President Darcy

Her stomach lurched; that was not good news, but how did apply to her? “Non-sequitur much?”

He waved irritably at her as he stalked past the windows. “We’ve been working on this for almost a year. We’re so close, but it’s in danger of going down in flames. He could get a couple more votes on board if he just tried harder—if he spent more time working with the staff, inspiring them. But he’s…not bringing his A game.”

Elizabeth’s whole body was hot. “That’s not my fault,” she bit out.

“No. Of course not.” Bing shook his head vigorously. “I…” He rubbed his forehead. “I just thought you might help him get back on track.”

The anger abruptly drained out of her body. Oh. “I-I can’t. Nothing has changed….”

Bing ran both hands through his hair, making it stand on end. “I know, I know. If you started dating him, the press would be all over you again. It’s inevitable, but—”

What?

“Wait!” Elizabeth held up a hand. “Do you think I broke it off because of the press?” Her voice soared into the upper registers.

“Lizzy, ” Jane said in a patient tone usually reserved for someone about to have a breakdown, “you never actually explained why you did it. You just came to my apartment and cried on my shoulder.”

Bing blinked at her. “Why else would you have—?”

Didn’t anyone understand? Elizabeth was suddenly on her feet. “Being associated with me and the rumors of coercion were hurting his presidency. You know this!” She waved her arm at Bing. “You showed me the secret poll.”

Bing put both hands on the mantelpiece as if to steady himself. “Maybe I shouldn’t have….” His gaze turned pleading. “But that scandal is over. Congress will drop the investigation soon, and the SEC has indicted Wickham.”

Elizabeth rubbed her forehead with the heel of her hand. He just doesn’t understand. “Bing, I’m still a member of the Bennet family, and Lydia started this whole thing. He could never forgive her.”

Bing opened his mouth, closed it, and rubbed his jaw thoughtfully, then opened it again. “Never forgive her?” Bing echoed. “I shouldn’t be telling you this, but Will knew Wickham and his uncle were about to be indicted, and he asked if Jane could lure Lydia home before she became caught up in it.”

Jane’s head jerked back. “That’s why you suggested—!”

Bing nodded as he continued, “If the press discovered he’d done that with advance knowledge…it wouldn’t look good. But he thought she deserved a chance to escape Wickham’s scandal.”

Elizabeth fell into the nearest available seat. He had forgiven Lydia. “I…can’t believe he did that for her…”

Bing gave her a level look. “He didn’t do it for her.”

It took Elizabeth a moment to grasp his meaning, and then she flushed.

“Can’t you at least talk with him?” Bing asked softly. “He’s not sleeping well. He doesn’t concentrate at all.”

Elizabeth closed her eyes, unable to forget the image of Will on television. “Can’t you get him to eat more?” The words escaped her mouth before she could stop them.

“I’ve tried.” Bing’s hands clenched into fists. “If you talk to him, it might help with that…and other things…”

“You know it’s not that easy. I bet you’ve done polling on whether voters still think he’s coerced me.” Bing winced. “You have, haven’t you?” When Bing said nothing, Elizabeth plowed ahead. “And it probably shows that the majority of voters still think he might have coerced me—even though Congress didn’t find any evidence.”

Bing sighed. “Yeah. Fifty-two percent. But it’s going down.”

“And if the press thinks I’m in his life again, that percentage will shoot right back up.”

Bing didn’t deny it.

“There’s must be some way to convince them that you truly love him!” Jane, ever the optimist, exclaimed.

Bing shook his head. “I don’t see how. She can be a guest on every talk show in the country, but her own sister claimed the president was forcing her. As long as your family has that contract, people will be suspicious.”

“I’m not asking my family to give up that contract. It saved the business,” Elizabeth said fiercely.

Bing held up placating hands. “Of course not.”