she finished giving them a virtual makeover, she returned her attention to Elizabeth.
“I didn’t know how many of you to expect, so there’s plenty of food.”
“William is here,” Anne said pointing to him. “And Mr. Bennet couldn’t make it.”
“Father said he gets the hives when there’s an overabundance of cackling females,” Mary said stone-faced.
Cora and Anne looked at each other as though Mary was speaking German, and they were waiting for a translation.
Mrs. Bennet hadn’t been this quiet since she passed out after making red wine risotto. Apparently, she’d taken to the concept of cooking with alcohol. But today, Elizabeth imagined her mother was like a boiling pot with a lid on it. At any moment it might pop right off.
Elizabeth attempted to break the awkward moment. “Shall we get started?”
“Of course. I’ve got to run, but please taste anything and everything. Build your menu using this form,” Cora said, pointing to the clipboard. “Anne is a regular diner here, so I suggest you defer to her expertise.” Elizabeth wouldn’t have been surprised if Cora patted her on the head. Instead she glanced to Anne who gave her an appreciative nod.
Anne walked Cora to the door while Mary and Mrs. Bennet perused the offerings with enthusiasm. Georgina followed Anne like a puppy on a leash.
Elizabeth motioned with her hand and insistent eyes for William to wrap up his call. He finally stepped over, too late to witness the production Elizabeth was sure she’d explain poorly if she tried.
“Are we ready?” he asked with a tight smile.
“The question is, are you?” She hadn’t meant to sound hostile.
“You know I’m working on this deal with Remington.” He brushed a piece of hair from her face.
“I know.” Over William’s shoulder, she caught her mother peering at them. The condescension on her face could have been the result of anything that happened in the last ten minutes, but Elizabeth assigned it to nothing more than her disapproval of William. So, she looped her arm through his and turned him toward the tables. “I suppose you don’t have to buy me dinner tonight now.” She smiled at him and then her mother.
A Rival for Mr. Darcy Page 10