Say Hello, Wave Goodbye

Volume V

Author's note: This chapter is different from all the rest, as it covers the remaining months from the end of Wimbldedon 2004 to the day of Wimbledon 2005, in a series of newspaper articles. These cover the rest of the book's twists, with my modern slant on them. Enjoy.

Chapter 17: When The Truth Is....

When the truth is,
I miss you,
Yeah the truth is,
That I miss you so.

Warning Sign, by Coldplay
from the album A Rush Of Blood To The Head.

Monday 5th July 2004- Monday 20th June 2005.

A warning sign,
I missed the good part, then I realised,
I started looking, and the bubble burst,
I started looking for excuses.

Hello Magazine, Sunday, 1st August:

Tennis Champions Tie The Knot.

Today, in Derbyshire, Charles Bingley, US Tennis Champion and ranked 5th in the word, married his girlfriend Wimbledon Tennis Champion, Jane Bennet.

The day was bright with glorious sunshine, which lit up the estate of Pemberley, home to our country's other Wimbledon Champion and current World Number One, William Darcy. Best friend and best man, William had offered the couple his stately home as a place to hold their wedding, shortly after the engagement was announced, during Wimbledon.

The ceremony took place inside the private chapel on the estate. Among the guests were the other members of the Bennet Quartet;- Elizabeth Bennet stood as Maid of Honour for her sister -as well as the remaining Bennet daughters, Mary, Kitty and Lydia, while Michael Bennet gave his daughter away. The entire Bingley family also travelled from their home state of Georgia, America, for the wedding.......

After the ceremony, the couple departed immediately for their honeymoon in Bermuda. William Darcy made sure Pemberley's large number of guest-rooms were open to all the wedding guests, as well as a number of houses on the estate, which date back to the fifteenth century, and which tenant farmer families still continue to live in....

Pictures inside....

Come on in,
I've gotta tell you what a state I'm in,
I've gotta tell you in my loudest tones,
That I started looking for a warning sign.

Times Sport Supplement, Monday 2nd August:

Current World and British Number One Tennis Champion, William Darcy entered the Tennis Masters Championship today, in Montreal, Canada. Other British hopefuls include Richard Fitzwilliam, Toby Bennet, and Leo Gardiner....

Times Sport Supplement, Monday 9th August:

The Bennet quartet, minus Wimbledon Champion Jane Bingley, who is still honeymooning with her husband in Bermuda, entered the Rogers AT&T Cup in Toronto, Canada today.

When the truth is,
I miss you,
Yeah the truth is,
That I miss you so.

Times Sport Supplement, Sunday 15th August:

Current World and British number one, William Darcy won the Tennis Masters in Montreal today. His third title since the beginning of the year, William Darcy looks set to dominate the world of male tennis for quite some time.....

Times Sport Supplement, Sunday 22nd August:

Elizabeth Bennet has won her first title since turning professional; the Rogers AT&T Cup. Miss Bennet, 21, won against America's number one Dakota Morgan-Debourgh in a stunning three set battle, all sets going to tie breaks.....

Times Sport Supplement, Monday 23rd September:

Flushing Meadows, New York:

Wimbledon Champions and British number ones William Darcy and Jane Bingley have entered the US Grand Slam today. Other British hopefuls include the rest of the Bennet quartet; Toby, Elizabeth and Kitty, Leo Gardiner, Richard Fitzwilliam..........

The Sun, Thursday 2nd September:

Lydia Bennet Reveals All!

Youngest member of the famous Tennis family, Lydia Bennet has entered the modelling scene today, with her story of her wild affair with her tennis coach, George Wickham. Turn to page three to see her bare all, in more ways than one, as she tells us of her first sexual encounter and how good Wickham is in bed.....

Times Sport Supplement, Thursday 2nd September:

Bennets Flushed.

Today, Elizabeth Bennet crashed out of her semi final match against America's Charlotte Lucas. Shortly afterwards Toby and Jane Bennet also announced their retirement from the American championship. Their reasons for withdrawing were not stated by their representatives, but the most likely reason is their youngest sister, Lydia, who was caught displaying nude pictures of herself in The Sun today, and the incident of her underage sex with her tennis coach George Wickham. Already there is a search out for the couple who's current location is unknown.....

A warning sign,
You came to back to haunt me, and I realised,
That you were an island, and I passed you by,
You were an island to discover.

Times Sport Supplement, Sunday 5th September:

Flushing Meadows, New York:

William Darcy has won the US Grand Slam. He finished the final in lighting style, in three straight sets against his cousin Richard Fitzwilliam in an all British final. The current World Number was unavailable to comment upon his stunning 3rd Grand Slam victory, having refused all interviews and departed immediately for England, reasons unknown.....

Times, Thursday 9th September:

Lydia Bennet, youngest daughter of Tennis Champion, Michael Bennet, has been found. The fifteen year old had gone missing after displaying herself in The Sun, page three, and announcing that she had under-aged sex with her tennis coach George Wickham. The latter was also found with Lydia, and was arrested, with no bail. Lydia is at present back home with her family in Hertfordshire.....

Times Sport Supplement, Monday 11th October:

Tennis Masters Championship, Madrid Spain:

World number one, William Darcy, has won his first match since winning the US Grand Slam. Other British hopefuls which have also entered are Leo Gardiner and Richard Fitzwilliam. Toby Bennet has also won his first match since withdrawing from the US Grand Slam. He stays with his Aunt Madeline Gardiner of Gardiner Sport Reps, and Uncle Edward Gardiner, coach of William Darcy, while his family reside in Zurich, as the rest of the Bennet quartet are currently competing in the Swisscom Challenge. The Bennet family have taken their other siblings Mary and Lydia this time.......

Come on in,
I've gotta tell you what a state I'm in,
I've gotta tell you in my loudest tones,
That I started looking for a warning sign.

Times Sport Supplement, 10th November:

World Number one William Darcy competes in the Tennis Masters Cup at Houston, Texas today. Since winning the Australian Grand Slam, the British number one has gone from strength to strength, the only minor setback being his semi final defeat in the French Grand Slam. Since then however, William Darcy has entertained no defeats, winning all the championships he has entered, Wimbledon most notably, and the tennis Masters in Madrid most recently.....

Ok Magazine, 24th December:

Celebrity Christmas Locations:

World Tennis number one William Darcy, has joined his best friend, America's number one Charles Bingley, and his wife Jane Bennet, at their Savannah home for the Christmas holidays. Also joining them is Georgia Darcy, fresh from her success in the Swisscom Challenge, where she won the final at the young age of sixteen, and another member of the Bennet quartet, Jane's sister Elizabeth......

Times, Saturday 1st January, 2005:

Honours List:

Among the celebrities and others announced to honoured with titles from the Queen this year are tennis British Number ones and Wimbledon champions; William Darcy and Jane Bennet, who were awarded OBEs......

Times Sport Supplement, Monday 10th January:

William Darcy has won his first match in his defence of his title of the Australian Grand Slam in Melbourne. Other British hopefuls competing are the Bennet quartet, Leo Gardiner, Richard Fitzwilliam.....

When the truth is
I miss you
Yeah the truth is
That I miss you so
And I'm tired
I shouldn't have let you go.

Times Sport Supplement, Sunday 23rd January:

Bennets Triumph!

William Darcy lost his title of Australian Grand Slam Champion today, after a thrilling five set match to Toby Bennet. Toby is the second member of the Bennet quartet to pick up a title in Melbourne this weekend; his sister Elizabeth won the ladies final, her first Grand Slam........

Times Sport Supplement, 7th March:

After celebrating his twenty-eight birthday, William Darcy entered the Pacific Life Open Tennis Masters today in California. Other British hopefuls include Toby Bennet, Leo Gardiner and Richard Fitzwilliam.....

Times Sport Supplement, 19th March:

The women of the Bennet quartet have competed in the Pacific Life Open, in Indian Wells, California. The final was an all British affair, with Wimbledon Champion Jane competing against Australian Grand Slam Champion Elizabeth, who won in straight sets......

Times Sport Supplement, 5th May:

Roland Garros, France:

Elizabeth Bennet has won her second Grand Slam. She played the best game of her career, winning against America's number three Charlotte Lucas, in straight sets 6-0, 6-0. British number one William Darcy also came through to win the men's title, beating America's number two, Detroit Morgan-Debourgh in straight sets, 6-3, 6-0, 6-0. The two champions celebrated with their families in a joint party......

The Daily Mail, Monday 6th May:

Future Wimbledon Champion?:

British number two, tennis Champion Jane Bingley, nee Bennet, has announced that she is expecting her first child, and consequently, is choosing not to defend her Wimbledon title this year. Her husband Charles Bingley, promises to stand in her stead, and she declares her wish that her sister Elizabeth might win this year.

As for our other British Champion, William Darcy has announced that he will be defending his Wimbledon title this year......

So I crawl back into your open arms,
Yes I crawl back into your open arms,
And I crawl back into your open arms,
Yes I crawl back into your open arms.

'Cause I have all this love for you
Before this ten year night is through
I'm telling you, take it from me, take it from me

Ten Year Night, by The Alice Band.
From the album The Love Junk Store.

Wimbledon 2005; 1st Round, Monday 20th June:

"No, I don't think. I know. I've fallen in love with you, Elizabeth."

Elizabeth groaned. Slowly she let herself lean back against the tiled walls of the shower, and closed her eyes. Instantly his face appeared before her. His features held the expression which had accompanied the words. Not for the first time, she changed her reaction, and allowed him to wrap his arms around her, and put his lips to hers. In her mind, the hot droplets of water pouring down her changed into his form, as it began a journey of exploration upon her body.

This was not the first time she had dreamt this since that fateful night at Hunsford House. For many days and nights after that event she had heard his voice inside her head repeat the declaration of love, and, as she recalled the expression which accompanied them, she found herself doubting her actions more and more. As the days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months, she found herself questioning every single opinion she had ever formed about him.

Perhaps, if she had experienced just this self-doubt alone, it would have soon gone away, but she had not. Instead she had been confronted several times during the past year by evidence all too real to back that self-doubt up, and turn it into something far more powerful, and more difficult to ignore. Belief. That, not only had she been wrong about him, but she had made the biggest mistake of her life in turning him down.

Evidence had come in the form of him and his subsequent actions following that night. She had expected, she had wanted, to never see him again, but soon came to realise that wish was impossible, especially when the preparations for Jane and Charles' wedding got underway. Not two days after the celebrations at Hunsford House had passed, and she learned the location where the ceremony was to take place.

At the home of the groom's best man and best friend; the ancestral home of the Darcy family; Pemberley. Jane had told her how Darcy had taken her and Charles to dinner, and given the news upon a prototype design of their wedding invitations. And how Charles had been struck speechless, only able to thank his friend by a long hug and a inane grin. Elizabeth had already been feeling torn between her desire to accept her sister's request and stand up with her as maid of honour on the day and only being a guest in order to avoid the best man, this news only increased her conflict. Only the thought of disappointing her sister kept her from refusing to attend at all.

Back then, she had still held true to her first impression of him. Pemberley was the first place which began to change her mind. Her first sight of the estate took her breath away. The combination of the simple, yet grand, stone, Italianate, palladian, palace, and the valley of green grass, woods, hills and lakes which surrounded it, quietly stole her heart. She was even more impressed with the interior's natural contrast of differing times and styles, with some rooms dating back to the Elizabethan and Jacobite eras.¹ And the journey of discovery did not end there.

During the run up to the ceremony and afterwards, Elizabeth learned through the approachable household of staff which still helped to run the place for the family, even though the once common practice had long since been abandoned by most landed families, another side of the character of England's sexiest tennis champion.

She learned that despite the gruelling schedule of his chosen profession, William Darcy was a most capable master of his ancestral home. That the collection of servants whose wages he doled out most generously, stayed not because of money but because of him, and how he treated them. Many of their ancestors had served past owners, and those who held key positions in the household had watched the young Fitzwilliam Darcy play, until the death of his parents had turned him into a man too quickly.

One member of the household in particular held the care of their young master close to her heart. The housekeeper, Mrs Reynolds. Not first to hold both the position and surname, she known 'Young Master William' since he was four years old. During her short sojourn at Pemberley, Elizabeth found herself becoming Mrs Reynolds' favourite talking companion, through no design of her own.

Through her, she came to realise the true character of the man who professed himself to be in love with her; a lonely, vulnerable, loyal, generous, kind-hearted, caring man, who hid behind a mask of studied indifference in an effort to protect himself from all of those who craved to earn part of the wealth and beautiful lands and houses he had inherited.

A man who nursed the grief of his parent's early deaths quietly in his heart, and feared spending the rest of his life alone. She did not owe this revelation to just Mrs Reynolds alone however. The housekeeper was still one of her master's closest confidants, and William Darcy frequently joined them wherever they happened to be. And every time he did, Elizabeth saw how wrong her impressions of him had been.

After Jane and Charles' wedding, she saw him rarely. His absence however did nothing to alter her revelations. Once she had realised how wrong she had been about him, Elizabeth also began to realise how much their characters suited each other. How much she found him to be attractive. And how much she desired him. Thus, two weeks before they met again for the US Grand Slam, these dreams of their encounter at Hunsford House began to haunt her nights and days, forcing her to realise how she wished that the evening had turned out differently.

Fate was not on her side this time. Her dreams served as a distraction throughout the championship, causing an erratic performance through each of her matches. Not only that, but just as it seemed the two of them were reaching a new sort of understanding, everything in her life promptly went to hell in a hand basket. Lydia made her page three debut, which caused Elizabeth to crash out of her semi final, then for her siblings to withdrew from their matches as well, in order to return to England and search for their missing sister.

How she was found, and who found her, to this day Elizabeth still had no idea. All she knew was that someone had called at the Gardiners with Lydia, and news that the police had arrested Wickham. When the affair was at an end and the scandal had calmed down, Elizabeth was left with the thought that, thanks to this, she would never get a second chance she now so desperately wanted with William Darcy.

This belief seemed certain when they next ran into each other, in Savannah, Georgia. Charles and Jane were spending Christmas in his American home, and had invited Elizabeth and the Darcys to spend it with him, all without each other's knowledge. William had been grave, silent and giving her no hope or encouragement that his feelings for her were still unchanged.

Elizabeth quietly endured the short holiday, putting forward a mask of apparent composure, and hiding the truth from everyone else, including Jane. At its end, she had become convinced that she had lost whatever opportunity she had to change things between them. Therefore she was shocked when it appeared that he had personally sought her out during the Australian Grand Slam. He hung around with her brother almost every day of the championship, causing them to see each other often. But his manner was just as it had been when they had first met.

In France, for Roland Garros, things were a little better. Due to both of them winning the championship, they found themselves thrown together by the press for joint interviews, during which, somehow, they developed a camaraderie of sorts. They learned how to talk to each other again, and gained a morsel of hope that they might finally understand each other soon.

The water turned cold, causing Elizabeth to come back to reality. She opened her eyes to find herself alone in the shower of her locker room at Wimbledon. She had just played her first round match an hour or so ago, against Elfrida Falknor,² winning in straight sets. Yet at the moment, the victory did not matter. For the only thing she could think about, was Fitzwilliam Darcy.

And whether she stood another chance to make things right between them.

By the end of the wedding however, he was still uncertain as to whether he had done enough to change her opinion of him. When they met in New York during the Grand Slam though, he saw and experienced much to bring him hope that he might have another chance with her. She seemed almost eager to spend time with him, yet at the same time shy in his company, which he hoped was because of the same reason for his shyness; fear that neither of them would be willing to let the other have another chance.

Then he heard of her sister's abduction as the result of Wickham's latest scheme, which parted himself and Elizabeth again. To this day, William still had no idea whether or not Elizabeth knew that it had been he who had found where Wickham and Lydia were hiding and had brought the police in to arrest the former, while returning the latter to the Gardiners. He had made it clear to all concerned that he wanted his actions kept secret, but, as he had learnt of Lydia's unaltered character, he had feared that there was little hope of that. He did not want Elizabeth's gratitude. He wanted her love. Freely and unconditionally.

When Christmas came, it seemed that his actions had produced a result beyond his worst nightmares. Elizabeth was grave, silent, and, when he tried to speak to her, gave him little encouragement to continue. William had returned to England in the deepest despair. He had almost withdrawn from Melbourne as a result. Hope however, had refused to disappear entirely from his character makeup, for which he was grateful when he arrived in France for the Roland Garros Grand Slam, and found her talking to him. Now, back at Wimbledon once more, William hoped to take that one step further.

The water turned cold, and he reached out to turn off the supply. Silently he stepped out, towelled himself off, and got dressed. He then took his bags to his car, before making his way to the entrance to the locker rooms of Court number three.

Elizabeth was surprised to find the object of her thoughts waiting for her when she emerged from the locker rooms and out into the London sunshine. "Hi," she greeted nervously.

"Hi," William replied, staring intensely at her. To his astonishment, she returned the gaze with one of her own that seemed just as wanting. Her dark brown eyes seemed to be calling to him, and he willingly surrendered to their siren song. He drew her into his arms, and laid his lips on hers.

Surprised, but more than willing to receive him, Elizabeth eagerly returned his kiss, determined to show him how much her feelings had changed since the last time he had tried to show her his feelings. Her hands came around his neck, tangling themselves in the ends of his dark hair.

When they broke apart with an almost urgent need of breath, William was in something of a daze. Barely able to believe what had just happened, he pressed his forehead to hers and breathed in deeply, drinking in her scent. "Elizabeth, how..... I....." he trailed off, speechless.

Elizabeth smiled at him, relief and desire coursing through her in equal measures. "I'm not sure myself," she answered, her voice low and breathy, "but I think it began when I first saw your beautiful grounds at Pemberley."

William laughed as she had intended, the sound coming out as a low, husky chuckle, showing that he was just as aroused as she. "Well, whatever happened, I am so glad that it did." He kissed her again. She leaned back against the wall for support, and the hard texture of the brick against his hands reminded him that this was not the best, nor most private, place to continue their reunion. He pulled back reluctantly from her lips. "I think we better go somewhere. Would I be too presumptuous in suggesting my apartment?"

"Not at all."

Half an hour later, they were sitting upon the sofa in the front living room of his spacious apartment. William had produced something to drink and something to eat from his kitchen, but neither of them seemed to have any appetite for food. Instead they sank into the deep recesses of his sofa, staring at each other, listening to the music playing through his entertainment system and wondering who would make the next move.

There is no one else around
The road is quiet, the only sound
Of wind that sounds like cars
That sound like..... breathing

Before either of them knew it, he was kissing her. Gently, tenderly, seducing her with his lips. She leant back, her buttocks resting against her heels, thighs parted, giving him room to roam over her. His hands slid down the thin cotton of her t-shirt, coming to the edge and slipping under to caress the bare skin below. A moan, hers, escaped from their kiss in response. His hands went further, then further, and suddenly stopped. Pulling from her lips, he gazed at her intently, stating his discovery in a calm, but heavily emotional, voice. "Elizabeth, you're not wearing a bra."

She matched his intense stare. Her reply was equally calm. "No I'm not."

The desert air is high and dry
Two lanes waving, earth and sky
The stars are always keeping time till morning
And I turn and look beside me
And you're sleeping like a baby
And you haven't heard a word that I've been saying
And the way you look tonight,
Fast asleep by the dashboard light
Well I can't speak
That's how I feel

This time she initiated the kiss. His hands caressed her skin once more, moving to her breasts, noticing somehow through the haze and the passion that her nipples were already hard. He fondled them absently, before withdrawing once more from her mouth, his desire to see all of her outweighing his need to kiss her. Elizabeth raised her arms, letting him slip the t-shirt off her. Her hair fell down from the clip that the top had taken with itself, coming to a rest around her bare chest, creating an even more tantalising vision in William's opinion.

Open your eyes, look at me, look at me
Open your eyes, look at me, look at me,
'Cause I have all this love for you
Before this ten year night is through
I'm telling you, take it from me, take it from me

He took a moment to gaze, his expression changing from lust-filled want, to tender, awed desire, and love. Then his lips had refastened themselves on hers, before slipping downwards; first to her neck, then her shoulder blades, and finally fixing on her nipples. She leaned her head back on the padded arm, eyes closed, content to let him worship there forever.

We're some years older, I know we are
Than the night we met at that downtown bar
You thought I was some kind of star
That's what you said
I felt your skin, felt the heat
As you pull me out on to the street
And kissed me there until I was weak

While his mouth was at her breast, his tongue twirling around her nipple, his hands slipped southward, to her skirt. Finding that it was trapped under her knees, he went back to the top and undid the four buttons. He slid a hand inside. It withdrew seconds later, damp and smelling of her. He left her nipples to take off his own shirt. She watched him, meeting his soulful eyes, then reached out with a hand and unzipped his fly. His manhood jutted out, erect and wanting.

Later on, on the kitchen floor
Two flights above the Grocery Store
I felt things I never felt before
And I still do

In reply she raised her buttocks and guided the skirt and pants down to lie at her knees. He received the message in her fine eyes and kissed her. Hands cupped her buttocks as he slid inside her, pulling her pelvis against him. Their kiss became even more intense until everything climaxed.

Open your eyes, look at me, look at me
Open your eyes, look at me, look at me,
'Cause I have all this love for you
Before this ten year night is through
I'm telling you, take it from me, take it from me

He wrenched himself from her lips to cry aloud her name, she answered with his own a second later.

There is no one else around
Take it from me

The scene around them retreated back into silence. William lowered his head back to hers, foreheads touching. Eyes and lips smiling.

There is no one else around
Take it from me

"I love you." He wanted to shout it from the rooftops, announce it on the radio, in a press conference, to the entire world, but it only came out in awed husky whisper, meant for her senses alone.

There is no one else around
Take it from me

She wanted to come back with something like 'took you long enough' or 'so I'd noticed' something else other than the cliché response, but at this moment, only those three words seemed right.

Content as he would have been to stay inside her forever, William was more than aware that their present position would soon cease to provide either of them any comfort. Reluctantly, he withdrew and sat back against the other sofa arm. Then he rose up, pulling his jeans back together again for the brief next journey. Then he held out his hand to her.

Elizabeth placed her hand in his open one, and willingly allowed herself to be pulled up to stand before him. He was entranced once again at how beautiful she looked, with nothing but a skirt around her waist, her dark brown- black in this light -hair cascading round her shoulders, a few thick curls still resting around her bare breasts, giving her mystery. He gazed into her eyes, and saw how dark they had suddenly become; the irises, once dark brown, now almost matching her pupils.

Gently he led her into the main corridor, and then through into his bedroom. Elizabeth silently admired the neutral coffee cream walls, combined with chocolate brown bed furnishings and a simple yet contemporary theme. Then William pulled her back into his arms, and all thoughts of interior design faded away. He held her gently, his hands drawing light circles on her shoulder blades, underneath her hair. His eyes seemed to be conveying permission to continue what they had already done on his sofa. She gazed her acceptance back into them. He pulled her closer, his hands tangling themselves in her hair as his lips fastened on hers.

Her response was all he could have hoped for and more. William kissed her for as long as could without the need for breath, then parted. His hands went down to her skirt, and slipped it off her. It fell to the floor, pooling around her bare feet. Elizabeth took her turn and pulled down his jeans. Silently, he led her to the bed. He sat down on the edge, his penis rearing up between his open legs.

Elizabeth smiled at him, then, without any warning, sat upon his lap. She laid her knees either side of his legs, then lowered herself slowly upon him, drawing him inside her. He groaned in pleasure, pleased to find that she was as eager as him to have them joined again. Latching on to one of her hard nipples, which were, in this position, at the perfect height for his mouth, he claimed her butt with his hands, suckling and grinding her upon him until they both cried out and came.

Afterwards William withdrew his mouth and leaned back to see her face. Smiling back at her, he negotiated the movement of their still joined bodies into the middle of the bed, then pulled her down. Their heads now rested on the pillows, he reached down with his arm and pulled the sheets over their bodies up to their waists. His arm then came back up to rest against hers.

Holding her elbows, William gazed into her eyes, his mouth forming a blissful smile to match her own. He could barely believe that this had happened. He had almost become resigned to it being nothing more than a product of his imagination. His hands moved back under her hair, pulling her closer to draw circles on her back once more. "Elizabeth," he uttered huskily, lingering over name, enjoying all its nuances of pronunciation. "I love you, Elizabeth."

"I love you too," she replied, lowering her tone to match his, "and I'm sorry it took me so long to admit it. Both to myself and to you."

"No apologies," he protested. "We both have crosses to bear concerning our past actions. I want this night not to be filled by remembrance of any of them."

"Agreed," Elizabeth decided. "What shall it be filled of then, Fitzwilliam?"

He gasped and drew her closer. "Say that again."

"Fitzwilliam," she pronounced, lingering over it in the same way he had done with her own a few minutes earlier. His reply was simply to pull her closer to him, and kiss her passionately. Her nipples pressed against his chest, and she felt his manhood harden inside her once again. She chuckled as their lips parted, surprised at just how much she had turned him on.

"How did you discover my full name?" He asked her.

"Charles mentioned it to Jane and she mentioned it to me during Christmas." Her own hands started to wander upon his chest. "Why doesn't anyone use it?"

"I could say that its never sound right coming from anyone else," he began, trying to ignore the distraction of her wandering hands, "but that is entirely too smooth a reply, even if it is true, in a way. However, your brothers and everyone else in my circle of friends have always called me Darce, while everyone else calls me William, save Caroline."

"What did Caroline call you?"

"My middle name, Rainier."

"Why Rainier?"

"She thought it was more aristocratic than Fitzwilliam. Yet another reason why I never let her get this far."

Elizabeth ceased her wandering and frowned in confusion. "You dated her for over a year, and you never slept with her?"

"Would you, if you were me?" He countered, his own hands joining hers in a wander. "After seeing her endless shades of orange tennis dresses, jeans, skirts and tops, I dread to think what she would have worn for our night together."

Elizabeth laughed, until William deftly rolled her underneath him, his hands travelling down between her legs, and his lips fastening on her left nipple, making the laughter turn quickly into a groan. Slowly he started to withdraw himself from her, then slide himself back in, his fingers finding her G spot and her clit and alternating between them. His lips switched to her other breast, then abruptly wrenched himself from it to gaze into her eyes as they both came.

They made love once more that night before admitting themselves to exhaustion, due to their matches earlier in the day, rather than feeling sated of each other. William drew her close to him, whispering goodnight to her before she closed her eyes and settled into the realms of sleep and dreams.

William stayed awake, watching her sleep long afterwards. He still could not believe what had just happened. What he had done recently to deserve her affections, her love, and the most precious gifts of all; her body and soul? The images of their joinings only an hour ago were still vivid in his mind. That first intense moment of culmination; on the sofa. For their first time the location was perhaps unusual but immensely satisfying. William had felt like he had come home. He knew even more now that Elizabeth was the woman he had been searching for his whole life. From this moment on he was determined to never loose her.

Chapter 19: Now That You Love Me.(Rated NC17).

Now that you love me
What do I do?
Thought I was crazy, waiting for you
That something amazing, could be true
How can the world feel like my dreams?
Now that you love me.

Now That You Love Me by The Alice Band .
from the album The Love Junk Store.

Tuesday 21st June, second day of the First Round:

When the light of the dawn first came through his bedroom windows, William opened his eyes and resumed the occupation he had previously been engaged in before sated exhaustion had come to conquer him completely.

His sleeping companion was also emerging from that nocturnal realm. While he had spent his sleep in the calm relief and certainty of their unity being eternal, some doubts had awaken in her dreams and night-thoughts. Fears that this might all just be a one night stand, or an anticlimax after the many months of hope, expectation and despair. But in the end, all of these proved to entirely false. For when Elizabeth had opened her eyes, she had all her doubts wiped away. The expression staring back at her, becoming the first thing her eyes were to see that morning, held no enigma. Never before had she seen so much love within man's eyes. She felt treasured and humbled, all at the same time.

"Whatever have I done to deserve you?" She asked him.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" William softly countered, his hands drawing lazy circles upon her bare arms. "Because I don't know what I have done to deserve you last night."

"I realised I was wrong to judge you this time last year," Elizabeth remarked. "And that I actually care about you more than I wanted to admit, until now."

"And now?" He sought nervously.

"I told you many times last night, Fitzwilliam," Elizabeth answered him with a teasing smile, and the touch of her hand, as one finger wandered down the middle of his bare chest.

"I'm afraid I'm gonna need a lot of reassurance that this isn't a blissful illusion for many months," he persisted.

"I love you," Elizabeth confirmed once more. "And I think you're not the only one whose gonna need reassurance. At one point last year I was sure this would never happen."

"When was that?"

Elizabeth looked down at the dark abyss created by the duvet and bed in the small space between them, ashamed to mention it. "When Lydia declared herself on page 3."

The circles ceased, and her arms were tightly clasped instead. "Elizabeth," Fitzwilliam uttered, his tone, like it had been ever since their reunion, reverent and devout, "Nothing that Lydia did would have made me forget you." Still seeing her downward gaze, he asked, "was this why you were grave and silent in Savannah?"

A silent nod was all the confirmation he received. "So were you," she countered.

"Only because I was nervous and surprised," he replied. "Charles and Jane never told me you would be there. And when I did try, I received little encouragement to persist." He paused, and pulled her into his arms. "My love, I promise you, nothing that anyone related to us could do, would stop me loving you. And I'm sure that part, if not of all Lydia's misdeeds can also be because of Wickham and not any thing else."

Elizabeth gazed at him steadily, comforted when she saw nothing but sincerity in his dark eyes. "What is the truth behind his sob story concerning you?" She asked.

Fitzwilliam closed his eyes momentarily, took a deep breath, then told her the events of his relationship with George Wickham, and the ending that fateful day in Ramsgate. She listened to him in silence. When he had reached the end, she was outraged at Wickham's actions, and horrified for Georgia.

"You must have felt dreadful when Lydia's repetition occurred," she mused.

"I did, for you and your family," William emphasised. "From the first moment I heard, I wanted to help, but I was committed."

Elizabeth nodded absently, still thinking over the story, when the implications of his last sentence suddenly struck her. She looked at him in amazement. "It was you. You were the one who found them."

It was out. He had hoped that he would never have to tell her. He did not want her gratitude. Nor for her to feel a sense of obligation concerning him. He wanted her love returned unconditionally. But she had guessed and now the truth would have to be revealed. "Yes, I found them. I knew his favourite safehouses. I had him arrested and returned your sister to the Gardiners."

"And swore them to secrecy," she finished for him. "Why did you not want your actions known?"

"I didn't want you to feel a sense of obligation towards me," he answered. "I wanted you to return my love as unconditionally as I gave it."

Elizabeth shook her head in wonder at his generosity and candour. "You really should have a better opinion of your worth."

"Believe me, I think I will begin to, with you by my side." He paused. "I don't think I've actually had a woman who saw me for myself instead of my material possessions, until now." He kissed her.

Elizabeth responded immediately, feeling that they had talked enough for the morning. She had felt his desire from the moment she had awoke. It was a testament to his self-control that he had not acted upon it until now. She smiled under his lips at that thought, then everything else abruptly emptied itself out of her mind, as she became lost in the sensations produced by his kiss.

William rolled her under him, slipping inside her. Again, their fifth time was to be different from all the others. None of the fast, almost fanatic pace which had been present in the first, none of the urgency like the second. Slow, but much more slower than the third, with more gentle tenderness than the fourth. This time was to be a gradual build up to the bliss of culmination. Elizabeth closed her eyes and let the pleasure of his touch take over her. She felt him harden gradually inside her, his movements exact and precise, turning it into a more leisurely ride.

Tenderly he broke from her lips, his eyes seeking out her own, holding her gaze while his penis grew larger and larger inside her. His hands left her arms, and she raised them up, clasping the side of the mattress in the small gap before the headboard. He placed his own either side of her breasts, his long thumbs stretched out and pressing on her hard nipples as he rode her.

She arched her back and bucked her thighs beneath him. No sound came from either of them, their minds too focused on the journey, and reluctant to break the silent intensity of their joining. Then he slid himself almost all the way out, and returned with a rush up to her hilt, and she was lost. As for him, the look of bliss in her eyes was all that he required to give up his control.

Afterwards, when their eyes had cleared, and their minds had returned to reality, William sat up straight and moved his hands to fully cover her breasts. Elizabeth let go of the mattress and put her arms behind her head, as she relaxed into his gentle fondling. "I am so glad we don't have to do anything but training today," she said.

"If it were up to me, we wouldn't be even doing that," William remarked. "But then again, if neither of us turned up," he paused, realising something. "Does anyone know where we are?"

"I don't think so," she replied, equally thoughtful. "What do you usually do?"

"Usually Georgie and I stay at the townhouse," he informed her, his hands still gently kneading her breasts. "My parents left us several places," he added, upon her look of puzzlement. "The townhouse was our usual haunt when we were needed in London. What about yours?"

"Usually I divide my time between Jane's and my family's place." She gracefully arched her back as his hands slipped under her nipples to the taut skin that descended to her stomach. "And then there's my apartment opposite for when I want to be alone."

Abruptly his hands stilled, and she uttered a moan of regret. Fitzwilliam stared at her in shock. "You live across the street?" He sought to confirm. She nodded in reply, and he chuckled as he resumed his previous ministrations. "I wish I had known that before."

"Why, what would you have done?"

"I'm not sure," he confessed, "but something along the lines of climbing up to your bedroom window and banging on the window panes begging you to let me in springs to mind."

She chucked, her hips wriggling beneath him, causing his still hard manhood to shift inside her. He was not planning on withdrawing from her for a while yet. "I'm sure some of our neighbours would have objected to that."

"As long as they didn't call the police before you let me in, I wouldn't care," he replied. He sighed as his mind returned to the original point of their conversation, his conscience awakening. "As much as I hate suggesting this, I suppose we ought to let them know where we are."

Elizabeth uttered her own sigh of regret. "I hate it, but you're right." She sat up, his hands and his penis leaving her at the same time. Gracefully she bent her legs to her chest and turned to place her feet on the floor. "Where did you put my coat?" She asked him.

"I do have two phones," William informed her.

"I know, but Jane has caller ID and I want to keep her in suspense as long as possible," she explained, before getting up.

He gave the directions, then watched her walk naked out of his bedroom, a smile upon his face. When he was alone, William blinked and moved up to the head of his bed. Leaning his back against the headboard, he reached out and picked up the receiver of cordless in his bedroom. His pressed his speed-dial, then held it to his ear and waited for it to be picked up. "Hi Georgie, its me," he replied after hearing her voice on the other end. "I'm sorry if I caused you any concern. You'll never guess what happened yesterday."

"Yes, he phoned last night," Jane answered. "Where have you been, Lizzy? I called your apartment and there was no answer."

"I was across the street," Elizabeth replied cryptically.

"Across the street?" Jane repeated, puzzled.

"Charles will know what I mean." Elizabeth smiled as she heard her sister call to her husband, then his hushed savannah tone as he replied. Jane then squealed and returned to her in astonishment. "You spent the night with William Darcy!?!"

"Not just the night," Elizabeth said with a smile as she moved back into the corridor, grateful that the front door was a full white panelled job, so no one would see that she only had a mobile hide her body behind. "I'm standing in his hallway at the moment."

"You're not leaving the poor man already are you?" Jane sought not to confirm.

Elizabeth chuckled in reply. "I knew you and Charles knew about his feelings for me. I figured at least you however would believe in my loyalty to someone I love."

"You mean you return his affection?" Jane queried.

"'fraid so."

"Lizzy, that's wonderful," was her sister's joyful avowal of approval.

"Believe me, I don't think you know how wonderful," Elizabeth confessed to her, her eyes gazing across the narrow corridor through the open door to his bedroom, watching him as he talked to his own sister. "Wonderful, is a woefully inadequate word to describe last night and this morning, but if I gave you any of mine, I would blush."

"That good?"

"Mmm." Elizabeth smiled as the man in question finished his phone call and met her gaze to return an equally lustful one of his own. "Speaking of which, he's calling to me with his brooding eyes, so I better go."

"I'll guess we'll see you this afternoon for Toby's match," Jane reminded her. "What shall I tell Dad?"

"Tell him I'm fine, and I'll see him and Uncle Gardiner on the training courts after lunch," Elizabeth said, before exchanging farewells. She shut off her mobile, and walked back into the bedroom. Climbing on to Fitzwilliam's lap, she kissed his smooth jaw in greeting. "How is Georgia?"

"Relieved that I finally called in. Overjoyed to learn about us." He trailed his lips along her cheek. "I'm still in a state of awe about this." His hands came up under her arms to cup her breasts, making it clear that he did not intend for them to be moving out of the bedroom just yet. "She reminded me that she's got a match at three."

"Well, Toby's got his this afternoon as well," Elizabeth informed him. "And I did promise Dad I'd meet him for training at one."

"I promised your uncle that as well." He glanced at the clock. "We better make the most of the remaining hours."

"I couldn't agree more," she replied, turning in arms to face him. His hands traced a path up her shoulder blades, while he gazed at her in pure, unabashed adoration. Elizabeth returned the look just as powerfully. Moving to her butt, he pressed her against him as his lips sought her own in a searing kiss.

Both of their coaches were waiting for them, talking to each other across the barrier of their chosen courts. Michael Bennet and Edward Gardiner fell into silence when they, hearing the click of the closing door, turned and saw their players' new found closeness when the couple appeared. Surprised, they exchanged a glance of mutual wonderment, before preparing for their training sessions.

"Hello Lizbeth," Michael Bennet remarked in greeting to his daughter, uttering his nickname for her, as if he could see the future already. "I can see you had a good night."

Elizabeth blushed, and parted from her lover to hug her father in reply. "I'm sorry if I caused you some concern, Papa."

"One more white hair won't make much difference," her father answered in confirmation. Michael Bennet then turned to her companion, giving the world champion an evaluating glance. "And what are your intentions regarding my daughter, William?"

"Nothing but the most honourable ones, sir," Fitzwilliam replied solemnly.

"I should hope so," Michael said, before picking up his racket. He turned to his daughter. "Ready for training, Lizzy?"

Elizabeth nodded. She turned to Fitzwilliam and gave him a quick kiss before following her father on to the court. William watched her go, then turned to his own coach, who regarded him with a smile. "Finally found the courage then?" Edward Gardiner asked.

"Yeah, and I'm very glad I did," William replied as he climbed over the barrier to join him on the adjoining court.

"Have you told her about what you did?" Edward enquired as they took their places on the court.

"She guessed, and I couldn't lie to her." William caught the ball from him. He bounced it on the ground, then caught it and held it against his racket for a moment. "I'm in this for long haul, sir. I'm looking to forever."

"I never doubted for a moment that you weren't, Will," Edward said. "Now, are you ready to serve?"

William smiled, and raised his racket. Throwing the ball into the air, he focused on his training for as long as he was required.

Elizabeth leaned back in her chair and clasped William's hand in the gap between their seats. William turned to her and smiled before settling down to watch his sister's match. Silently she reflected on the day before. Never in her wildest dreams would she have imagined what had happened in only a few hours. She had met the day with a mixture of hope and despair, only to end it in total bliss as her sleeping mind relished the amazing sex it had experienced.

This time last year, she would have laughed if someone had told her that this was how things would have worked out. Now she could not imagine things any other way. A part of her should have been scared at that realisation, but Elizabeth felt nothing that was even close to fear. Instead, she felt that nothing could be more right about this relationship. Last night, when he had entered her for the first time, she had felt like she had come home. Everything had suddenly made sense. Even now, as she held his hand in her own, that feeling of belonging had not gone away. If anything, it had only strengthened since the night before.

William glanced at his companion during the first three games break. He still could believe all that had happened since he had sought her out yesterday. All his dreams had suddenly come true. For the first time in a long while, he felt like he belonged. The years since the death of his parents had given him a sense of drifting, of not really connecting with anyone, except Georgia and Richard. With Caroline he had kept his distance, never fully committing himself. And for one reason. It had not felt right. None of his past relationships had, even the ones where he had committed himself.

But with Elizabeth everything was different. Everything within him had suddenly come alive. He was always aware of her presence, and her touch upon him. For the first time since his youth, he felt completely happy.

He had come home.

1. Amelia Webster is from Amelia Webster, part of Jane Austen's juvenilia.

Chapter 20: The Closer You Get.(Rated NC17).

The closer you get, the better I feel
The closer you are, the more I see
Why everyone says that I look happier
When you're around
The closer you get, the better I feel.

The Closer You Get, by Dido.
From the album, Life For Rent.¹

Wednesday 22nd June, Second Round:

Elizabeth shifted in the bed, her mind and body slowly coming out of its deep sleep as her senses became attuned the nearest of the dawn. Her breasts brushed against something in front of them, which instantly readjusted its grip after she had stilled once more. Immediately, she opened her eyes and looked down. Smiling at the sight which greeted her, she took in the rest of her surroundings.

After seeing Georgia win her first round match in straight sets, Fitzwilliam had joined her with the rest of her family at Toby's against Tom Musgrave.² When that had been completed with her brother winning in straight sets, Elizabeth had returned with Fitzwilliam to his apartment, via a short visit to her own to collect some necessities. Soon after that and light, candlelit meal, he had led her back to his bedroom, where they had not moved from since.

Now, she had opened her eyes to find him behind her; his hands clasping her breasts, his erection pressed against the small of her back. They had made love many times the night before, but it was obvious by this that he still desired her. Still smiling, she gently turned round, making sure her movements did not disturb him from his sleep. Silently, she rested her head on her hand, the elbow on the pillow, and gazed at her dozing lover.

He looked younger in his sleep, his vulnerable face belying his twenty-eight years. Yet, the magnetism of his presence was still very much apparent. Her eyes raked over his magnificent body, admiring the toned planes of his upper body, which, to her mind, seemed perfect without a six-pack, though one was not held back from appearing by much.

Her smile changed to one of bliss as her gaze encountered his manhood, rearing powerfully towards her, as she remembered how good it felt when that was inside her. Automatically, her other hand, which had been resting against her side, reached out to touch it. Gently she ran her fingers up, down and around, exploring, measuring his reaction.

Suddenly she felt his fingers beginning an explanation of their own. Her hand stayed where it was, but her eyes returned to his face, to find him looking at her. "Hey," she greeted him softly. She indicated the position of her hand. "Do you mind?"

"Not at all," he answered, as his fingers explored her own sex. "Do you?" He asked, as one of them brushed her clit.

"Not in the least," Elizabeth replied, moving her hips to give him more access. A soft groan escaped her as he slid a couple of fingers inside her. Her own exploring stilled as he intensified his. Her eyes locked his gaze as he heightened her arousal. Then a wicked smile appeared on her face, and Elizabeth abruptly shifted until he was underneath her. Smiling, she mounted him, her knees either side of him, making his erection press against her belly. "Do you mind?" She asked him again, this time for an entirely different reason.

Fitzwilliam settled himself beneath her, his hands clasping her butt. "I've been imaging you pleasuring yourself on me for months," he replied in approval. He watched her raise her hips and move herself over his manhood, a soft sigh escaping him as she impaled herself upon him in one quick thrust. His hands stilled on her butt, while his eyes raked over body, as he watched her pleasure herself upon him.

Her long dark hair shook back and forth, some curls settling around her breasts, which he ached to touch, but at the same time did not want to hide any part of them from his vision. She arched her back and he raised his eyes to hers, and saw the bliss in her gaze. Her thrusts became harder, and suddenly he knew she was baring herself completely to him, free of all inhibitions. He realised that within only two days and three nights she had come to completely trust him and his love for her, and the revelation drove him to his release, just as her own came to coat him inside her.

Elizabeth cried out his name, hearing him answer with her own barely a second later. Suddenly drained, she collapsed into his welcoming arms. Fitzwilliam pressed her close to him and smiled at her. "Thank you," he said.

"For what?" She had to ask.

"Being able to trust me with yourself," he answered, his hands lightly caressing her back. "For everything since you walked back into my life two days and three nights ago."

"The feeling's mutual," she commented.

They lay there, both thoughtfully reflecting over all that had happened since that reunion of sorts, and how each moment had made them feel. William's eyes gazed into hers, watching her changing expression of various degrees of bliss, as his mind went further back, recalling the occasion when he had first found her fine eyes so bewitching. It had been the evening at Lucas Lodge.

Toby had cornered him into accepting, even though William really had not wanted to go, because he knew Caroline would be there, and she would try and cling to his side all night. But from the moment he had fixed his eyes on Elizabeth, he had not regretted relenting to go for one moment. That had been the first night he had actually admitted to someone else that he was interested in her.

It was also the first time he could have realised her own first impressions about him, he suddenly realised. Her brother had warned him then that she had thought him cruel for dumping Caroline on national television. But back then, he had ignored it, assuming Toby would acquit him.

"Do you still believe I dumped Caroline on national television?" He asked her, coming out of his reflections.

Elizabeth shook her head. "I think I know enough about you and Caroline now to realise that was just you making it official," she said, causing him to smile at the similarity in their choice of words. "Who told you about that?"

"Your brother, at Lucas Lodge. When I first realised how bewitching your eyes are." He smiled at her as she blushed under his compliment. More of the evening came back to him then, and he remembered what else had bothered him that night, which, when brought into conjunction with something Lydia had said to him when he had discovered her and Wickham, and how he had known that Darcy would come to fix things. "Was there something between you and Denton Lucas?" He asked her.

"He was my last boyfriend before you," Elizabeth replied, confirming his suspicions. "Why do you ask?"

"When I told Toby how I felt attracted to you, he chuckled and had this expression on his face. Then when I found your sister, she mentioned something about him saying you were a bad lay. Which I don't agree with, by the way." He paused, making sure the last part of his speech had been believed, then asked, "what happened between you two?"

"We dated for a few weeks during Roland Garros, last year," Elizabeth explained, her fingers gently exploring his chest as she recalled that moment of her past. "I quickly discovered that he was a charmer, too assured of his good looks and his sex power. I gave him one last try before we came back to England, but he had different ideas about tennis, so I dumped him. We've never even slept together. He tried, but I wasn't that interested in him." She paused, and realised that she ought to add the last part of the story. "On the night of Jane and Charles' engagement party, I found him up against a wall with Lydia."

William swore, surprising Elizabeth, who had only heard him utter 'damn' whenever she aroused him to the point of begging, then remarked, "I wondered why Toby's ignored him since then." He looked at her thoughtfully. "Did him having Lydia hurt you?"

"No, I was never that in to him." Elizabeth blushed, then smiled. "The image did haunt me afterwards though, but for entirely different reasons. It was the first time I ever pictured us."

Fitzwilliam's fingers abruptly stilled as her words reached him. "You thought of us then?" He queried, surprised. "But I thought you hated me then."

"I did, but I still pictured us against that wall," Elizabeth smiled. "I blamed it on the dance we'd just had. But I couldn't stop thinking about it. When it was no longer annoying to me, I depended on it in order to cope."

Fitzwilliam chuckled as he remembered his own wants after that dance. "Dare I wonder if anything might have happened, had I followed you outside?"

"Probably not," Elizabeth replied, sorry to disappoint him. "I was too angry with myself then, of thinking of that." She smiled as a thought suddenly came to her. "But if you had tried shoving me up against a wall while we in New York or Savannah, I probably would have been ready for you. That do anything for you?"

His response was to kiss her with sudden, blinding desire. Elizabeth let herself be rolled under him, her own body just as turned on by the reminder of that particular fantasy. He entered her quickly, and she groaned as she felt herself respond with the same speed. He pounded into her, thrust after thrust, his hands kneading her breasts. She arched her back and squeezed around him in ecstasy, as each movement of hers made him drive into her harder and harder. A second later, he called out her name and came, her own release following fast.

Afterwards, he gathered her into his arms and kissed her soundly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to be so rough."

"I wanted it just as bad." Elizabeth assured him, as she clenched around his penis which was still residing inside her. He groaned at the sensation. "I don't think I'm ready for another run yet," he admitted to her, his tone betraying just how exhausted he was, despite the want the rest of his body seemed to show.

"Its alright," she replied, settling into his arms for some more conversation, "we have plenty of time."

As for the man himself, William paid them no mind. Instead he sat back and relished in the opportunity to watch Elizabeth in the most viewable spot of the court. She was wearing a tennis dress which clung to all her curves, its brilliant white colour contrasting with his thoughts of how they had spent the morning, when she could not have been less pure and innocent, much to his joy.

He was glad that there were few people in the players box with him; Michael Bennet being away to watch her younger sister Kitty in her second round with Emma Watson,⁴ and Madeline Gardiner watching her eldest Leo playing William Elliot,.⁵ meaning only the opponent representatives were taking up the rest of the seats, because his line of thoughts were sometimes evident in the tight jeans he was wearing.

"Elizabeth Bennet verses Lucy Steele. First set, Miss Bennet to serve," the umpire announced, calling William out of his recollections as he made himself focus on the match. During the past year, he had rarely seen her play, the men's tours and women's tours often having different schedules and different countries. But whenever they had been in the same neck of the woods, he had always tried to see her play.

Normally he would slip into the back row, sporting dark glasses and nondescript clothes, hoping none of the press would pick up on his presence and cause Elizabeth to wonder why he of all people had been there. The chance to watch her with her permission and such close quarters, was a wonderful contrast and improvement.

She caught a ball from the back now, and bounced it down behind the last touch-line on her side of the court. William eyes watched her form as she played her first serve for the first game. As always he was caught by her graceful movements, as her hands raised racket and ball up, throwing the former into the air, and swinging the latter back then forward to hit the ball. He watched her reaction as it flew across the court, seeing her instinctive preparation to receive, then relax as the shot turned into an ace.

The crowd applauded the first ace of the match from their nation's number one tennis woman, and William joined in, not caring when a camera flashed on him as they took a picture. The photograph would doubtless be in some newspaper tomorrow, but William did not mind. This relationship was by no means like his last. He wanted the press to acknowledge him and Elizabeth, for he intended them to be together for a long time, and he knew that he would appreciate the pictures, if not the articles, long into the future. A part of him could also not deny wanting their ex's to see them either. Caroline's reaction, in particular.

Elizabeth performed her second serve, and William leaned forward in his seat, watching his girlfriend play her match. He had been so overjoyed to learn about her success during the past year. He had cheered at her winning the Australian, even through he had despaired of them ever getting together back then, and he had been even more pleased when they had both won the French, not just because it meant that they had to pose together for pictures.

He smiled as he watched her score another ace. She seemed to be on fire against Canada's number one, and he was pleased to think that a part of it at least was due to him. If he had known that it would only take showing up outside the changing rooms for them to come together, he would have tried it months ago.

But he had not, and they were together now. There was no need to dwell on thoughts and speculations of what might have been. They were an item. He smiled at the word and leaned back in his chair. He fixed his eyes on Elizabeth's moving form, and watched the rest of her match, cheering at every point one, applauding at the end of every winning game.

She smiled to herself and quickly changed, not having time for a shower, and not really needing one as the match had not taken much out of her. Spraying some body spray on, she slipped on her jeans and t-shirt, packed her things in her locker to collect later, and walked back outside.

The players box had only gained two additions in her absence; Fitzwilliam's coach and her uncle, Edward Gardiner, and her brother Toby.

"What are you doing here?" Elizabeth asked him as she joined him on the next set, unconsciously smiling as she realised that her lover had been sitting on the same seat only moments before.

"Dad wanted me to check on how you did, and Jane wanted me to give you a message," Toby replied.

Elizabeth told him of her victory, then asked after her sister's, pleased to hear that Kitty had also won her second round match. "What did Jane want?"

"To know if you and Darce were free tonight for dinner," Toby replied, giving his sister an appraising eye. "I must admit, I was surprised to hear that you'd finally relented to give him a chance."

"Are you calling me stubborn?" Elizabeth queried, pretending to be affronted.

Toby shook his head. "No way, I would never presume. Seriously, what made you change your mind about him?"

"A lot of things," Elizabeth replied, turning to smile at the man in question as he sought her gaze before walking back on to the court for the first set. "I realised that I had misjudged him, and that I couldn't stop thinking about him."

"And now?" Toby asked.

"Now, I couldn't be happier," Elizabeth replied.

"Fitzwilliam Darcy verses James Benwick.⁶ First set, Darcy to serve," announced the umpire at that point, halting conversation between the siblings. Elizabeth greeted her uncle, then settled down to watch the match. During the past year she had rarely had the opportunity to see him play, either because of geography, or a case of nerves.

Last Wimbledon, she had seen him and heard him play, but not with enjoyment, having been too confused about the truth of Wickham's story during one, and a favour to her father for the other. This would be the first time she had actually sat to watch him play without conflicted feelings for him.

She watched his movements for his first serve, seeing the ball rocket down the court, nothing more than a blip to the crowd as it hurtled towards the opposite barrier, the IBM speed counter clocking the fast speed. Silently she realised why he was world number one.

He was magnificent. His presence on court seemed to exude confidence. Elizabeth knew from their earlier conversations during the day that he rarely was confident of victory, despite his spectacular winning streak, but the uncertainty was not apparent. He moved with a grace, an elegance. His shots were precise and fast. He seemed at home in both fast serves and slow drop shots. There was also an edge about his game as well, that drew everyone into watching him play.

"Game, Darcy. Darcy leads by one game to love. Benwick to serve."

Elizabeth leaned back into her seat, focusing her mind on the match. Her eyes remained on Fitzwilliam the entire time, her mouth smiling as it remembered all the places his hands and the rest of him had been that morning and night, and how good it had felt. And wonderful she thought the rest of the championship was going to be with him by her side.

Volume six