He glared at her. "You can't keep me here against my own will!" he bellowed.

"Mr. Darcy, that particular posture may work on your employees, but..."

"You are under my employ!" he growled.

"No, I am not!" she exclaimed and walked closer to him. "We have not had the opportunity to discuss my fees! Regardless, this is for your own good!"

"Ha! You're keeping me a prisoner here!" he glowered and raised his hand. "And I won't stand..."

Bud snarled and gnashed her teeth viciously, suddenly Darcy tasted the chalky stench of fear and his words stalled in his mouth; two formidable foes were staring him down.

"Sit!" Elizabeth commanded not taking her eyes off Darcy; Bud continued to snarl. "I said, SIT!" Bud snorted and whined and twirled in a circle, then sat down. "I'm not going to argue with you on this, Mr. Darcy. You will stay. And you don't have to like it."

"I refuse to be laughed at!"

"Then don't be ridiculous!"

Scrubbed raw from the present circumstances and combined with crippling past prejudices, they were at a stalemate; both were puffed up with offensive countenances and venom dripping.

"Ridiculous! I'm ridiculous?! Look who's talking! Other than your father and Jane, the rest of your family..."

"Look," Elizabeth spat. "Under the present circumstances, I was willing to let bygones be bygones... However, you've managed to push all the right buttons and I am way past the point of no return! My family is no concern of yours! But I want do some answers, and I want them NOW!" Darcy merely raised an eyebrow. "First off, why did you try to break up Jane and Charles?!"

"They were too young to get married," he sniffed in derision.

"And who the fuck were you to judge?!"

"His best friend that's who!" Darcy glared. "Charles is, was, always such a sucker, falling for every pretty girl in sight. I didn't want to see him unhappy!"

"They just happen to be the happiest couple I know!"

"I can see that, now! But how was I to know then?!"

"Again, who the hell were you to judge?!"

"I backed off, okay?!"

"Not good enough!" she sneered. "I want an answer, right now!" Darcy seethed and stared at Elizabeth through slitted eyes. "All right then, since you won't give me a straight answer... Next subject! Why did you buy my father's Dojo?" Darcy looked at Elizabeth like she was asking for blood and she was furious at his disdain. "If you hate my family so much why do you want us around?!" Darcy tried to interrupt. "And part of your business, no less! What did we ever do to you?! Is this some sick twisted game you're playing?! Do you want to see us all ruined?! Is that what you're trying to do?!"

He shook his head, incredulously. "Where did you ever get such a stupid idea?!" he snapped. "Okay, so I stuck my nose in where it didn't belong! But I accepted the marriage and stepped away! Does that make me warped?! Twisted?! Evil?!" His voice softened as he recalled some long and sleepless nights in the past year. "Does that one simple flaw make me so bankrupt that I would want to destroy your family? Is that how you see me? Really?"

Elizabeth was momentarily confused until she realized that she had fallen into Caroline's trap, once again. I'll kill her when I see her next!!! She tried to speak, but nothing came out except a small squeak.

"I bought it for Gina." Darcy chuckled wryly. "How ironic," he mumbled under his breath.

"What?" she whispered, even more confused.

"I bought it for Gina..." he sighed. "She wanted so much to be like you. Although, I had no idea it was you, until after the performance... Gina even took a few classes." He looked down. "But... she's extremely shy and... Well, she gave it up." Darcy shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other. "I thought that if I bought the school and she had private lessons from your father, maybe, just maybe she would become accustomed to being around strangers. I thought it would be good for her..." he said sadly and walked away.

If Elizabeth could have Karate chopped herself she would have done so, right then and there. Repeatedly! Just because Darcy snubbed her, didn't mean he was out to get the whole family. How ridiculous is that?! She couldn't believe she was half-witted enough to believe Caroline! Foolish! Stupid!! All this because he had dashed her vanity to the ground and stepped in it! That didn't mean he was criminal enough to do more than that. Anybody, who would do so much for his sister, couldn't be all that bad!

She followed him quickly and pulled on his sleeve before he reached the stairs. "I'm sorry... Can we start over?"

Darcy crossed his arms over his chest and pouted like a little boy, but said nothing as she jumped in front of him.

"I'm Liz. Liz Bennet," she approached coyly, using his own tactic against him. "Nice to meet you." She stuck out her right hand.

Darcy tried to look above it all. He raised an eyebrow, "Will Darcy," and shook her hand. "Same here."

"Are you hungry?"

"Yes."

"Well, I got some fish on the grill and some vegetables. Why don't you grab some plates and stuff and come outside?"

Darcy nodded, picked up his bag and went upstairs, while Elizabeth went to the grill. She busied herself with the turning and basting of the food, then sat quietly. After a few minutes, she heard Darcy return to the kitchen. She relaxed in one of the lounge chairs and looked at the stars. Darcy joined her outside and they stayed that way for a good while. A somewhat relaxed serenity.

But Darcy knew what he had to do. "Liz."

"Yes," she looked at him.

"We got off on the wrong foot. I started it... I was stupid and ignorant. I don't blame you for hating me all this time. In fact, I'm surprised you're helping me now. I'm very sorry... really sorry... Do you..." he sighed. "We're going to be stuck here for awhile. Do you think that maybe we can be friends?"

"I think that can be arranged," she smiled.

"Good!" he leaned back in the chair.

"I was ready to believe the worst of you, you know. No matter who told it!"

"I can believe it. You thought me devoid of any feeling, I know you did."

"I should apologize myself. I said some pretty nasty..."

"You have nothing to be sorry for! You only reacted to what I said."

"That may be true. But I was angrier than I should have been and kept it boiling inside me all this time."

"It's been said that even people with the best intentions have a tendency toward some particular evil."

"Like vanity and pride?"

"Well... yes and no. Vanity is definitely a weakness. But pride... if there's a good reason for it and that person has a level head on his or her shoulders, then pride is a good thing to have."

"But pride can also be misused or misconstrued..."

"Yes," he looked down at his feet. "That same proud person can appear to some as vain and arrogant and selfish."

She lightly touched his arm and whispered, "I tend to jump to conclusions without looking..."

"And I tend to say things without thinking."

"I should've investigated the accusations without pointing my finger at you first."

"I shouldn't have been so hasty and presumptuous in my conjectures without getting to know you better."

"I shouldn't have listened to Caroline."

"And I shouldn't have... Caroline?"

"Caroline."

"What does she have to do with anything?"

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "She really knows how to get under my skin. She must have sensed how I felt about you... A sixth sense, I think." Or sick sense!

"I still don't understand."

Elizabeth moved her hand across her face and sighed. "She's the one who planted all that nonsense in my head."

"What nonsense?"

"About you trying to break up Charles and Jane..."

"Well, that part was true, but..."

"And about your reasons for buying my father's business."

"What?!"

"I'm not saying she told me your reasons, but she implied that it was something heinous."

"That... that... Ugh!"

"Bitch?"

He chuckled. "Exactly."

They sat quietly for another few minutes.

"Charles didn't tell me you had a house down here."

"He doesn't know and neither does Jane."

"But I thought you two were very close?"

"We are. But there are some things we don't share."

"But this is a nice place... Are you trying to hide it?"

"Yes."

"That's rather singular..."

Elizabeth did not elaborate and Darcy respected her privacy, although it was killing him to know.

They sat for almost an hour not speaking, just eating and gazing up at the stars.

"Tell me about yourself?" asked Elizabeth.

"What do you want to know?" Darcy asked in return.

"I don't know... How and where you grew up... The school's you went to... How you and Charles met... Your parents... Gina."

At first, Darcy hesitantly told her about his family, but as time passed and more beers had been consumed, he visibly relaxed and revealed to her more detail than he had intended.

Most of us are led to believe that the life and times of the idle rich is spent in an unending search of more wealth, good times and better society, and in most cases that would ring true. Yet, in Darcy's life, there was plenty of sorrow and pain. His mother, Anne, had died of breast cancer at an early age, leaving behind a grieving husband who felt his world had ended, a sick at heart son barely crossed over into manhood, and a daughter too young to understand the sad event. Within 5 years, Darcy had again lost his other parent. His father, ailing in health and hiding it from his own children, succumbed to a massive heart attack. Darcy was too overcome to make any sense of it. His father had pushed him off to law school then business school, all the while sheltering his daughter from the outside world and keeping his godson by his side for comfort and friendship. Darcy grieved for those wasted years. He felt resentful, but more so, alone. Yes, there was always Charles, but he had a wife and family to worry over. There were other situations and tragedies that he did not speak of with entirety, but felt it all the same. With those other situations, he felt betrayed and ill-used.

Elizabeth listened intently as he expounded on his life and opened up old wounds in front of her, she felt ashamed of her previous behavior towards him and guilty at her accusations against him. But most importantly, she felt a kindred spirit and a profound sense of understanding at his shortcomings. To coin a phrase: Been there, done that!

Before going off to bed, Darcy cleaned up the kitchen. Elizabeth watched in amazement for a while, chuckled, shrugged her shoulders and went upstairs.

Bud snorted in her dreams and Darcy rolled his eyes in frustration, before slamming the hand towel against the sink and walking out of the kitchen.

They woke up late after a long night of talking and such. Instead of going hiking and camping, they decided to go back to the brook. Instead of rigorous exercise, they chose quiet laziness. They did not stay long.

When they returned, Elizabeth had made a late lunch or early dinner depending on how you look at it, and set the table outside on the back patio in the cool evening shade, while Darcy showered.

A few minutes had passed after he had come down stairs, but Darcy had not yet appeared outside. She got up and went back into the kitchen to find Darcy hovered over her laptop.

"You had visitors at the hospital the other day and she was one of them."

He startled and gulped, but said nothing; he turned his back on her and wiped down the countertop.

"Is she family or are you engaged to her daughter?"

"Neither," he said with his back to her, still.

"I want to help you. Why is it so difficult for you to let me do that?"

He offered no reply.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and sighed, frustrated. "Is your pride more important than your fear?" she mumbled just above a whisper.

He turned around to her with such suddenness that she was not quite prepared for, and nearly jumped from the backlash. "Just what are you implying?" he sneered.

"Everything and nothing." They stared at each other. You couldn't even tell me last night! "If you can't tell me, then tell somebody! Charlotte, the police, your investigators... anybody!"

"And what makes you think I have something else to tell?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "I give up!" she sighed, exasperated. Elizabeth mumbled curse words as she made her way back to the patio.

Darcy stared at her through the window as she paced in front of the grill. Was she giving up on the case, or was she giving up on him? Did he want her to give up? Charlotte said she was the best and he trusted her judgement, otherwise he would not have gone to her for help in the first place. What did Elizabeth think she was on to?

Eventually Darcy rejoined her on the patio. "Why do you want to know these things? They aren't relevant."

"How do you know? They may be a matter of life and death."

Darcy let out a trembling sigh.

Elizabeth moved closer to him and took his hand in hers. "Let me help you?"

He looked down at her and saw nothing but compassion. No hatred, no scheming, no sarcasm, just commiseration and a desire to assist him. Darcy squeezed her hand and nodded in assent.

"Why don't I tell you what I found out so far and you tell me when I'm veering off?" she asked, but it was more of a statement.

As they pulled away from each other, Darcy remembered he still held her hand. It felt as though it belonged there. He watched her dainty fingers as they slipped ever so slowly out of his reach and he sighed inwardly. "Okay."

As they parted, Elizabeth realized he still had a hold to her hand. It felt as though it belonged there. She quietly observed him lingering over her hand as he let it slip through his and she melted inwardly. "Come on, let's eat first."

They proceeded to fill their plates and quietly enjoyed the trill chirp of birds gathering food for their young. Each was trying desperately to obtain the right frame of mind to get started on the business at hand.

*****

As they were eating, Elizabeth ventured. "You obviously know Mrs. Catherine de Bourgh. I figure a business associate. I found all sorts of information on her conglomerates on her website, but nothing on her family or personal life. I didn't see anything of interest in the numerous articles... You can jump in anytime, you know?"

Darcy smiled slightly. "What did she do at the hospital?"

"Well, she demanded to see you... In the name of your fiancée, of course." Darcy grimaced. "But she was removed from the premises and was not too happy about it, either."

"Don?" asked Elizabeth.

"Don," answered Darcy. "As in, Don Mafia."

"Good Lord!" gasped Elizabeth.

"Exactly!"

"I had no clue!"

"No one did! Catherine married the last Don, Louis Corleone, when she was very young and supposedly beautiful. They kept it hush-hush, because he was old enough to be her father, maybe even her grandfather. But things got ugly between feuding families and he sent Catherine away to Sicily with his family. By the time she had Anne, he had been killed." Darcy pointed to his head and pretended to pull a trigger with his finger. "Catherine stayed away for several years, but when she came back, she came with guns a-blazing and her in-laws behind her. She took over with no opposition; as if there were any left to oppose her. Sold off all her husband's 'businesses', went back to her maiden name of de Bourgh, obtained some legal corporations, and strong armed into other 'family's' territories. My father didn't find all this out until they had been partners for nearly 15 years. He cut all ties with her, as soon as he possibly could."

"You don't think she..."

"I don't know how many times I thought on that particular path!" He shuttered. "God, I hope not! But the authorities are watching her every move. There's no way she could've arranged all this!"

"I'm not so sure about that. A mere phone call would do it."

Just then Elizabeth's cell phone rang, scaring them both out of their wits.

Elizabeth ran to the kitchen. Out of breath, she said, "Hello!"

"Lizzy, what's up? Is Will chasing you around or something?"

"No, Char! It's just that..." Elizabeth tried to calm down, but it did not work. "... that I didn't want to miss your call!"

"I was just kidding Lizzy! Lighten up, girl!" Charlotte laughed. "I'm just making my daily call."

Elizabeth chuckled uneasily. "Uh, well."

"I talked to your father today. Everybody's fine. We leaked to the press that you weren't a suspect, but that you were so shaken by the incident that you took a long vacation."

"Is that wise?"

"I think so. It still doesn't pull you off page 3, but at least it won't go any higher."

"Good!" she breathed.

"Hey did you tell Will about all his women coming out of the woodwork?"

"Yeah..."

"Well?!"

"Well, what?"

"What did he say?!"

"He just said he wasn't engaged to anyone and we laughed about it afterwards."

"You're a poor liar, Lizzy."

"He's right outside, Char! You're not going to get me into any more trouble!"

"Ah, I see. The old arrogant Will Darcy raises his ugly head, huh?"

"Something like that."

"Do you need anything?"

"We both need some clothes. But I can get some in town..."

"Don't worry about it. I'll have Mrs. Reynolds pack up some things for Will and have Jane get a few things for you."

"Jane knows?"

"She badgered your father into submission, but he didn't think you'd mind."

"No. I don't. Who's Mrs. Reynolds?"

"Will's housekeeper. Great lady! She won't tell anyone, she loves him like a son."

"Good!"

"Anything else?"

"No. Wait, let me ask Will." Elizabeth leaned out the window. "Will, Char's on the phone. Do you want to talk to her? Do you need anything other than more clothes?" Darcy responded in the negative to both. "He said no, Char."

"Okay. Um, Colonel Fitz Williams flew into town yesterday."

"And?"

"He thinks you're right. He believes it's some sort of bug. Now he's calling some old mercenary buddies of his to find out more."

"Sounds like he knows what he's doing."

"Oh, he definitely knows what he's doing."

"Definitely?" Elizabeth questioned aloud. Something's up...

Charlotte blushed. "Well, gotta go, I'll call you for the meet."

"Thanks. Goodnight."

"Goodnight!"

They hung up.

Elizabeth went back out on the patio to continue her conversation with Darcy.

"So, after the sting, what happened?"

"The police told me to get out of the way," he shrugged.

Elizabeth waited a whole minute for Darcy to continue, but he offered nothing further. "What did you do then?"

"Oh, and here I thought you were going to tell me where I went next."

"Funny, ha ha," she mocked. "Where did you go?"

"I went to Ramsgate." Again he paused, trying to gather inner strength. "It's a little island off the Keys. I sent Gina there for Spring Break." Suddenly Darcy stopped talking and looked away.

Elizabeth felt slightly embarrassed as she witnessed his discomposure, so she started to clean up.

Breaking the awkward silence, she finally ventured, without turning to face him. "If it's too painful, too fresh, we can do this tomorrow or some other time?"

Darcy quickly wiped a tear away and cleared his throat. "Thanks."

The two cleaned up the patio and washed and dried the dishes in an uncomfortable reticence.

Again, Elizabeth was the one to break the silence. "How 'bout some hiking and trout fishing tomorrow?"

Darcy smiled. "Sounds like a plan... I'd like that."

Elizabeth smiled. "Then we'd better get to sleep early."

"Goodnight then."

"Goodnight."

*****

Elizabeth tapped lightly on Darcy's door, but got no answer. "Will," she whispered from the hallway. Still no answer, but she heard humming. "Will," she turned the knob and quietly opened the door a slit. "Will?" she peeped around the door. "Wi..." Elizabeth stopped cold, gasped and stumbled back out the door.

She leaned her face up against the wall, caught her breath, and tried to calm her nerves. She needed a drink and a cigarette, and not necessarily in that order! Seeing a naked Darcy lying prostrate on the bed pushed her thoughts beyond the brink of reality! Thank God he was faced down!!! She silently breathed in and out several times, before regaining a shred of composure. She closed his bedroom door as quietly as possible and went back into her room for another shower.

Elizabeth startled as the water ran cold.

*****

As Elizabeth was heading out of her room, Darcy was heading towards it.

"Oh!" she startled as she rounded the corner. "I..."

"I..." he stuttered.

"I was just coming to get you!" she fumbled, not able to look at him.

"I was doing the same... Do we need to pack up anything?" Darcy slung his overnight bag over his shoulder.

"No. I did most of that after you went to bed."

"Don't you ever sleep?" She peered at him from under her lashes. "I mean regular hours?"

"Sometimes," she answered as she brushed past him. "Sometimes the job calls for no sleeping at all!" she exclaimed as she bounced down the stairs.

Darcy followed Elizabeth to the main floor. They ate a quick breakfast and Darcy cleaned up afterwards. They checked their equipment: backpacks, rods, tackles, snares, bucket, cooler, a wrought iron grill plate, etc.

As Darcy bent down to retrieve the last item, he slowly observed, slowly devoured Elizabeth from the bottom up: tan hiking boots, white tube socks rolled to the ankle, tan cuffed shorts, and a white tee-shirt. "Intriguing get-up."

She raised an eyebrow. "Was that a compliment?"

"Yes it was," he smiled and raised his eyebrow in return.

"Didn't sound like it," she shrugged and opened the door. "You need more practice." Elizabeth smirked as she let the screen door slam shut in front of him.

"Indeed," he smiled and followed her. Indeed!

Elizabeth hit the alarm button on her key ring to disarm her car and opened the hatch. "Just put the rest of that in here," she said as she threw her equipage in.

"I thought we were going to hike it today?"

"Oh, we are." Elizabeth, inwardly savoring the sight, looked him up and down: red tee shirt, black Dockers, and coordinating Air Jordans. "But your wardrobe hardly merits a long trek over rough terrain," she snickered.

They both smiled as he put the gear in the car.

"Bud!" she yelled as she opened the car door and pushed forward the passenger seat. The dog came running around from the side of the house. "Get in baby." After securing the dog in the back and returning the seat to its proper position, she ventured, "After you." Baby!

They spoke but little during their trek. Merely helping each other over 'dangerous' territory: jagged rocks, large stones over a shallow river, up hills and over dales. Each encounter allowed them the briefest touch of the other's hand or arm and they silently reveled in those few precious moments.

Once they reached the stream, Darcy gasped. It was beautiful, lush and green all around and larger than he expected.

"This is a great place, Liz! How did you find it?"

Elizabeth shrugged as she began to unpack. "I just did."

That was the end of conversation as the two entranced themselves into the peacefulness of fishing.

After more than 2 hours, Darcy spoke. "Do you like your job? I mean, your profession?"

"Yes. Why?"

"No reason," he shrugged. "I just... always wanted to know."

Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders and went back to enjoying the day, or at least she tried.

"Is that why you gave up law?"

"Are you fishing for more than trout?"

"I, um... No. It's just that you want to know all about me, I figured I should be granted the same courtesy."

"But I'm not the one who needs my help."

"You're right... But all the same, I want to know."

Elizabeth felt the smallest bit of apprehension about his inquiries, but shrugged it off. "Ask away."

"Did you give up law to chase down criminals?"

"No, I burned out. Actually, I really didn't like it all that much... You know, making deals with the devil and all."

"Yeah," he sighed. "I know what you mean." Believe me, I know!

A few minutes passed without either of them saying anything.

"I'd really like to know more about what you do... Tell me?"

Elizabeth smiled slightly, but her reluctance dimmed as she regaled him with her stalking and capture stories; she brightened considerably. Her eyes flashed and twinkled, as she waxed emotional. Darcy listened intently, questioned excitedly, and thoroughly enjoyed her anecdotes, to a point.

"It all seems pretty dangerous."

"But you've seen my act."

"Ah, yes! Master black belt in Hapkido!

"And Karate."

They both smiled.

"I bet you could kick my uh..." he cleared his throat, "butt down the block," he grinned widely.

Elizabeth noticed his dimples and giggled like a schoolgirl. Immediately she blushed and chastised herself for this display. It was so unlike her!

"I am still interested in taking lessons from you."

Elizabeth's eye widened in shock. "Really?!"

"Yes. Do you doubt me?"

"Well, yes. You merely stated that I was 'very good'," she lowered her voice an octave on the last to mock his baritoned admission.

"I do need practice in my complimenting!" he laughed. "Seriously though, I was still in a state of shock then. I had no idea that you even studied, let alone were a Master."

"We can start when we get back to the house. It'll pass the time away," she admitted absently while pulling out her cell phone from the knapsack. Elizabeth punched in a familiar number. "Char?"

"Lizzy! I haven't got everything yet. Mrs. Reynolds is driving up from Austin."

"Oh, okay. But I'm not calling about that. There's a package on my desk from Alpine, Texas... The name Deputy Sheriff Jarvis should be on the front. Could you make sure Jane scans it onto a disk?"

"Sure. Anything else?"

"Uh, Will needs some hiking boots."

Charlotte laughed. "Will... Hiking boots?!"

"Yes," she frowned.

Charlotte continued to laugh. "I don't believe he has any!"

"Well then ask Mrs. Reynolds to pick him up some and some shorts."

"Sure. Anything else?" she chuckled.

"Anymore about the bug?"

"I would've told you if I had... Anything else?"

"Nope."

"Okay. I'll call you tomorrow."

"Okay."

They hung up.

Elizabeth turned off the phone and placed it back in the sack. "Sorry, I just remembered something."

"Another case?"

"Yeah," she mused. "One that I've run into too many dead-ends on. No pun intended."

"Sorry."

"Me too... Now, where were we?"

"You agreed to teach me Hapkido."

She smiled and bit back her merriment. "Oh yeah."

"What's so funny?"

"Well..." Elizabeth hesitated. "If we weren't on such good terms, I might enjoy this little training more than I ought!" she chuckled.

Darcy did not think it was all that funny and his face showed his discomfiture. Elizabeth quickly desisted in her mirth.

After fishing for a few more hours, they rustled up some grub, grilled their lunch and went for a quiet reflective stroll along the stream's edge to stretch their legs. However, the high noon sun reached its maximum glare and cruelly beat down on the twosome. They quickly retreated back to their spot, only to find it also encumbered by the fiery ball in the sky.

"This would be a good time to set up the tent."

Darcy nodded and followed Elizabeth to a peculiarly cool clearing in the middle of a clump of large trees. They unpacked the tent, Darcy pounded the stakes into the ground as directed, and Elizabeth tied the tarp securely around it.

Once done, Darcy sat on the ground near the tent, reached in the cooler and grabbed 2 beers. He handed one to Elizabeth and she quickly popped the cap and gulped in pure enjoyment. Darcy stroked the cold bottle over his perspiration-drenched forehead; down one side of his face then the other, then around the back of his neck around to his front. Elizabeth watched this display and became hotter as he went along, wishing she were either his sweat or the bottle. She could not decide at that moment!

Elizabeth quickly jumped up and clumsily located the sleeping bag. As she untied it and shook it out, she gasped, looked around, and blushed furiously.

"What?" asked Darcy.

Elizabeth desperately tried to cling to some composure. "Nothing!" she answered rather quickly and disappeared into the tent.

Darcy shook his head and sipped his beer. After a few minutes, Elizabeth did not reappear. Darcy peaked in the tent and saw her sleeping. Aha! He quickly closed the flap, all the while, smiling to himself.

As Elizabeth slept, Darcy cleaned up their gear and sat by the stream's edge with Bud by his side, sniffing and snorting at the little bugs in the dirt.

At length, Darcy contemplated the possible fate of his sister and weighed the possibilities of her breathing status. He considered every possible enemy and their probable motives. He removed his sweat-soaked shirt and dipped it into the cool water.

"Will?" called Elizabeth as she walked along the path to the stream.

"Down here, Liz!" he said as he hastily wrung out his shirt.

Unfortunately, or fortunately for those keeping up with this story, Elizabeth managed to catch him with his arms above his head, struggling into his wet shirt; showing his rippling muscles and slightly hairy chest. She was caught gawking as his head peeked through the collar. They both blushed and turned away.

Elizabeth instantaneously found something else to occupy her eyes. "I, I just wondered where you were," she stammered. "That's all."

Darcy finished dressing. "I was just cooling off."

Elizabeth nodded. "It is rather hot out, isn't it?" Darcy nodded. "Well, I didn't want anything..." An awkward pause ensued. "I need to do a little work, so I'm going back to the tent."

"Okay."

Darcy did a little more fishing, while Elizabeth pulled out her laptop and finished typing in her thoughts, observations, etc. from Darcy's revelations the last few nights.

All too soon, nighttime fell. Darcy was startled out of his private reverie by the soft sounds of familiar music coming from the vicinity of the tent. He packed up all their gear and stumbled in the darkness, 300 yards or so, to their sleeping area.

"I didn't know you had a radio," Darcy stated as he peeked in the tent.

"It's a CD in the laptop."

"Ah," he said absently as he looked around in the semi-darkness and smiled to himself. "Only one sleeping bag?"

"I, I, I didn't think..." Elizabeth was thankful that her lantern emitted only a small bit of light or else he would have seen the flush glow on her cheeks. "It's big enough for both of us."

"Yes it is," Darcy smiled as he looked at it stretched across the entire tent.

Darcy crawled to his appointed spot, opened his overnighter and pulled out his summer jammies: a tee shirt and boxers. Then he grabbed a flashlight and crawled back outside.

Darcy undressed outside the tent, however, unused to camping, he was unaware of the shadow from the flashlight that illuminated his frame against the walls of the tent. Elizabeth was surrounded!!! Damn, he's hung like a Shetland pony!! After enjoying the moment, she pulled the scrunchie from her hair and quickly turned off her lantern before Darcy returned to the tent.

Darcy crawled back in, Bud yelped. "Sorry, Bud!" Bud whimpered in response.

Darcy fluffed his spot on the bag, pounded his makeshift pillow, and turned off his light before snuggling down. Several minutes passed where the only sound came from the laptop.

Darcy lay on his back with his hands behind his head and looking up into nothing. His mind not even close to being relaxed, because every breath she took, every sigh she breathed, filled him. Then, suddenly, he caught a whiff of her lavender; he thought long and hard on what made the scent: shampoo, lotion, perfume, lip balm. Lip balm? Oh... yeah! Needless to say, he desperately searched for something else to ponder upon. "You didn't ask me about Ramsgate."

"I wasn't sure if you were ready."

"I'll never be ready to re-tell that story... But if it'll help, then tell it I must."

Elizabeth rolled over to face him. "I'm listening."

Darcy turned to face her. "I was still shaking from my ordeal with Catherine that I took more time than I should've before I went to see Gina. I went to see Charles and Jane first, just to reassure myself that someone out there still cared about me," he sighed. "Of course, I couldn't tell them what happened, but I just needed to... Well, anyway, I sent Gina to Ramsgate to spend Spring Break week there. But not alone. I, unfortunately hired a chaperone without ever meeting her, based on a recommendation from one of my staff." A long drawn-out pause. "A friend of mine was also in the Keys, without my knowledge. And since he was such a good friend of the family, Gina invited him to come by as much as possible. Unbeknownst to myself or Gina, this friend was there on purpose." Darcy shifted and sat up. "His purpose was to seduce my sister and get her pregnant, so that I would be forced to marry her off! That way he'd get the money he always wanted and thought he deserved! Thank God I got there when I did!" He exhaled in a puff and put his head in hands. "Gina... She's all I have in this world. I practically raised her by myself you know?" His eyes glistened with tears. "Gina told me what he had tried to do. Thankfully he did not seduce her! But she was only 16... and if I hadn't come when I did... I went ballistic. Gina was upset that I was upset. Oh, it was a big mess." Darcy wiped a tear. "I wanted to kill him. So, I left her and went to his bungalow. I confronted him and he..." Darcy couldn't repeat the things said that night. "This friend and the chaperone, um... um... Mrs. Young. I think that's it. I don't remember... Anyway, they had conspired this all along!" he angrily exclaimed. "Every frustrating moment, every instance of pain, every second of disgust, every fraction of hurt, every fucking thing that I had ever felt, I took out on him." Elizabeth sat up. "I wiped the smirk off his face and every other emotion I thought he might have, I beat the shit out of him and more!" Elizabeth touched his arm to calm and comfort him. "I only saw red... I really could've killed him."

"What stopped you?"

"The police. His girlfriend called the police from the bedroom."

"His girlfriend?"

"The chaperone!"

"What a slimeball!"

"George Wickham has been called many things by many people, the least of which is slimeball!"

"George Wickham? Where have I heard that name before?"

"Uh, he was at Jane and Charles' wedding."

"You mean the one Lydia was gaga over a few years back?"

Darcy grimaced. "Uh, um, I don't know." Elizabeth was thoughtful, but said no more. "Even back then, my friends would say things about him, but I never believed them! He was my father's godson and a good friend to me... or at least I thought he was."

"I'm sorry Will... for you and Gina."

"I failed her." He looked away. "I didn't protect her then and now..."

Darcy let the tears fall silently as Elizabeth continued to stroke his arm in consolation.

"I have no idea what I'll do if I get my hands on whoever has her!" he sniffed with vehemence. "I don't know what I'd do without her," his voice broke.

She pulled him toward her. "We'll find them."

They embraced.

"She has to be alright," he croaked.

Elizabeth looked heavenward. Lord, please let her be all right?! "She will be," she sniffled.

At length, Darcy released her and lay back down. "Only my cousin knows about this."

"Your secret is safe with me," she whispered.

They spent a good portion of the night talking about Wickham and the scandalous things he had done or was said to have done: squandering his inheritance from Darcy's father, his sexual exploits, gambling debts and loan sharks, etc.

"How did you overlook all that?"

"I don't know! Stupidity! Belief in human integrity! I don't know."

"He must be an excellent liar."

"The best," he yawned.

Elizabeth yawned also. "You should get some sleep."

"Yeah." Darcy rolled over on his side, facing away from Elizabeth. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For letting me get that off my chest," he yawned again. "For some reason I feel a thousand times better."

"You're welcome," she smiled and lay back down.

Elizabeth woke first. She couldn't really sleep. Not with Darcy sharing a tent with her, not with him so near, not after seeing him nearly broken down with hatred, and not with him barely clad! Wasn't it bad enough that she had seen nearly all of him yesterday?! Twice! She looked over at his sleeping form and gathered her clothes.

As Elizabeth bathed in the stream, her desires took over as the soothing sounds of flowing water mesmerized her; she fantasized about Darcy joining her there.

All too soon, Bud got her attention. Elizabeth admonished her foolery. Childish! Impossible daydreams! She finished bathing, dressed, and got the coffee started before Darcy rose.

"Come on sleepyhead," she tickled his toes. "Time to wake up."

"But I just got to sleep," he groaned.

"But you were snoring for a good few hours!"

"I don't snore... Do I?"

Elizabeth smiled widely. "I thought we had a grizzly bear problem."

"That bad?!" he gasped.

"No," she chuckled. "Not that bad." But you do hum in your sleep! Vivaldi, I think.

Darcy tossed a pillow toward her, but with cat-like quickness she caught it and threw it back.

"Go! You have exactly 15 minutes to wash up in the stream and get dressed before I check on the coffee!"

Darcy scrambled to his knees. "Aye, Aye, Captain!" He saluted, gathered his clothes and crawled out of the tent.

Elizabeth started tearing down the tent as Darcy was otherwise occupied.

By the allotted time, he was back. "I checked the coffee and put on some bacon."

"You're pretty fast!"

"At your service, Madam," he bowed.

She clumsily curtsied in return. "Then pull those stakes up!" she giggled.

*****

For most of the morning they fished. While Elizabeth typed on her laptop, Darcy and Bud took another walk.

After about an hour, Darcy ran back to their spot while Bud lollygaged behind him. Out of breath, he put his hands on his knees and mustered, "There's a riverboat... with people on it... drinking Champagne!" Elizabeth kept typing. "Just a few miles over there!" he panted and pointed.

"Really?"

"Yes!" he raised up. "It's huge!"

Elizabeth looked up, impassively. "The boat?"

"No, the stream!"

"You mean the lake?"

Darcy looked down at her, incredulously. "You knew?"

"Of course!" she frowned. "Why do you think I chose this spot?"

Darcy sank to his knees and could do nothing but laugh. "I thought I discovered something!"

"I told you there was a town. And they always have festivals and such going on."

"Where are we?"

"Granbury."

"Texas?"

She chuckled. "Yes."

"I thought we were in the wilderness! Or Utah!"

"There's plenty of untamed places in Texas. I chose this one, because I like to fish and if I get bored I can do other things to entertain myself."

"Will you take me to town?"

"No way! You're still too recognizable."

"I need to be entertained too!" he pouted.

"I shall do my best to keep you occupied," she smiled.

Darcy smiled too.

"Are you ready to go back to the house?"

He puffed and blew an errant curl on his forehead. "Let me rest up for a few minutes."

"Okay."

*****

After 2 hours of trekking back across the plain in the smoldering sun, they arrived at the car and practically launched their belongings into the back of it. Darcy let Bud in and got in the passenger seat, while Elizabeth started the car. As they drove off, Elizabeth popped in a CD.

"Do you really like classical music?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Not too many people born and bred in Texas share your tastes."

"I have other stuff if it bothers you?"

"No. I really like it myself. I was just surprised, especially last night."

"It soothes me."

Darcy chuckled. "Me too. I have large collection of concertos, arias and sonatas and I've been to so many concerts these last few years... It's a good thing I have the money to enjoy it."

"I just wish I had the time."

"Make time."

"And just how do you propose I do that?"

"Don't take every offer that comes your way..."

"People need help. My help."

"I realize that. But aren't you afraid you'll burn out?" Elizabeth shrugged. "Look, let's plan a date."

"A date?" Elizabeth almost stepped on the brakes.

"Yes. Say, 30 days after the day that my sister is found, you and I go to a concert together."

"Uh, um..." she stammered.

"Anyone in particular you like?"

"Uh, Mozart. Beethoven. Wagner."

He smiled. "Does that mean we're on?"

Elizabeth blinked. "I guess so. But let's move that date forward a little?"

"How much forward?"

"Three months."

"Why?"

"I need to plan."

"Plan? Plan what?"

"Hey, after Gina's found and I drop kick you to the curb, I'm back in action."

"Oh, you mean bounty hunting?"

"Yes."

They sat quietly for a spell.

"Dallas?"

"Dallas what?"

"Did you want to go the concert in Dallas?"

"Sure."

They continued on in silence, just enjoying the music. The only accompaniment came from the back seat in the form of yawns, yowls, and huffs from Bud.

*****

Darcy and Bud played out in the back yard. Elizabeth checked the dossier that Charlotte had given her while dinner was on the grill. Both Wickham and de Bourgh were on the list of suspects. She fired off an email to the private investigators as to her observations, albeit, without the possibly incriminating stories provided by Darcy.

They promptly sent their reply.

Needless to say, Elizabeth was livid!!!