“What are you doing out here all alone, Lizzy?” her mother said, stepping out to the patio.
“Thinking.”
She put her hand on her daughter’s shoulder. “It will get better. I can promise you that.”
Elizabeth looked up at her mother. “What if I don’t want it to get better?”
“I know it’s hard, but sometimes you just have to let go.” Mrs. Bennet’s soft tone sounded sincere, but Elizabeth assumed her mother must have celebrated at some point.
“Where’s Mary?” she said, avoiding a conversation that would only irritate her.
“Mary is out with Patrick. Now there’s something to be happy about.”
“Yes, that’s wonderful.” She kept her gaze toward the trees. Her words sounded empty even though she meant them.
“And your father is out, too. So it will just be the two of us for dinner.”
“Where’s father?”
“He’s been gone for hours doing who knows what. I’m afraid something’s happened he doesn’t want to tell me about.”
Elizabeth turned and found worry splashed on her mother’s face. “Why don’t you just ask him, Mother?”
Mrs. Bennet folded her arms and looked away. “I should have to ask what my husband is doing?”
Elizabeth’s phone rang on the table behind her. “Excuse me mother,” she said, grateful for the distraction.
“Elizabeth, hello. It’s Granville.”
“Hello. Is everything all right with Claude?”
“Yes, he’s fine. I just wondered...have you any free time this evening? I have something I’d like to discuss with you...in person.”
Confused and curious about his request, she paused to consider the invitation.
“Elizabeth?”
“Yes, I’m here. I suppose I could drop by in say, half an hour?”
“Wonderful. See you then.”
Elizabeth took the opportunity to escape the conversation with her mother, telling her there was an urgent matter to attend to at the Ackerman house. Mrs. Bennet transformed at the news and eagerly sent her daughter on her way.
When she arrived, Granville took Elizabeth straight back to his office. It reminded her of a small law library with an overabundance of books and brown wood and leather. Instead of sitting at his desk, he brought her to a small sofa with a glass coffee table in front of it. Granville picked up a thick envelope and turned to Elizabeth.
“This is why I called you over.”
“What is it?” One side of her lip curled up wondering how that package affected her.
“It’s a psychiatric symposium...” he smiled, and it lit his eyes. “In Paris next summer.”
Her eyes widened, and she cocked her head to the side. “My, that does sound interesting. But...I don’t understand. What does that have to do with me?”
Granville reached in and pulled out a pile of papers and pamphlets, handing a brochure to her. “I thought you might like to go.”
She let out a tiny laugh. “Oh, well, it sounds fascinating, but I’m sure it’s terribly expensive.”
He nodded as if to say she was correct. “As you know, I’m on the board at the hospital. We often donate, provide scholarships, sponsorships for various opportunities. And I can’t think of a better one than this. My firm has offered to sponsor the trip for a few of the medical professionals at the hospital...including you.”
Elizabeth took the brochure and gaped at it. Her eyes slowly went to his. “I, I don’t know what to say.” A smile caught her lips, but she pulled it tight. “It’s most generous of you...but I can’t see how in the world I could accept something like this.”
He took her hands in his. “You just do. And you won’t be the only one, so that should bring you some peace of mind.”
Afraid to get excited for the prospect, she pulled her hands away. It all seemed too good to be true. She stood and took a few steps away. Could he have offered this trip to others just so she would accept it? “Did you do this all for me? I can’t imagine why you’d go to such trouble and expense.” Her brows knitted, and she narrowed her eyes on him. “Had you never met me, would you still be sponsoring such a project?”
He rose and walked toward her. “Honestly? Probably not. But is life not about investing in people and things you believe in. And I believe in you, Lizzy.”
A flood of emotions took hold of her at the very words she longed to hear but never came from William. “I’m...speechless.”
“Then just nod, and I’ll know.” He grinned and waited with his hands clasped in front of him.
“Could I possibly?” When he nodded, the idea of it all became more real, and her pulse raced with excitement.
“And of course you could extend the trip a bit and visit Jane.”
She gasped. She’d been so overwhelmed, she hadn’t even thought of that. And oh, how she’d missed her sister. “Oh, Granville! I don’t know how I can ever thank you enough. I do accept.” And before she realized what was happening, she reached her arms around his neck to hug him. His arms slipped easily around her waist, and he held her firmly against him.
“You don’t have to thank me, Lizzy,” he whispered into her ear. “I just want to make you happy.”
The silky tone in his voice latched on to her already overwhelmed senses. Her head whirled with emotions that confused her. His arms loosened from her waist, and his hands slid up her arms until they landed on her face. Time stood still as they stared into each other’s eyes. He brought his lips a breath away from hers. “I could make you quite happy, Lizzy.” Granville’s lips brushed against hers, and her lids fell closed.
A second later her phone sounded from the couch, bringing a moment of clarity. Her eyes popped open. “I’m sorry,” she said, pulling back. A full breath expelled from her. “I should check that.”
Her heart raced as she paced to her purse to retrieve her phone, grateful she had a moment to gain some perspective about the situation. Looking at the screen, she furrowed her brows. It appeared to be an audio clip, texted to her from a number she didn’t recognize. She tapped the play button and held the phone to her ear.
The recording began:
“Mrs. Bennet, pardon my rudeness, but this isn’t a good time.”
Granville’s voice. Her eyes flashed to him. What on earth?
He must have noted the confusion on her face, because he walked over and whispered. “What is it?”
Distracted she pulled the phone from her ear and looked at the screen again. She dragged the recording back to the start. “It’s you,” she said as she clicked the speaker button. “And apparently you’re speaking with my mother for some reason.”
Granville drew in a breath, and his mouth stayed open as she hit the play button.
“Mrs. Bennet, pardon my rudeness, but this isn’t a good time.”
She heard a pause and assumed her mother was speaking.
“My grandfather disappeared before his appointment at the hospital.”
Another pause.
“Thankfully, they’ve located him. He was still inside the hospital. I’m just on my way over there now.”
Elizabeth fixed a glare on Granville as the picture unraveled with each word.
“Sorry. Is she there now?”
“I was just thinking about the timing of all this. Elizabeth was to spend time with my grandfather this afternoon. The woman in charge, Monica, told me she called in sick when I asked if she was there.”
Granville folded an arm over his chest and dropped his head in his hand. “Please, Elizabeth. Turn it off.”
She shook her head.
“Did she give you details about this argument? Did it cause considerable damage?”
Elizabeth listened in horror as she heard Granville tell her mother that he would lead her to believe Claude left his appointment because of her. Hot tears pooled in her eyes at the betrayal of the two of them. She gripped the phone in her hand and pointed it at him, her breathing so erratic she didn’t kn
ow if she’d be able to speak. “How could you?” she screamed out.
His face dropped, and he shook his head. “I understand you must be terribly hurt, but everything I did was for you.”
“That is utter crap, and you know it! So you and my mother...conspiring to break up William and I.”
“No, that’s not it at all. I swear it. William dug his own grave, and with some clarity on your part, I’m sure you’ll see that. I only wished to have opportunities.” He stepped closer to her, but she held up her hand. “I only wanted a chance to get close to you, Lizzy.” He reached out to her.
“Don’t call me that,” she said, pulling away. “And your grandfather. I know he couldn’t have had a thing to do with this. God help me if he did. Please, tell me he didn’t.” Before he could answer, she continued her rant. “My mother, I can believe. But, Claude?”
“Elizabeth, please. I beg of you. If you believe only one word I say, believe this. Claude knew absolutely nothing of this. Please don’t punish my grandfather for my wrong doing.” His eyes pleaded for mercy.
She went to the couch and collected her purse, her eyes catching the symposium literature. The short-lived excitement already missed. “I wouldn’t do that to Claude. He’s a wonderful man.” She walked past him toward the door. “It’s just too bad he didn’t have more influence on you.”
“Elizabeth, wait.”
She glared at him. “What else could there possibly be to say?”
“I know you can never forgive me, but for your sake, forgive your mother. She told me repeatedly she was only helping me because of her want for you to have a good life...a better man than William.”
“Right. That’s perfectly clear now, isn’t it?”
“She’s your mother, and she loves you. You’ll need her now.” He sighed and rubbed his chin. “I can’t imagine why she would send you that recording but—”
“She didn’t,” a voice from the doorway said.
Granville and Elizabeth turned to find Patrick standing there, arms folded, an expression on his face Elizabeth had never seen before.
Granville’s face contorted in anger; Elizabeth’s mouth flew open. “Patrick...you sent this to me?”
He stepped in and nodded. “I did. I’m sorry, Granville, but it had to be done. And this was the only way I could ensure proof.”
Stunned, Elizabeth didn’t know what to say. A long note of silence enveloped the three of them as they all digested what had transpired. Granville broke the silence and spoke first. “I didn’t think you had something like this in you, Patrick.” Surprisingly, his tone held no anger, and his face had calmed.
“I took a chance,” he said matter-of-factly. He turned his attention to Elizabeth who had entered the doorway to leave. “But I was willing to face any consequences from Granville. I wouldn’t stand for what he was doing not only because of the completely dishonorable nature, but because of Mary.”
Taken aback, Elizabeth turned to him. The disaster had unraveled so quickly, she’d not considered how this would affect Mary. “Does she know? Were you a part of this whole thing?” And as she said the words, she knew they couldn’t be true.
“Absolutely not. I found out not long before that call was made. I did take some time to decide what I’d do, but then I told Mary, and she helped me figure it out. I’ve grown quite fond of her, and if we are to have any kind of relationship, I couldn’t have that secret between us.”
Elizabeth took a breath of relief. “You’re a good man, Patrick,” she said as she stepped out of the room feeling defeated and grateful at once. At least Mary had a chance at happiness.
Chapter 20
Elizabeth and Mary sat among boxes on the floor of Elizabeth’s bedroom. Less than a week after Patrick revealed the conspiracy between Granville and her mother, she was moving out. It was time to start a new life and stop waiting for a man to complete her. After she’d confronted her mother, a wrath of hostility rained down on her from Mary and her father. Everyone took to ignoring Mrs. Bennet, driving her to drink and make herself invisible. She’d almost felt sorry for her mother. She’d come to the conclusion that Granville was right about one thing: She had to forgive her. More so for Mary and her father. Mrs. Bennet had thrown all pride out the window. She’d promised to change her ways if only given a chance to redeem herself. To Elizabeth’s surprise, she’d even signed up to volunteer at the hospital. There would be much time and effort needed to repair the damage, but it was a start.
“I still can’t believe you’re moving,” Mary said, stacking photo albums and books into a box.
Elizabeth gave her a tight smile. “I was going to move out after the wedding anyway. And the apartment is not too far from here.” She closed a box and wrote on the side of it. “You’ll come visit whenever you like. And we can have sleepovers.”
“Really?”
Mary’s bright smile lightened Elizabeth’s mood. “Most definitely.”
“How about tonight?”
As much as she wanted to be independent, the thought of spending the first night alone in her apartment did not appeal to her. “Why not? It will be quite a mess, but it will be an adventure.”
“There’s still so much to do,” Mary said, glancing around the room.
“Yes, and I will assume Lydia and George will arrive the moment we close the last box.”
“If at all,” Mary added. “And without their help with the furniture, we’ll probably have to sleep on the floor.”
The sisters laughed together, but Elizabeth hid a hint of sadness for a life she had to say goodbye to and not because she was becoming a wife.
***
A gorgeous, balmy day greeted Elizabeth and her two companions as they strolled the grounds of the music festival.
“This is going to be simply wonderful,” Mary said. Her eyes darted in every direction. If she held any disappointment for Patrick’s absence, Elizabeth could not detect it. He’d insisted on giving up his ticket so their father could go. They’d received Granville’s ticket from Patrick as well, but Mrs. Bennet declined, knowing the three would have a much better time without her.
“As long as my feet and my arse hold up,” Mr. Bennet said, looking at a program for the day. “There appears to be a lot of sitting and walking ahead for us.”
“You’re not going to complain the whole time, are you, father?” Mary said.
“Not the whole time.”
The trio discussed the events offered for the day which consisted of various genres of music including classical, folk, and rock. Most of the performances were indoor, but a few were outdoor in the park or in a small stadium.
Mr. Bennet insisted on them making a plan to attend a folk performance later in the afternoon. To Elizabeth’s astonishment, Mary agreed with the choice. Her preference had always been classical music, but Elizabeth assumed Patrick’s influence had her branching out to broaden her horizons.
The day would be the perfect distraction for Elizabeth and a wonderful way to spend time with her two favorite people. They walked, listened, took pictures, and ate. Father dozed off in a dark theatre as they listened to a strings quartet play Bach’s Prelude No. 1. Elizabeth couldn’t blame him, but as she listened to the melody that took her back to the car ride with William after they’d left the club, an ache took over her heart. She hadn’t shaken it away even as they stepped into the bright sunlight.
“What’s wrong, Lizzy?” Mary said.
“Nothing. The darkness just made me sleepy.”
“Was it dark in there?” Mr. Bennet said.
Elizabeth nudged him in the ribs.
He moved to the side and looked at his watch. “It’s time for my pick,” he said, energetically.
Mary rolled her eyes, and the three walked to the venue to get their seats.
The small stadium was only half-full upon arrival, but after they sat, not many others came. At one point, Mr. Bennet, who sat between his two daughters, pulled out a phone and began tapping the screen.
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It caught Elizabeth’s discerning gaze. “What’s that, father?”
“It’s a phone,” he said without looking up.
“I know that. But since when did you have such fancy electronics?”
“Since I started with my new position.” The corners of his mouth turned up, but he didn’t dare look to see their faces.
“Father!” both ladies shouted a bit too loud. A few heads turned to look.
“Why didn’t you tell us you got a new job?” Elizabeth said, quietly.
He lowered his hand and gave her his attention. “I just did. Didn’t you recognize my voice?”
“Don’t be daft, father.” She tapped him on the arm. “My goodness, that’s such wonderful news.”
“Yes, splendid. Congratulations, father,” Mary said. “Tell us more.”
He turned his gaze directly to Elizabeth. “William called in a few favors and was able to get me in over at Binkley, Fuller, and Stubbs. It’s a larger firm, and I’ll be making more money.”
“William arranged it?” She could hardly get the words out.
“Maybe he did it to get in your good graces, Lizzy,” Mary said.
“On the contrary, my dear. William and I have been working on this for weeks. I didn’t want to say anything because I didn’t want to get anyone’s hopes up. William didn’t say anything because he wanted to surprise you.”
“I’m, er, just so happy for you, father.” Her voice quivered by the time she’d made it to the end of that sentence. All the horrible thoughts and words she’d had for William, and he’d been doing this brilliant thing she had no idea about. She swiped at her eye and swallowed her regret. It was so incredibly thoughtful...but it did it erase how he’d treated her? She fought to keep the emotions from taking hold of her.
Elizabeth leaned away from Mr. Bennet just a bit and pulled a compact from her purse. She checked her makeup, noticing a smudge of mascara under her damp eye. She grabbed a loose tissue from her bag and rubbed at it when she heard laughter roll through the stadium. She closed her compact and gazed around, noticing several concert goers pointing and laughing and something to the side of the stage.
A Rival for Mr. Darcy Page 17