Chapter Text
Elizabeth was late. However messy and unorganized she tended to be, she hated being late. Traffic would be awful, so as she carefully applied mascara, she reflected with great relief on her decision to take the train into the city. Luckily, she was heading to the party straight from her office, not wanting to waste any minute stopping in her apartment. She had the sense to think of it last night, as her office was closer to the train station, and packed her overnight bag then, so she didn’t really have anything to go back to her place for. She straightened her little black dress, and put on a pair of beautiful silver earrings, a rare find at the jewelry stand at the Rite Aid. With one last look in the mirror, she smiled at her reflection, took her keys, and walked out the door.
Well past sunset, the street lights illuminated her way to the station. She knew she was very late, but figured the party had still hours more to go, and besides, Jane said it’s completely fine. She was happy now that Jane offered her and Charlotte to book a room at the hotel, since Elizabeth figured it was going to be a long night of happy drinking. She didn’t have any intention to pass out drunkenly on the train bench in the middle of night, and initially planned to crash at Jane and Charlie’s after the party. Though now, the thought of the hotel room was much, much happier.
The train arrived, and Elizabeth found a comfortable window seat. She plugged in her earbuds and took out a thick book. She managed to read about two pages before a small smile formed on her face, and her thoughts drifted to the party tonight. It was going to be just lovely. Her sister Jane met Charlie almost two years ago, when he had a PT appointment at her clinic. She was an excellent physical therapist, working at a private clinic in Back Bay, and Charlie had this horrible back pain that he acquired while moving furniture around his new place in Beacon Hill. He had just moved to the city, to The States actually, and was having a hard time deciding where to place his new couch. Anyway, as everything goes with Jane - it was like in the movies; love at first sight, all the possible fluff and happiness. To hear the story afterwards, Elizabeth was sure there were angels singing in the background. Once his first PT appointment was over, Charlie asked for another therapist, so he could ask Jane out. Jane, being the righteous angel she is, didn’t accept until the full treatment was over. They dated for eighteen months before moving in together, and two weeks ago, Elizabeth got the phone call that changed everything.
‘Oh Lizzy!’ Jane gushed immediately as Elizabeth picked up.
‘What up, Janey? Everything’s all right? You sound a little out of breath.’
‘Yes yes, I’m alright!’ She breathed, ‘I have the most wonderful news! Charlie proposed! We’re getting married!’
The screaming that followed was surely heard down the street from Elizabeth’s apartment. ‘Janey, that’s absolutely amazing! I’m so happy for you! And, might I add, I totally knew it would happen soon and told you so,’ Elizabeth said, her smile threatening to reach her ears.
‘Hey sis-to-be! Don’t I get some of the congratulations as well?’ Charlie’s voice was heard over Jane’s laugh.
‘Of course, you silly man!’ Elizabeth yelled back. Not sure if he heard her, she added, ‘Janey, put your Brit fiancé on the phone so he could hear how happy I am, personally.’ With the first hint of Charlie holding the phone, she screamed at the top of her lungs for the second time in two minutes, hoping no neighbors would think to call the cops.
‘Oi you little….!’
‘Admit it, Charlie, you love me! And if I’m going to be your little sister, there are some things you’re just going to have to get used to!’ Elizabeth giggled happily. ‘Seriously though, Charlie, I think you just made the best fucking decision of your life, and I’m sure you’re going to be the happiest man on earth.’
‘Thanks Lizzy love, I’m sure I will be. I’m going to put Jane back on, before she rips the phone out of my hand. We’ll talk soon, ok?’
Tears of happiness started to flow on both sides of the phone call. Jane told Elizabeth all about the not-grandiose-but-very-romantic proposal, and asked her younger sister to be her maid of honor at the wedding.
‘Of course! You don’t really need to ask, you know.’ She then added, ‘have you thought of a date yet?’
‘No,’ Jane answered slowly, ‘but I imagine it will require some planning as Charlie’s sisters are in England, and he’ll probably have to coordinate the best time with some of the projects at work.’
This was going to require some heavy coordination indeed. Charlie was head of operations in Pemberley Investments, a solid investments firm based in London. He was working under his best friend from his days at Cambridge University, and essentially representing the company on the east coast. This job allowed him some limited flexibility, but a well padded bank account with an extremely high net income. He was immensely successful for a guy who was about to turn thirty next year.
Maybe this is why he was anxious about getting married, Elizabeth mused, stretching her legs on the train seat. Shit, bad idea trying this with this tiny LBD. Change of plans, I’ll just keep my legs crossed, she thought.
The engagement party was to be held only two weeks after the proposal. The couple didn’t want to wait too long, and as it so happened, a lot of their friends were available sooner rather than later, so a quick date was decided.
Pulling some necessary strings to arrange a party at such a short notice, Charlie managed to book The Ritz event hall, and have rooms ready for the night for his sisters and the rest of the Bennets. He had some friends and business associates coming from England, among them his boss/best friend, the COO of the company Charlie worked in, a guy named Darcy.
Elizabeth has never met this Darcy, but knew of him, and constantly teased Charlie about the principle of “you’re not supposed to befriend your boss ”. Being a COO apparently meant Darcy hopped a lot around the world. The one time he was able to visit Charlie in Boston and meet Jane a few months back, Elizabeth had been sick. She had to stay in her tiny apartment she shared with her friend Charlotte in Worcester, and couldn’t come to Boston to meet him as planned. Jane described him as ‘a very nice guy, if a bit reserved’, which was probably code for ‘snobby Englishman’ in Elizabeth’s mind. Jane was super excited to be able to finally introduce them at the engagement party. After all, Darcy was to be Charlie’s best man, and they’ll have to share at least a dance, and probably exchange some civilities before and during the wedding.
And so Elizabeth sat and mused, thinking of the party and what’s expecting her there. The Ritz was going to be grand, for sure. Hopefully not too snobby, although it might just be that. Who knows, she’d never been. Well , it has to be high class enough for Charlie’s posh sisters… only they’d think he’s probably only compensating for slumming with a commoner like Jane .
Louise and Caroline were Charlie’s older and younger sisters, respectively. Louise was married to a theater producer named Gilbert Hurst. The first time Elizabeth heard this name she couldn’t believe his parents actually named him that. Who the hell names their children with such bizarre names in the late 20th century? Gilbert was always by his wife’s side when awake, but he had this awful tendency to get too tipsy and fall asleep in public. Louise wasn’t too bad; both of the times Elizabeth saw her, she just looked extremely bored. Caroline, however, was a completely different story. She visited Charlie a bunch of times in the two years he’s been living in Boston. Naturally, Elizabeth was called to aid Jane every time Caroline visited, for she was one big piece of work. Nothing seemed to satisfy her, and everything and all was beneath her.
‘How bizarre, your American coffee doesn’t taste like coffee at all. You really should try some coffee when you’re traveling in Europe next time, Jane dear, the little cafés in Paris are simply to die for.’ She wrinkled her nose as she spoke to Jane one time, after bothering Charlie in the middle of a snowstorm to go out and get her some decent coffee. When Elizabeth first met Caroline, she couldn’t stop calling her “Eliza” – strike one – and never corrected herself. Elizabeth has taken to calling her “Carol”, which seemed to annoy her most of all, and brought Elizabeth nothing but pleasure.
Charlie’s parents died five years before in a car crash just outside London. Louise and Caroline were all the family he had left, unfortunately for him , thought Elizabeth.
Luckily, he was about to marry into a new family and receive a bunch of new in-laws. He’ll be getting two more sisters – Elizabeth herself, and Lydia, the youngest Bennet sister. Jane being twenty-eight, Elizabeth twenty-five, Lydia’s seventeen years of age put her under the ‘blessed accident’ tag in Elizabeth’s mind. Although she would never ask, and her parents would never admit it, Lydia was probably a result of one night of carelessness. It didn’t matter, because her mother’s affections towards her youngest daughter seemed to increase based on the fact alone that Lydia was pretty much growing at home on her own. With two sisters who left the house years ago, she had no one to look up to, and behaved like a spoiled only child. Thomas Bennet, at the age of sixty, was too tired to handle a teenager and allowed her free reign, and Fanny Bennet was just doting on her youngest child before she, too, will flee the nest.
God, I hope Lydia behaves herself and doesn’t do anything to embarrass Jane and Charlie. I should’ve been there early enough to make sure all the bartenders memorize her photo, and know not to serve her one ounce of alcohol . Elizabeth was always on guard whenever her family was involved. Her mother and Lydia had the tendency to embarrass themselves, and her father usually just hung around and laughed at it all. She could still very vividly remember Lydia’s behavior at John Lucas, Charlotte’s older brother’s wedding, two years before. Being only fifteen back then, she shamelessly flirted with all of John’s friends from the army, batting her eyelashes and getting high on the attention. When Elizabeth tried to reason with her mother to make Lydia stop acting out, she just shrugged and said ‘Leave her alone Lizzy, you’ve had your fun when you were her age, let her enjoy her youth’. Talking with her father minutes later brought her no better result - he was content just enjoying the spectacle, making up in his mind all the jokes and teases he would use on his youngest daughter the next day.
With a start, Elizabeth realized the train was entering North Station. A short Uber ride brought her to The Ritz, where she got her room key, got up to her floor, and dumped her overnight bag on one of the queen beds in her room. Charlie was adamant that he’ll pay for all guest rooms, so she didn’t really have anything to do but to enjoy the night ahead. Elizabeth was going to share the room with her childhood friend Charlotte, and, expecting a full night of drunken happiness, was glad they wouldn't have to share a bed. Kudos to Charlie, making sure the room had two separate beds . Weird, though, where is Charlotte’s bag? She ought to have been here by now .
Her parents and Lydia would be sharing another room, and of course Charlie booked rooms for his overseas close guests. Caroline had a room, as well as Louise and Gilbert Hurst. Darcy, as Jane told her, wasn’t planning to stick around for tomorrow’s brunch, as he was catching a flight back to London at 2 a.m.
Checking herself in the huge mirror in the room, Elizabeth was pleased with what she saw. Her new dress, bought especially for the occasion, hugged her curves nicely. It was a simple but elegant mini strapless dress, accenting her best features. Nothing as beautiful as Jane, but I’ll do , she smiled to herself. She had her silver sandals on, gaining her a bit more height. Her makeup was not overdone, and her cheap earrings looked actually quite nice, reflecting the light and drawing attention to her face. She was ready. Time to get down and party .
She took the elevator to the event hall floor, and was immediately mesmerized with the beautiful room. Wow, this has got to be the most expensive and impressive party I’ve ever been to. Jane and Charlie decided on a dance event as an engagement party. Nothing too conventional and stuffy - they both loved to dance and figured everyone else will be happier to have a more casual time. The hall was decorated beautifully, silver and black being the main colors. There were a few tables scattered around for guests to sit, rest or eat, with side tables lining the walls, hosting a buffet style dinner.
Arriving late to the party, it was already going in full swing. Everyone else seemed to be in the mood, dancing and having a good time. Elizabeth stopped at the entrance and looked around, trying to find Jane or Charlie. Instead, her parents found her.
Fanny had a cross look on her face. ‘There you are Lizzy, I was getting quite worried that you were going to miss your sister’s event of the year!’
‘Sorry mom, I had to work late today, my boss scheduled this interview for me months ago.’ She looked around apologetically and saw Jane coming closer to them.
‘Well, my dear,’ her dad joined in, ‘how is the old mayor these days? Still planning to appeal to the State to add another entrance to town from the turnpike? Was the interview with him more entertaining than the joys of watching your young sister stumble over herself trying to get Charlie’s friends to notice her?’
‘Oh, you know, nothing truly newsworthy was said in this interview, so I’ll never know his real intentions,’ Elizabeth answered with a rueful smile.
Being a young journalist three years out of college, she still couldn’t find something better than the small local newspaper in Worcester. The city had plenty of reports to go around, and no one was really willing to give the youngsters a chance at the big game. But, she had to start somewhere, so her position suited her just fine in the meantime. If she was honest with herself, she was even lucky to have gotten this job to begin with. A lot of her college friends couldn’t get a job as journalists and had to settle for a PA position at some local TV station, or worse. Elizabeth’s experience as a young writer in her small home town’s own Meryton Gazette as a student, earned her an entry ticket to a junior writer position in Worcester Daily News . William Lucas, Charlotte’s dad and the editor of the Meryton Gazette , recommended her personally to the editor of the Daily News , after which Elizabeth was summoned to an interview and was given this opportunity. She was very proud of herself for not blowing it thus far.
Meanwhile, Jane arrived at the scene, and managed to save Elizabeth the trouble of having to apologize endlessly to their mom. ‘Lizzy, you finally made it! I’m so, so happy you’re here! I’ve been having a wonderful time!’
‘Janey, honey, how many champagnes have you had so far?’
‘Oh stop it, Lizzy! I’m just enjoying myself. Immensely.’ Then she added under her breath, so their father won’t hear, ‘even if it means I added some four glasses or so to assist my enjoyment.’ With an embarrassed giggle, Jane directed Elizabeth towards the bar, where Charlie was standing, talking with his younger sister.
‘Have you seen Charlotte?' Elizabeth asked. 'I haven’t seen her bag in our room.’
‘Didn’t she call you? She said she will.’ Jane had a worried expression on her face. ‘She texted me a few hours ago, said she was coming down with some stomach bug and won’t be able to attend the party.’
‘Oh no! She didn’t mention anything... but then again, I was interviewing at the time, so I didn’t get any calls.’ Sure enough, when she checked her phone, which she hasn’t looked at since before the interview, hurried as she was to get to the party, she found two missed calls and a text from Charlotte, confirming Jane’s story.
‘Hey Lizzy!’ Charlie flashed his best smile toward her as they arrived at the bar, before crushing her with a bear hug.
‘Charlie, what a wonderful party you’ve got going on here! I’m extremely impressed.’
‘Oh, Eliza. Nice of you to finally join us.’ Caroline looked her over like a rotten potato, wrinkling her nose as she took in Elizabeth’s appearance. ‘What a charming little dress. Where on earth did you get it?’
Little dress - that was rich coming from a woman who barely has any fabric on. Caroline's dress was just about covering her private parts, and was unfortunately quite transparent in the lighting of the event hall. Elizabeth wasn’t about to let her bring her mood down. ‘Nowhere you would bother looking, Carol.’ She smiled sweetly at Caroline, who in return declared she was off to look for Louise, and left them be.
‘Lizzy!’ Jane suddenly yelped, her mind clearing after the snooty Carol left, ‘we must introduce you to Darcy!’ Charlie nodded a few times his enthusiastic assent, before Jane hurriedly spoke again. ‘I saw him a few minutes ago talking with Caroline, but I can’t see him anywhere now, let me go look for him.’
With that, Jane left Elizabeth standing with Charlie, who got her a drink from the bar and started asking how the interview with the mayor went. A short while later, another guy joined them at the bar, interrupting their conversation and ceaselessly congratulating Charlie on his engagement to "splendid Jane".
‘Bill Collins,’ Charlie just about yelled when he finally managed to put in a word, ‘meet Elizabeth Bennet, Jane’s younger sister.’
Charlie’s amused smile hinted no good, and Elizabeth stifled a groan. The guy was a chubby, sweaty looking, and extremely awkward guy. He also had weirdly tiny eyes.
‘How do you do, Miss Bennet,’ he offered officially, ‘And may I add, not at all far behind your lovely sister in good looks.’
‘Bill is the IT guy in Jane’s clinic,’ explained Charlie. He secretly added in a low whisper in her ear, ‘please save me. This guy has been badgering me non stop this evening. This is the fifth time he came over to congratulate me.’
Feeling sorry for Charlie, Elizabeth braved the introduction and stayed to keep Bill busy, while Charlie made up some excuse and left them talking.
Figures, she thought, while Bill was prattling on. Jane collects a lot of strays . There was always an alley cat to feed, an abandoned dog to rescue. Recently, Jane started doing that with humans as well. She probably felt sorry for the poor guy and invited him to the party, Elizabeth reasoned.
‘So, Bill, are you enjoying the party so far?’ She decided to play it nice, all the while thinking that Charlie owed her and what’s the best compensation she could demand.
‘Now more so than before, my dear Lizzy.’ Bill smiled in what undoubtedly seemed like a charming way to him, but to her felt just creepy.
She looked at him, disbelieving how familiar he made himself with her, being introduced practically two minutes before (and calling her “Miss Bennet” just then), when his next question caught her unaware.
‘Would you do me the great honor of dancing the next song with me?’
Elizabeth had no ready excuse, and therefore accepted. Bill led her to the dance floor, and tried getting closer to her. She manipulated her way around his sweaty palms, and danced at a safe distance, all the while happy it wasn’t a slow number. They danced another song in this manner, before he took a wrong step and slammed his foot hard on her toes, which were clad in the thin delicate silver sandals.
'Ow!' She yelped and awkwardly half-jumped backwards, trying to push Bill and his offers of help away. Fuck me, I have to get away from this guy ASAP. Making up some excuse about having to use the restroom, she managed to get away from him while he was still busy profusely apologizing for hurting her.
Once in the restroom, Elizabeth waited a few minutes before going back to the party. She looked in the mirror and thought about her evening so far. Run-ins with her mother and that bitchy Carol, and now crushed toes delivered by one of the most awkward people she had ever met. Also, Charlotte was sorely missed, for she was counting on her for a fun girl night, and assisting each other in just such situations as her too-close encounter with beady-eyed Bill. Oh well, there’s still Darcy to meet. Hopefully he won’t be as stuffy as good old Carol. With that last thought in her mind, Elizabeth limped back to the bar, and after getting a second drink, turned around to try and find Lydia, only to collide straight into a man’s solid chest.