It was the first birthday of Jane and Charles' children when Elizabeth and William finally came face to face again.
Elizabeth would say that the very air was different that day and maybe that was why she was feeling so queasy, but everyone could suspect that it was probably the man across the room, she couldn't take her eyes off.
William on the other hand seemed to be still hesitant of approaching Elizabeth directly, scared of another rejection be it direct or indirect, furthermore even if he wanted to move, his aunt wouldn't let him leave her and Anne's side.
Georgina on the other hand huffed out a breath of irritation as she sat next to Lydia, Jane and Charles as she noticed the two refusing to interact or make the first move.
How difficult could it be to just walk up and say I love you, especially when it was clear as day that the feelings were being reciprocated.
She was going to join business school soon, and she didn't want to leave her brother alone especially with their aunt Lady Catherine trying desperately to hitch Anne and William together. Not that she had anything against Anne, she just was too much like William to get her brother's flame going. She had noticed the change in William whenever Elizabeth was around or a matter involved her and it delighted her. She wished they could just grow a pair and get together already.
Having had enough of the situation, the young blonde grabbed William by the sleeve and tried to drag him to a corner only to be admonished by her aunt.
"That is no way to behave Georgina, I get that you want to have a personal conversation with William, but he is busy and in company of important people. you should wait for your turn." Georgina huffed but she wasn't going to back down today.
"I'm sorry aunt Catherine, it's just that the dance is soon going to begin and Elizabeth does not have a partner, and neither does William so wouldn't it be great if he asked her to a dance?"
Georgina smiled as her hold on William became firm.
"Who said William doesn't have a partner ? Anne is accompanying William and therefore she will be his dance partner." Georgina smiled wickedly as she already had a response prepared for this one.
"Oh but you see I already promised Elizabeth to find her a dance partner, plus I'm sure Anne won't mind sparing her partner for one dance." Anne smiled at her cousin, laughter bubbling inside of her. She was aware of what her mother had been planning to do since the past year but Anne herself wasn't interested in being with William and she knew that the man had long back lost his heart to the fiery brunette in question.
"It's okay mother, I don't mind." Anne interjected before more attention could be brought to the matter and subtly winked at Georgina, making the latter beem up in victory.
As Georgina pulled William towards Elizabeth, his heart almost seemed to be beating against his rib cage in an attempt to flee the venue and rush back home. But alas, before he could understand or protest he was already on the dance floor, lost in the beautiful brown eyes he had so deeply missed.
They were still the same expressive as ever, but if only the owner of the pair of those eyes would also open up and share what she felt.
Contrary to Georgina's hopes neither of the two love birds spoke throughout the dance and in fact as soon as it ended parted very graciously. She wanted to pull her hair out but mostly she wanted to kick the both of their arses.
Elizabeth ran to the balcony for some fresh air as soon as the dance ended. She couldn't bear to remain in the same room, it was getting to stuffy for her and she needed to clear her mind.
As the brunette rested against the rails of the balcony, she was met with a fuming Lady Catherine whose glare was so intense, that if looks could kill she would've been six feet under.
"I underestimated you." The older woman's words confused her but she continued to stay mum.
"It's nice isn't it? playing hard to get. It keeps one's attention locked right at you. You portray yourself to be such an innocent thing. Making friends with Georgina and manipulating her to fix you with her brother so might secure a good bank balance for yourself in the form of a husband? I must say I am impressed you've still been able to stay in the little game of yours."
Elizabeth fumed at the insinuations of the older woman but words wouldn't come out of her mouth, she was disgusted by her thought process and felt it beneath herself to have to explain herself to Lady Catherine.
"How much do you want? So that you may get out of our lives and let William be with the one he is supposed to be with? Surely you can't be still dreaming about fitting in with our class?" This made Elizabeth erupt into fit of laughter, rendering Lady Catherine shocked and even more angry than before.
"Class? It doesn't seem to be a word that should be coming out of your mouth madam. You have been nothing but disrespectful and critical of me from the moment we met. You know what you think just because you come from a background which is more well-off it gives you the right to look down upon me but it doesn't because at the end whatever I am and from wherever I come from, it has been me and only my efforts, but I don't think that's a concept comprehensible by you. And if we're talking about me manipulating Georgina and William and leaving them, well then I don't think you could ever offer me an amount which would make me give up on them. In fact I'm going to go right up to William Darcy and confess to him that I have feelings for him and that I want to be with, so that you don't consider me playing hard to get. I love that man and I would rather let the world know it and be rejected than being accused by a petty woman like you." Elizabeth huffed out her frustration, and turned to move towards the ball room when she came face to face with the man behind whom affections the showdown had just taken place.
"Aunt Catherine, I think it wrong on my part that I didn't make it clear before, but I am not interested in Anne and will never be. I hope you will understand." William stood at the doorway to the balcony looking straight into Elizabeth's soul as he spoke those words.
Lady Catherine almost sneered at the couple as she walked back into the ballroom where she promptly left the venue with Anne muttering all the way about ungratefulness and idiocy and etc. etc.
"I..." Elizabeth opened her mouth to speak but before she could speak another syllable, William crashed his lips against hers making her melt into the moment of pure bliss.
The two couldn't keep their lips or hands from each other as if trying to hold on for dear life, mumbling an I love you every now and then.
Finally, after a few minutes which felt like mere seconds the two pulled apart and embraced each other.
"Not so tolerable am I?" Elizabeth chuckled as she asked William.
"Not at all, you are pure torture to the soul." William answered as he once again smashed his lips against hers, wanting to make sure that this was not a dream but a reality.
And as the night continued, the couple left the venue to spend some time alone away from the prying eyes. The rest is imaginable.
XOXO
*THE END*
