The two men sat across from one another in comfortable leather club chairs on either side of the fireplace. Thomas Bennet got right to the point, asking Will how it was that he had been the one to retrieve Lydia. Will was honest with his answer. He explained his entire history with Wickham and how he felt partially responsible that Lydia had been lured to New York by him under false pretenses. He told Mr. Bennet of his belief that had he told Elizabeth about Wickham in the first place, she would have been able to warn her sisters of him. Mr. Bennet felt Will was being too hard on himself, but that didn�t end the interrogation, as he had other questions for the young man sitting before him. He gave Will the once over before he continued.

�I understand it was you that took our Lizzy to see the Beatles last night, isn�t that right?�

�Yes, sir, that�s right.� Will still found it difficult to believe it had been only the night before when he had held Elizabeth in his arms on the beach until nearly sunrise. Mr. Bennet noticed the slight flush and dreamy expression that spread over Will�s face, and couldn�t resist a little teasing, barely hiding his amusement.

�I take it the concert was all that you hoped it would be?�

Will, shaken out of his reverie by Mr. Bennet�s voice, answered with a large smile. �Yes, it was amazing!�

�Did my Lizzy enjoy herself last night as well?� Mr. Bennet�s eyes twinkled as he watched Will squirm; he�d seen that same look on Elizabeth�s face. Now he knew where she got it from.

Remembering Lizzy�s words of love, he answered in all seriousness, �Yes, very much so, I believe.�

Mr. Bennet was taken aback by the earnestness in Will�s voice and expression. To lighten the mood, he continued in what he thought was an obviously jesting manner. �Is there anything else you would like to tell me about Lizzy? Any news perhaps?�

�Uh..news?�

Mr. Bennet nodded encouragingly.

Will faltered at first, but making up his mind he squared his shoulders and met Mr. Bennet�s eye, his voice growing progressively more confident. �Yes, I � I guess you could say I have some news. I love your daughter very much, sir, and I believe she feels the same way about me.� He couldn�t help but smile at hearing the words spoken aloud.

Mr. Bennet raised his eyebrows. He hadn�t expected such a declaration � especially so soon. He wondered if this boy was the type to fall in love often, and more importantly, he would rather hear Lizzy�s point of view first on whether or not this was as serious as this seemingly earnest young man inferred.

�You�re convinced of your love for my daughter after one date? You are quite certain of yourself, aren�t you?�

�Yes I am.� Immediately Will realized how he must sound and added, �Sir, I�ve been in love with your daughter for over a year � ever since I first met her. I admit, we�ve had our differences and misunderstandings, but all of that has been cleared up � it�s all in the past now.� Will, convinced of the truth in his words, spoke firmly.

Mr. Bennet was surprised to hear that Will had a history with his daughter, but he was, at the same time, relieved to hear it. Based on this latest piece of information, Will seemed less impetuous somehow.

�I�m very happy for you.� Mr. Bennet replied, eyes twinkling again after being reassured the young man wasn�t rash in his decisions. �Am I to wish you �joy� before long?�

Will, completely missing Mr. Bennet�s dry wit, was surprised with the directness of the questions and answered him in all seriousness. �I hope so. With your permission, sir, I�d like to ask Elizabeth to marry me. If she accepts, I would like to get married after I graduate next year.�

Mr. Bennet was taken aback, again, at Will�s frank answer to what was meant to be a humorous question.

�Are you serious? �Why�the hurry?� Lizzy was far too young to think about marriage, as far as her father was concerned.

�I am most definitely serious, sir. I love your daughter. There is no question in my mind that I want to marry her. I think she feels the same way about me.�

Mr. Bennet had to think for a moment. He saw Will�s sincerity, and was reassured by it. Indeed, Lizzy could do much worse, and he seemed a good man with a promising future. Edward Gardiner had already filled him in on the particulars of the Darcy family and fortune, although he knew instinctively none of that would matter to his Lizzy.

�I hope you are right, my boy.� Mr. Bennet stood up, signaling the impromptu interview was over, although he was not willing to give in completely. He turned to Will and put his hand on his shoulder as they walked toward the door of the study. �You have my permission.� He turned and looked Will in the eye. �But I�m sure you are aware that Lizzy is still young, she is after all only nineteen years old.� Will nodded. �All I ask is that you wait before marrying � until Lizzy graduates from college.� Will visibly gulped at this request � that�s three years away. Seeing the firm resolve in Mr. Bennet�s eyes, Will agreed to his demand. Frankly, he was in no position to argue with Elizabeth�s father. He had a right to impose this condition.

�I understand completely, sir. I would never do anything to rush her.� Mr. Bennet exhaled in relief before shaking hands with Will and patting him on the back as they walked out of the study. Now that the matter of Lizzy was settled, another sobering reality hit him.

�Thank you again for bringing Lydia back to us, my family owes you a great deal.� Mr. Bennet said quietly. Will looked slightly embarrassed before replying,

�I was only thinking of Elizabeth.�

�I know.� Mr. Bennet, with a sudden wistful realization, inwardly acknowledged that life was going to be very different in his household from therein.

After his conversation with Mr. Bennet, Will phoned Lizzy to let her know Lydia was safe. Then he called Charles to ask him for a place to stay in Bedminster for the night. He said goodbye to Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, and Jane, who presented Will with her homemade Toll House cookies as a thank you for everything he had done to save Lydia. She invited him to pass on some of the treats � with her compliments � to Charles as well. Mrs. Bennet eagerly invited him back for dinner in the near future, asking what his favorite foods were. He smiled at the thought as he drove to Charles� house.

Charles, enthusiastic as ever, welcomed Will to Netherfield.

�How long are you staying?� Charles had been apprised of the Lydia situation by Jane, who had called him as soon as she had realized her youngest sister was missing.

�Just the one night, if you don�t mind. I�d like to get back to Pemberley as soon as I can.� Will felt a blush come over him and avoided Charles�s eyes as he tried not to reveal too much of his desire to return to Elizabeth.

Charles recognized the telltale signs immediately. Plus, Jane had filled him in on the latest goings on between the pair. He couldn�t resist teasing Will just a little bit.

�Oh, come on, stay here for a while. What could possibly be so interesting on Fishers Island?� Charles� blue eyes sparkled behind a fa�ade of innocence.

Will smirked, immediately catching on to Charles�s ploy. �Let�s just say, there�s a pressing matter I need to attend to.� The look on his face left no room for argument and Charles nodded, only too well aware of how it felt to be in the throes of a new romance.

�That serious, huh?�

Will intended to fully confide in Charles eventually, but he was hot and tired after the long, dusty drive. �Yes, but I�ll fill you in later.� He looked around and noticed how quiet it was around the house. �Where is everyone? Are your parents here?�

�I believe they�re around back at the pool.� Charles hesitated a moment before adding, �I think you should know�Caroline�s here. She knows you�re coming too.� Charles had a sympathetic look on his face when he saw Will�s chagrined expression. �Speak of the devil�� Charles mumbled just at Caroline appeared in a filmy beach cover up of black fishnet that cleverly revealed a provocative new orange bikini. Images of Halloween popped into Will�s head as Caroline, who never took her eyes off him, approached her prey � in for the kill.

�Will, darling! I was thrilled when Charles announced you were staying for the�night.� Her voice took on a husky tone with the last word, letting her fingers crawl up Will�s arm seductively, unmindful of her brother�s obvious embarrassment at his sister�s forward behavior.

Will flinched at Caroline�s touch, loath to be in the same room with her, much less to have her lay a hand on him. His eyes were icy. �It�s just for the one night, Caroline. Charles and I have a lot of catching up to do � alone.�

Caroline ignored the obvious, that he wasn�t interested in her, and continued to pursue him playfully. �Nonsense, I�d like to catch up with you too.�

Charles had seen about all he could stand, and realized he had to rescue Will, �Give it up Caroline.� He ignored the irritated look on her face and turned to his friend, �Will, come on, I�ll show you what room you�re in and then we can see my parents.� Will gladly followed Charles upstairs, eager to get away from the irksome Caroline, not even giving her the courtesy of a goodbye. He had not forgotten about her interference in his best friend�s love life, nor his own.

Caroline remained in the downstairs hallway, wheels turning in her head as she heard the fading voice of Will asking to borrow some of Charles�s clothing and a toothbrush.

�I left in such a hurry.�

�No problem, anything you want.�

Yes, no problem, William, anything you want. Caroline had a plan.

It was late in the evening by the time they finished supper. The Bingleys were more than happy to have Will for the night. It had been many months since they had seen their son�s old school chum. One of their favorites, they had known him since he was a teenager when he and Charles had first become friends playing soccer together as teammates at Andover. Motherless at such a young age, they had taken him under their wing; he always held a special place in their hearts. Charles�s natural buoyancy was a perfect foil to Will�s tendency toward reserve. When he lost his father while at Princeton, making him an orphan, it only enhanced the tender regard they always held for the handsome and quiet young man who in turn, came to look upon them as surrogate parents. They enjoyed hearing what he was up to, remembering how the two boys had grown up and matured together.

After they finished coffee and dessert on the back patio, poolside, the Bingleys said their good nights and went in for the night. Caroline remained behind with Will and Charles, unwilling to leave them alone.

�Caroline, don�t you have something else to do?� Charles cleared his throat, trying to signal to her that he wanted her to get lost.

�No, Charles, I�m free as a bird tonight. No plans at all.� She lay down on one of the chaises beside the pool and crossed bare legs, shown off by the new, daring, mini skirt she hoped would catch Will�s eye. She continued to smile at him, oblivious to his inner thoughts, which were less than charitable. Caroline was under the delusion that she and Will were meant for each other and he only appeared standoffish as a front before her brother and parents. It wouldn�t do for him to seduce his best friend�s sister right under their very own roof! She admired him all the more for his reserve and tact. Little did she know it had taken a Herculean effort to eat his meal with Caroline simpering over him all evening; he had lost his appetite as soon as she sat down beside him.

�Caroline, Will and I have some things we�d like to discuss � alone. Do you mind?� he finally asked her pointedly.

�Oh, all right, I�ll go,� She got up from her seat and gave Will a knowing look over her shoulder.

�Good night, Will.�

�Good night Caroline.� Will�s voice was polite, but, knowing it was now too dark for her to see him roll his eyes at her obvious play for his affections he did so, although he couldn�t care less if she did see him. He hoped this would be the last of her he�d see before heading home.

Once Caroline was safely out of earshot, Charles looked at Will expectantly. �Well?�

�Well what?�

�What�s going on between you and Lizzy?�

At first Will smirked at the idea of Charles being so interested in his love life, but on second thought, he realized his friend was entitled considering how much Will had interfered in Charles�s life. So he smiled and asked, �How late were you planning on staying up tonight? Do you think you�re up for the whole long story?�

Charles nodded while cracking open a can of beer and handing it to Will as they settled into their own respective Adirondack chairs by the pool.

�I�ve got all night.� Charles grinned. He couldn�t wait to hear Will confess all.

�Well, it�s like this, remember last year when we went to that mixer at Longbourn�� Will�s voice continued quietly into the balmy August evening as his best friend listened. The chirping of the crickets kept them company under the moon into the late evening and early morning. The friends quietly laughed and reminisced and explored the possibilities of the future, side by side, with the two women � sisters � that had managed to capture their hearts.

While it was still dark, in the early hours of the morning, Will stumbled upstairs, fatigue hitting him suddenly. He was thoroughly exhausted. It had been one long day. Not only that, but he�d had practically no sleep the night before � not that he minded staying up nearly all night with Elizabeth in his arms. After saying good night to Charles in the hallway, he found his way to his room. All he wanted to do was fall into bed, sleep like the dead and dream of Elizabeth, savoring every moment of their previous evening together. As he entered his room, he didn�t even have the energy to firmly shut the door, and he certainly didn�t notice the visitor awaiting him.

�Hello, Will. What took you so long?� Will�s head jerked up at the sound of her voice.

Still a bit foggy from sleep-deprivation and a few beers, he reacted with a simple question. �Caroline, what are you doing here?�

�Isn�t it perfectly obvious?� With a low voice, she rose to approach him from the chair where she had been waiting. She had fallen asleep some time ago, but woke, alert, when she heard him open the door. She was wearing a short, silky, hot pink kimono that tied at the waist with a long sash. If she was wearing anything underneath, it was undetectable. She stepped close to Will and slid her hands up his chest, clasping them behind his neck. �Come on, Will,� she whispered breathily, �There�s no one else. I�m the only one for you. Admit it, we were meant for each other � I�m your girl.� She tried to kiss him, but he pushed her away, effectively forcing her back into the chair she had just been dozing in.

Will was hot, he was tired, and he was angry. This was the final straw with Caroline, and he didn�t care who heard about it.

Click here to hear song

For I have got�another girl

You�re making me say that I�ve got nobody but you
But as from today well I�ve got somebody that�s new
I ain't no fool and I don't take what I don't want
For I have got another girl, another girl

�That�s where you�re wrong, Caroline. You�re delusional! This may come as a shock,� he began with disgust, �but, I have never wanted you, and I never will.� He didn�t care how cruel he sounded, he was fed up and it was high time she heard it. �I do have someone else � so give it up. No matter how much you try with your pathetic attempts at seduction, you�re not what I want.�

Caroline sat in shocked silence.

She's sweeter than all the girls and I've met quite a few
Nobody in all the world can do what she can do

�Do you think I don�t know what you�ve been up to all these months?� Will fixed her with a venomous look. �I�ve got news for you � I�m onto you, and I know all about the horrific, nasty tricks you�ve been pulling ever since last year!� Will�s voice was raised, but he hardly noticed in his anger. Caroline sat in mute astonishment, as he towered over her, continuing his diatribe.

�Yes, I found out about that little talk you had with Elizabeth in the ladies� lounge. I know what you told her.� Will continued, unwilling to let her get a word in edgewise as she tried to protest. �All lies! Engaged? Are you crazy � we were never engaged!� Will was outraged as the memory enveloped him once again. �How dare you!� He was shouting now, remembering the uncomfortable look on Elizabeth�s face when she told him what Caroline had said to her. �And then, more lies about Jane and Charles.� His voice was steely as he continued, bending over her as she sat in her chair, nose to nose. �I could strangle you for what you did to your own brother � and for using me in your plot to break them up.�

Caroline visibly gulped as she saw the glint in Will�s eye as he said this last.

Stepping back, he carried on in the same vein. �I�ve only put up with you because you were Charles�s sister. I�ve never cared for you � I can barely stand to be around you. You�re an interfering, manipulative witch, who enjoys nothing more than making other people miserable.� With a triumphant lilt in his voice, he dealt her the final blow. �You�ll be glad to know all your efforts were wasted. I�ve got the girl I love now, and there�s nothing you can do to change that.�

Another girl who will love me till the end
Through thick and thin she will always be my friend

Will reached down to Caroline and firmly pulled her up out of her chair and maneuvered her over to the door, yanking it open. �On behalf of Elizabeth and myself, this is sayonara baby!�

He pushed her out of his room into the hallway, and slammed the door behind her.

For I have got another girl
Another girl
Another girl

Caroline turned and looked dumbly at the door, shocked that she had been kicked out of Will�s room so unceremoniously.

�Another girl?� Caroline said aloud in disbelief. �Elizabeth?� It hit her full force, �Eliza Bennet!�

�Apparently so, Caroline.�

Caroline jumped at the quiet voice of her father. She turned and saw both of her parents in their robes standing in the hallway, angry looks on their faces.

�I think you have some explaining to do, young lady,�

�Daddy, it�s not what you think�� Caroline began, hoping she could wriggle out of this one.

�From what I�ve just heard, I sincerely doubt that,� he said sternly. �It�s about time we had a long discussion about your future.� He ushered her from Will�s door. �Now that you�re a college graduate, you�re going to have to get a job.�

�But Daddy, you can�t do that!� she whined as they continued down the hallway.

�Oh yes, I can, and I will, young lady!� he stormed. �You better start thinking about a career that can finance those expensive tastes of yours, because I�m not paying your bills any longer!�

Caroline kept quiet and listened to her father�s tirade. When it came to Daddy, she had enough sense to know when to keep her mouth shut. As he chastised her, the wheels in her head began to turn. She may have lost this battle, but if she couldn�t have Will, she would at least make sure that little twit, Eliza Bennet wouldn�t either. Raising a calculating eyebrow, Caroline was confident a phone call to Will�s aunt would be decidedly useful.

Under the bright, early morning sunshine, Will thanked the Bingleys for their gracious hospitality and said his goodbyes to Charles. Fortunately, there was no sign of Caroline, relieving Will of the necessity of having to face her after the night�s embarrassing debacle. He felt free as a bird as he drove out of Netherfield�s driveway in the direction of New York. As eager as he was to see Elizabeth and tell her of his love all over again, he had one important errand to run first.

In the city, he navigated toward a certain jewelry store on Fifth Avenue that had served his family for years. It wouldn�t do for him to be unprepared. For this particular purpose, he wanted to pick something out himself, no family heirlooms this time. An hour later, after selecting a suitable ring with a perfect diamond solitaire, Will pocketed the small blue box with the white bow and resumed his route back to New London and the ferry to Fishers. As far as he could see, it was smooth sailing from thereon.

Upon arrival of the island, he headed straight for the Gardiners� house. Elizabeth was on his mind, and he couldn�t wait one minute more to see her. As he approached, he saw a familiar car in the Gardiners� driveway � a chauffeur driven, black Rolls Royce. He recognized the driver who was waiting for his mistress: Catherine DeBourgh.

He gasped in alarm. No! It can�t be! What is she doing here? He haphazardly parked his car and ran to the front door which was open, but for the screen door. He peered through the screen and couldn�t see anything amiss, but he heard voices coming from around the house, toward the water. There was no doubt in his mind now; one of them was the stentorian voice of his Aunt Catherine and, judging by the sound of it, her temper was up. He closed his eyes briefly imagining the nightmare scenario that was taking place. How had she found out about Elizabeth? He couldn�t think about that now, his first priority was Elizabeth and rescuing her from his domineering aunt. As he approached unseen, he could clearly hear what they were saying. The words stopped him in his tracks.

"Tell me, once and for all, are you engaged to him?"

�No, I am not.�

�And will you promise me never to enter into such an engagement?"

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