First Impressions: A Modern Pride and Prejudice Adaptation

Chapter 36

She was torn, half glad she had brought it, and half wishing she had brought a different bathing suit. It was very showy. Liz held the bathing suit up to her body in the mirror. It showed quite a bit of the t-shirt underneath and she could imagine what skin. "Lydia," she muttered under her breath, not entirely sure if she was saying it as a curse or in grudging thanks.

She laid it out on top of the dresser with her clothing for the next morning and tried not to think about it for the rest of the evening. Darcy's behavior had occupied her mind for most of the day. The same marked change in his treatment of other people remained; when they first met at the restaurant, she was almost afraid she had imagined the change and that he would revert back to chill indifference that had once been his hallmark. And that he had apparently encouraged Georgie to invite her over...

Even if it was only out of concern for leaving her alone with Caroline for a day, it was still an invitation.

Although she chose to stop her thoughts there, attempting to force herself not to overanalyze the events of the day, it was a struggle to keep them out of her mind. She wanted to consider Darcy's expressions, the way he spoke to her aunt and uncle... and, perhaps most importantly, his adamance that he be the one to pick up the bill, despite protests. It was easier, if no more comfortable, to think about Chip's behavior. He had been as charming as ever, even if he seemed a little flustered, but he had clearly stumbled on some of his answers for his behavior. She was at the very least slightly pleased that he did have some discontent of conscience.

How forgiving him would feel on her conscience, she could not say.

~~~~

The morning dawned bright and warm with a breeze that she feared might be more chilly than pleasant once she had dunked herself in a pond. Never one to back down from an invitation or a challenge, though, she dutifully dressed in her chosen outfit and stowed a plastic hairclip in her bag to be sure to keep her wet hair out of the way later.

At breakfast, Mr. Gardiner received a series of emails that were clearly of more importance than he wanted to acknowledge. He kept pulling out his phone to type hurried answers, his expression pulling into hard lines every time he did.

"I hope they're not going to be on you all day," Mrs. Gardiner said when he lay his phone face-down on the table for the third time. "They never seem to respect your vacations."

He shrugged. "It's my fault a little bit. I probably should have taken my time further away from the transfer date." He smiled at Liz. "But I didn't want to break our plans completely. I just might be a little frazzled today."

They accepted his apology with grace, but Mrs. Gardiner was clearly disappointed. They left him at the table to meet in the car. Mrs. Gardiner sat in the front seat, Liz in the back. Liz hooked on arm around the side of her aunt's seat to keep herself closer to the front.

As Mrs. Gardiner buckled her seatbelt, she said, "If you want us to go away, just give me a nudge, okay? I'll say I have some friends to meet."

"Why would I want you to go away?"

"Oh, you know." Mrs. Gardiner batted her lashes at Liz through the review mirror. "You'll probably want some time alone with your friends, won't you?"

"Auntie Mel, please!" Liz groaned, sliding away in her seat until her back hit against the cushioning.

"What did I say?" she asked archly.

"You didn't say anything, and you know it! I really think you're making a big deal out of nothing. I don't think you get what happened last summer." More importantly she did not want her aunt to find out what had happened in January. "If you're not careful, you're going to act like my mother."