�The Beatles?� Lizzy repeated blankly. She was still in a state of semi-shock that she didn�t get the kiss she was expecting.

�Yes!� Will couldn�t stop himself from grinning ear to ear. �You know, the Beatles, the group from England that all the girls scream over � you know who they are don�t you?� Will had started that sentence teasingly but by the end he was suddenly afraid Elizabeth wasn�t a Beatles fan.

�Yes, I know who they are.� Lizzy said, slightly affronted. Everyone knew who the Beatles were! Getting back into the swing of things, she shifted her position in her seat and took a better look at the yellow tickets. They featured a photo of the four Beatles faces. It read:

As she looked the tickets over it started to sink in, and she looked up at him incredulously. �We�re really going to see the Beatles?�

�Yes.� He nodded. Still grinning, he added mischievously, �Unless if you�d rather not ��

�No, of course I�ll go with you!�

�It�s this coming Sunday. Do you think the Gardiners will give you the night off?�

�I�m sure it won�t be a problem, but it�s so far away � Shea Stadium. How will we get there and back?� It was a long drive all the way from New London where the ferry from Fishers Island docked.

�Don�t worry about that,� Will assured her. �I�ve got it covered.�

She looked at him dubiously. �Okay, but it�s not me you�ve got to convince. It�s the Gardiners.�

�I�m sure they�ll be fine with the idea once I explain it to them.�

By this time Lizzy was so excited about seeing the Beatles she could barely think of anything else! John, Paul, George, Ringo� George. She absolutely loved George! He was so brooding. All thoughts of Will and her hopes of a kiss had flown out the window.

�I can�t wait, let�s go ask them now!� she said impulsively, still studying the tickets in her hand, her head full of nothing but the four young mop tops.

She urged Will to start the car and take her back to the Gardiners, all the while talking non-stop about the concert. Will complied with her wishes, although in the back of his mind he had hoped they would have more time alone. He had expected her to be excited, but he hadn�t counted on her wanting to return home right away to get permission.

As expected, the Gardiners were no problem whatsoever; they were more than happy to allow Lizzy to accompany Will to Shea Stadium. Who could object when faced with the high spirits and anticipation on the faces of the young couple? They did stipulate that Lizzy would have to call her parents and get their permission as well. Lizzy was nearly jumping out of her skin at the prospect of seeing the concert with Will.

The four of them sat in the Gardiner�s living room a little while longer discussing it until the Gardiners began hinting that it was getting late. Excited at the prospect of going to the biggest event of the summer, Lizzy lost all track of time. The Gardiners accompanied Lizzy and Will outside to his car, with assurances that the Bennets would go along with the plan. They remained until Will got into the driver�s seat. Will gave up on having any more private time with Lizzy that night and started the car. Sighing to himself, he waved goodbye and drove into the night.

That Sunday, Lizzy found herself at Elizabeth Field, the little airport on Fishers Island. She and Will were ready to fly to LaGuardia Airport on Long Island, only minutes away from Shea Stadium. She was nervous about flying in such a small airplane, but Will assured her they�d be fine in the private aircraft that belonged to his family�s company. Family company? Airplane? Lizzy was floored, and he talked about it so nonchalantly, as if everyone had their own airplane. On board Darcy Pharmaceuticals� turboprop Beechcraft King Air 90 Lizzy was in awe. The plane had two seats in the cockpit and four reclining passenger seats facing each other in the cabin. The cabin was air conditioned and soundproofed, muffling the roar of the engines as they readied for take off.

Will greeted the two pilots and introduced Elizabeth. He led her to a seat and then went back to the cockpit, speaking with the pilots as if they were old friends. Lizzy overheard one named Frank ask Will, �You going to fly this baby yourself today?�

Will smiled ruefully and glanced over at Lizzy. At the suggestion of him flying the plane, her eyes widened with fear. Seeing her expression, he turned back to the pilot. �Not today, Frank, maybe some other time, although she is sweet.� Will ran his hand appreciatively over one of the seats in the cockpit.

�Yeah, she handles great.� The pilot was just as admiring of the plane.

�When did we get delivery?� Will asked.

�A couple months ago, brand new.�

Will gave the cockpit a last lingering glance and went back into the main cabin and sat next to Elizabeth. As an excuse to be near her, he checked her seatbelt. Lizzy rolled her eyes and playfully smacked his hands away. �I know how to buckle a seatbelt.� He smiled sheepishly and settled into his seat beside her.

�Are you okay?� Even though she had teased him, he could tell she was nervous about the flight.

�You fly airplanes too?� she asked, astounded. It seemed Will Darcy was more complex than she�d ever dreamed.

�A little,� he said, shrugging, not wanting to brag. She shook her head. There was still a lot to learn about Will Darcy, she thought. Settling back into her seat, she braced herself for the inevitable ride before her. Will put his hand over hers on the armrest between them, and gave it a reassuring squeeze. As nervous as she felt at that moment, she liked the weight of his hand on hers and hoped he�d keep it there for the duration of the flight.

�You�ve got nothing to worry about, Elizabeth. We�re going to have a great time tonight. Relax.�

She took a deep breath, intertwining her fingers with his. She was in his hands now � and she kind of liked it.

�Wow!� Lizzy exclaimed as she entered Shea Stadium. Emerging into the balmy air of the enormous baseball field, she squinted up into the glare of the overhead lights. Blinded by them, she used her hands as a visor to look out onto the bright green baseball diamond before her. More than 2000 policemen lined the perimeter, dressed in their dark blue uniforms with gleaming badges that twinkled in the lights above. The stadium was packed with more than 55,000 hysterical, crying teenage girls. The noise was deafening, terrifying yet exciting at the same time. Will looked at Lizzy, just as amazed at their surroundings, and declared, �They�re louder than God.� ¹.

She nodded in agreement. Will grabbed Lizzy�s hand as they weaved their way through the undulating tide of female bodies to find their seats in the field box close to the 3rd baseline. Lizzy was finally able to get a good look at the stage erected in the center of the baseball field. Will told her that he�d heard this was the first time in history that a stadium was used for a rock �n roll concert. The concert was officially set to start at 8:00 pm, but there would be a number of warm up bands performing before the Beatles. Before long, the full bill started with the King Curtis Band and then Cannibal and the Headhunters, Brenda Holloway, The Young Rascals and Sounds Incorporated.

The crowd, Lizzy included, grew restless waiting for the main act despite the other groups playing before them. Will didn�t mind the wait, he was enjoying watching Elizabeth. He was fascinated by her. As the wind kicked up, her long dark hair began to lightly blow around her face. No matter how much she absentmindedly tried to control it, one particularly stubborn strand refused to behave, causing Lizzy to continually fiddle with it. She could use a ribbon for her hair at this moment. He smirked, remembering he didn�t have her ribbon with him. Mrs. Reynolds had seen it and talked him in to letting her launder it. He had to admit, it was getting kind of ratty. Besides, he didn�t need it as a reminder when he was with Elizabeth herself. He couldn�t help smiling at the thought while she was unaware.

Glancing over at him, Lizzy caught such an endearing smile upon his face, there was such warmth in his eyes; it caused her insides to flutter. Without thinking, she reached out to stroke his cheek and then took his hand in hers, holding it tight. Will held his breath at Elizabeth�s touch and then looked down at their interlocked hands with a sigh of contentment.

Just then, the Ed Sullivan walked on the bandstand. Will strained to hear Mr. Sullivan over the noise of the crowd as he spoke into the microphone:

"Now, ladies and gentlemen, honored by their country, decorated by their Queen, loved here in America, here are � The Beatles!"

At first Will was taken aback to hear Elizabeth join the deafening masses, but he had to admit the whole event was thrilling. He�d never seen anything so amazing in his life. It was definitely a first for him. Somehow he knew they were part of history in the making. He wasn�t about to start screaming himself, but everyone else around him let it rip! The unbelievable excitement of the concert, adding to the mass hysteria of the fans, proved to be a fantastic and mind-boggling experience. A lovesick fan next to Will began to call feverishly to no one in particular, pointing toward the stage, "That's The Beatles out there!" She kept repeating it over and over and seemed on the verge of fainting. Lizzy was also awed by the sight, and with all the screaming, she felt like she was going to pass out as well! Will noticed she looked a little wobbly and put his arm around her, ready to catch her in case she actually did faint. Since the Beatles appeared on stage he�d seen dozens of girls collapse at the sight.

With an electric excitement that carried throughout the stadium, the opening chords rang out from the stage, barely heard over the din of the fans. They opened with a familiar song to both Will and Lizzy: Twist And Shout. Even though they could barely hear the music over the din, they looked at each other, remembering twisting together at the Holly Hop. Their eyes met and Lizzy couldn�t help twisting to the music. She grinned at Will, daring him to join her. He nodded in acknowledgement, but he wasn�t quite ready yet to start dancing amidst a stadium full of half-crazed girls. Besides, he much preferred to watch Elizabeth, particularly the hypnotic way her hips swayed and the daring look in her eyes as if she were dancing only for him.

The spell was broken when the Beatles launched into two new numbers Will and Lizzy hadn�t heard before, She�s A Woman and I Feel Fine. Will laughed when they sang Dizzy Miss Lizzie, as Lizzy smirked at him, dancing her heart out and singing along with it. Ticket To Ride from the Beatles� new movie, Help! was next and then Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby. After that, one of Lizzy�s favorites, Can't Buy Me Love, started, and for some unexplainable reason, she really let loose at this one. Will was almost as enthralled by Elizabeth�s reaction to the songs as he was by the Beatles themselves.

As the Beatles launched into what would be their final number, I'm Down, Will noticed that John Lennon suddenly started to go into an animated and crazy performance, playing the harmonium using his elbows � � la Jerry Lee Lewis. His antics were catching and George, the lead guitarist, began to laugh so much he was unable to play. Lizzy looked at Will and told him George was her favorite Beatle. �I like those dark, broody good looks of his,� she explained with an impish smile. Will smirked as he pulled her to him possessively. Loving the feel of his arm around her she bit her lower lip and leaned into him.

As quickly as it had begun, it was over. When the Beatles finished their set, they immediately left the bandstand and were whisked into a white station wagon ambulance that took them across the field into a waiting Wells Fargo armored truck that sped off into the night. It was sheer pandemonium; the crowd was cheering, girls were either passing out or leaping over the barriers while policemen were trying their best to subdue the crowd and handle the wild Beatlemaniacs.

Slowly and determinedly, Will guided Elizabeth out of the mobbed stadium. Their ears ringing, they found the car and driver waiting to take them back to LaGuardia Airport where their private plane was ready to bring them back to Fishers Island. Lizzy was thankful for Will�s strong presence. She was in a daze. What an unforgettable night; she would never forget it as long as she lived. Little did she know what was to come next. Years later, it wasn�t really the concert that she�d remember the most, it was what happened afterwards.

When Lizzy and Will arrived at Elizabeth Field, they were too excited to go right home, even though it was terribly late. They got into his Jaguar and Will, who wasn�t ready to take her home to the Gardiners� yet, asked if she�d like to come to his house.

Lizzy was caught off guard by the suggestion of going to his home. She hadn�t seen it yet, but her Aunt Maddie had mentioned Pemberley more than once. She considered it the most beautiful home on the whole entire island. Lizzy remembered her description:

�High upon the bluffs overlooking the Sound, it has a quiet grace about it. The brown shingles and pointed roofs have a majesty that hearkens back to the Victorian era when the house was originally built.�

�Elizabeth, do you want to go to my house?�

Lizzy had to shake herself, realizing she�d been lost in thought.

�Uh�yes,� she said, absentmindedly.

�Are you sure?� he asked concerned. �If you�re tired I�ll take you back to the Gard��

�No!� she cried, suddenly alert. �No, I�m not tired. I want to go to your house.�

He smiled, happy that their evening wasn�t over. He was still pumped from the concert and didn�t want to say good night just yet.

They drove for a few miles, and Lizzy realized they were heading toward the eastern point of the island where she�d never been. This was the private area of the island near the country club, filled with stately homes and mansions, none of which could be seen from the road. Eventually, Will turned into a dirt road with a small wooden sign beside it that read Pemberley. They drove through dark woods on either side. It was nearly pitch black outside, except for the glow of the headlights on Will�s car illuminating the twists and turns of the private drive. Elizabeth felt they had been going down his driveway forever, when after one final bend the silhouette of the sleeping giant rose before her. Will turned to her as she gasped aloud at the sight. In the dim moonlight, with a quiet elegance, stood a mammoth Victorian shingled structure bearing four enormous stone chimneys that towered over its steepled roofline. She continued to gape until Will stopped in front. So this is Pemberley.

Will parked in the circular drive and helped Lizzy out of the car. He led her up to the front porch, that wrapped around the house as far as Elizabeth could see, and guided her inside the beautifully appointed home. She looked around in awe. While definitely a summer home, it was meticulously maintained and well kept. Just a few lights were on, since it was well past midnight, but even in the dim light she could tell there was an ease and sense of casualness, not the austerity and pretentiousness of Rosings Park.

Will lead her through the house, his finger to his lips, ensuring she did not make any noise. They tiptoed through the dining room and past the swinging door into an open and airy kitchen. Lizzy briefly glanced at the massive chambered stove but had little time to look at anything else before Will guided her through the back door to a patio perched on the bluff that overlooked the water below. She could barely make out the water in the dark, but she could hear the ebb and flow of the gentle waves along the shoreline. As her eyes adjusted and she looked out at the dark expanse of water, Will motioned to her to follow him; he seemed to have a particular destination and purpose in mind.

�Let�s go down here,� he called out in a whisper, pointing out a partially hidden stairway that led down to the beach. Will clicked on an outside light and Lizzy�s eyes settled on the comfortable looking patio furniture. Large jardini�res filled with fragrant smelling flowers were interspersed and nearby was a large wicker basket that held towels and blankets. Beside it � surprisingly � a guitar case. Will pointed to the basket.

�Can you grab a blanket?� he asked as he removed the guitar from its case. He picked it up and held her hand, leading her to the steep stairway that criss-crossed the bluff leading to the beach.

She was bemused at this whole turn of events. This night is full of surprises. First I find out he has a company airplane � that he knows how to fly, and now he plays the guitar?

She gladly let Will take the lead as they descended the old weathered stairway. Never letting go of Lizzy, Will took extra care to insure she didn�t trip or hurt herself on the way down. The sweet smell of honeysuckle permeated her senses as they reached the bottom and Will indicated for her to remove her sandals while he did the same. Just beyond them was a wide open beach. Will grabbed Lizzy�s hand again and together they ran toward the water. The moon was high, casting a silvery reflection upon it; the sound of the waves lapping at the shore was the only sound in the darkness. They ran across the cool night sand in their bare feet, stopping before they got too close to the water, where the sand became wet. Breathless from the run, Lizzy unfurled the blanket in one big swoop and spread it out for them to sit upon. She could just see the expression on Will�s face, illuminated by the moonlight; he had a shy grin on it.

�I�ve kind of been practicing something for you on the guitar��

She blushed becomingly at the idea of Will practicing something for her. She let him know at once that she wanted to hear it by reaching over and squeezing his hand. He motioned for her to sit on the blanket while he settled himself across from her, sitting cross-legged as she remained up on her knees eagerly waiting for him to begin.

He gave her a mischievous grin just before he started. �I�m no George Harrison, but � here goes.� Strumming the guitar in one long motion, he began to sing, Click here for Will's song

You�ll never know how much I really love you

Another impressive strum of the guitar �

You�ll never know how much I really care�

He looked lovingly into her eyes as he sang, and suddenly Lizzy felt shy and embarrassed. He was so serious all of a sudden and the lyrics so dramatic. Then, she saw the earnest look on his face change as he tried unsuccessfully to keep a straight face; his dimples were determined to peep out. A slow smile spread across Lizzy�s face and widened as she recognized the next riff of notes as he continued to serenade her.

Listen, do you want to know a secret
Do you promise not to tell, whoa, whoa, whoa
Closer, let me whisper in your ear

Say the words you long to hear
I'm in love with you, oo

A thrill went through Lizzy�s spine as he sang the words to her. She knew he was camping it up � an eyebrow lift here, a brooding stare there � but she couldn�t help but understand the meaning of the words. Getting into the act, she pretended to swoon as he sang, joining in to sing the doo dah doos back to him teasingly.

Listen, (doo dah do)
Do you want to know a secret (doo dah do)
Do you promise not to tell, (doo dah do) whoa, whoa, whoa

He was getting into his performance, and liked the way she joined him. He leaned toward her.

Closer, (doo dah do)
Let me whisper in your ear (doo dah do)
Say the words you long to hear
I'm in love with you, oo

Lizzy couldn�t help but giggle, she and Will were good together! The chord progression changed and Will looked at his fingers on the frets of the guitar, careful to get the notes right.

I've known a secret for a week or two
Nobody knows just we two�

His eyes met hers again as he continued, grinning and hamming it up. Laughing, she dramatically put her hands to her face as if overcome by the moment, like a true Beatlemaniac.

Listen, (doo dah do)
Do you want to know a secret (doo dah do)
Do you promise not to tell, whoa, whoa, whoa
Closer, (doo dah do)
Let me whisper in your ear (doo dah do)
Say the words you long to hear
I'm in love with you, oo, oo

As she and Will sang the end of the song together, their voices gradually faded out as did his guitar. They remained smiling at each other with nothing but the gentle sound of the water breaking upon the shore as their background music. As if by magic, their eyes focused solely on the other�s, the lighthearted feeling between them moments before, now became serious.

Without taking his eyes from hers, Will gently set down his guitar and moved closer. He ran his hands along her shoulders, sending shivers through her. Drawing her to him gently, he cupped his hand behind her head, slowly bringing her lips to his. Delicious.

Lizzy closed her eyes and gave in to the feeling of his kiss, she knew instantly � it was perfect; meant to be. The kiss deepened and she responded, a gentle moan coming from deep inside as he pulled her closer. She willingly gave in to the sensation and desire she had kept bottled up, wrapping her arms around his neck, clinging to him, lost in the feel of his lips on hers. Unaware of how she got there, and not even caring, she was now sitting in his lap. Their kisses intensified, a give and take, deep and satisfying as they tasted and savored one another.

Will nibbled his way to the lobe of her ear, sending ripples of excitement through her. She gasped with delight as he placed tiny kisses down her neck. His touch was overwhelming; she could feel the passion and the tenderness from his lips. His fingers caressed her, burning a trail down her back, holding her waist, molding her body to his.

In one fluid motion he lifted her up and gently placed her on her back. Leaning over her as she put her arms around his neck, he continued his explorations. He was drowning in the taste of her, while still trying his best to rein himself in, knowing it would be fatal to rush her. She was an innocent and he wouldn�t ruin this moment by taking advantage, no matter how responsive she was.

Intuitively, he let her set the pace. They continued their delightful pursuit, making up for lost time, until both needed to come up for air. Lizzy cuddled up to him and rested her head on his shoulder, running her hand over his chest. She could feel his breathing, heavy at first and then settling into a steady rhythm. It felt wonderfully good to be this close to him; she felt she could lie beside him forever. Feeling her sigh, he tightened his arms around her as they lay there quietly looking up at the stars in the inky sky above.

He bent his head to her and whispered in her ear, �I�m in love with you.�

She nearly melted when she heard the words tickle her ear; she felt her heart would burst. Tears pricked her eyes and she thought she was going to cry. After all this time and the ups and downs they�d experienced, she now knew for sure how she felt about him. Hearing his momentous and heartfelt words was what she had wanted ever since she first saw him again at the Yacht Club. What a difference a few months made. She leaned up on her elbows and peered down at him in the dim light, searching for his eyes.

�I love you too.� He closed his eyes when he heard her words, speechless. This was his dream come true and he needed to savor the moment. She bent down and kissed him softly on his lips and then wrapped her arms around him, snuggling into the crook of his shoulder. He reciprocated, enveloping her in his arms, ensuring she would not be leaving soon.

Laying there beside him, the moon shining on her, Lizzy�s features were illuminated just enough for Will to see she was smiling. He was grateful for this time, for this second chance with her; it was the happiest moment of his life. He couldn�t help but give up a silent prayer. Thank you.

*�Do You Want to Know A Secret� - performed by The Beatles, written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. � 1963 Northern Songs. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured.

� 2004 Copyright held by the author.

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