President Darcy

A short search revealed Jane departing from the bar with a martini. “You sooo owe me!” she hissed in her sister’s ear.

Jane’s sympathetic expression confirmed that she had seen Bill dance. “Bing would be happy to dance with you,” Jane offered.

Elizabeth choked back the sour taste in her mouth. “I’m not planning to dance again. I may need brain bleach to erase those memories.”

“I’m sure someone decent would like to dance with you.” Jane glanced meaningfully across the room. Following her eyes, Elizabeth discovered President Darcy watching them intently.

“Oh God!” Elizabeth blushed and turned her back to him. “Why is he always staring at me?”

“Maybe he likes you,” Jane suggested.

“Yeah,” Elizabeth scoffed. “He likes watching me suffer with a terrible date.”

“Bing says he likes you.”

“Sure, he can be friendly and charming.” Elizabeth pursed her lips. “He’s a politician. But he was eager to get rid of us that morning at the Residence.”

“It was just awkward with Caroline there and everything. He has to be careful about the press.”

Elizabeth gave her sister a level gaze. “You’re suggesting the man who said I was ugly and stupid now likes me?”

Jane opened her mouth and closed it again.

“Precisely,” Elizabeth said. “If he’s watching me, it’s to catalogue my faults.”

Jane’s brows drew down as if the thought saddened her. “He’s been a very loyal friend to Bing.”

“No doubt he’s a terrific friend to his fellow old-money brats, but he’s only been difficult and proud to me,” Elizabeth spat. “He may expect everyone to defer to him, but that’s not the way I’m built.”

Jane frowned. “What if he’s changed his mind—?”

Enough with this conversation. First a disastrous date with Bill, and now she should humor the jerk-in-chief? “It doesn’t matter. I’ll probably never see him again after tonight.”

“Really? But you make such a cute couple!” The sound of her mother’s voice ringing out from behind Elizabeth transformed her insides to ice. If Fanny thought the president liked Elizabeth, nothing would stop her, short of Elizabeth’s joining a convent.

Elizabeth whirled around to find her mother, stuffed into a bright yellow dress with a hoop skirt, regarding her with a sorrowful expression. “Is it true that he’s a bigwig in the stapler industry?” her mother asked. Elizabeth allowed her shoulders to sag with relief. Her mother meant Bill, not the president.

Fanny glared at Charlotte, who was laughing at one of Bill’s jokes. Charlotte’s turquoise dress contrasted garishly with his plaid tux. “He’s going places, Lizzy! Don’t let Charlotte monopolize him.”

“I just met the guy,” Elizabeth pointed out. “Why don’t you ask Jane about how things are going with Bing? They’ve been together for months now.” Elizabeth met Jane’s poisonous glare with an innocent smile.

Before she could reply, Fanny’s attention was caught by Betty Lucas, Charlotte’s mother. She was one of Fanny’s “best friends”; they weren’t capable of a conversation without attempting to outdo each other.

“Betty!” They exchanged air kisses. Fanny presented Jane grandly. “Did you know that Jane is dating Charles Bingley, the president’s chief of staff?”

“No!” Betty Lucas faked enthusiasm well. “How exciting.”

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Fanny leaned toward Betty as if imparting a great secret. “We hope to be hearing wedding bells soon.”

“Mom!” Jane exclaimed. “We’ve been dating for three months!”

Betty made the appropriate noises of excitement but then tilted her head toward Charlotte and Bill. “Did you see Charlotte talking to the crown prince of staplers?”

“Jane met the president!” Fanny announced hurriedly.

“Bill works for Catherine de Bourgh,” Betty parried.