Foundation of Love: The Gypsy Blessing 2 Read online

  At the moment their eyes met again, he could not help but picture her as a part of every facet of his future as well. Entranced, William was very glad that he had just made so many trips on the stairs, hoping that exertion would excuse his current breathing pattern.

  He watched as Elizabeth raised one of her delicate eyebrows. Her smile faded, and a slight frown soon took its place. It was as if the moon had eclipsed the sun.

  William blinked a few times in rapid succession, trying to understand what had happened. Already addicted, he tried to think of what he could do to have her smile return. He’d give half his fortune to see it directed at him again.

  Heaven help him, after fewer than five minutes in her presence, he was already in big trouble!

  The expressions on his sister’s and Anne’s faces made him think that something was very wrong. Had Elizabeth spoken to him, and he just stared at her in response? She would think him rude if he didn’t answer her, but for the life of him, he could not remember hearing her speak to him.

  William cleared his throat. “I’m Georgiana’s brother.”

  She cocked her head slightly to the side and bit her bottom lip. The way her eyes sparkled, he knew she was suppressing a smile. “Nice to meet you, Georgiana’s brother.”

  William’s eyes widened. “Will!” he blurted out, but it sounded like a command.

  Elizabeth frowned. For the briefest of moments, he saw something else—confusion... possibly fear—in her eyes!

  Please, someone tell me I didn’t make her afraid of me.

  “Okay.” She turned to Georgiana. “I have a lot of work to do. See you later.” She quickly withdrew into her bedroom.

  William’s mind was thrown further into a whirlwind. I knew I’d make a fool of myself. An unexpected glare from Anne served only to confuse him further. Turning to leave, he almost whispered, “I have to make a couple more trips.”

  ~%~

  It’s happening again!

  In a rush to escape from the common room, Elizabeth slammed her bedroom door behind her. She flipped through the photos on her cell phone until she found the right one. Staring at the first photo, then the next, and the next, she sat down heavily on her bed. He’s wearing the same clothes. She looked down. So am I. It changed... I purposely left the outfit I was wearing in that photo at home. She pressed a button and moved on to the last picture in the sequence. This is exactly the way it happened!

  Trying to calm herself, she closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. An idea occurred to her, and her eyes snapped open. She pressed several icons on her phone, but no matter how she tried, she could not delete those photos.

  She looked at the last one again, where she was walking away from him. The others did come true, but what about this one? Did this really happen when my back was turned? In the photo, he seems sorry about the way he spoke to me.

  ~%~

  Georgiana caught up to her brother at his SUV. As he opened the hatch door and was about to reach in for the next load, she took hold of his arm. “I thought I’d made it clear that I wanted to make a good impression. You knew that.”

  “Of course, I did. It’s all you’ve talked about for weeks.” His anger at himself reflected in his voice.

  “You were looking at Elizabeth as if she had a disease you didn’t want to catch. I don’t understand why you would insult her like that.”

  William sighed. “Please tell me you’re joking, Georgie? Did I really come off that badly?”

  Georgiana’s anger quickly changed to concern when she saw his embarrassment. “Will?”

  He shook his head. “Believe me, Georgiana, I didn’t mean to do that. I was just so…” He huffed.

  “You usually make that face when you’re nervous. Are you that worried that I’ll be living away from home?”

  William took in a deep breath. He just couldn’t tell her. “That’s part of it... the rest doesn’t matter. Forget it.” He made an effort to smooth the frown from his brow. “I promise I’ll do better. I just hope she doesn’t rely on first impressions.”

  The last was said under his breath, but he could see that Georgiana must have heard it. She knit her brows in confusion.

  William lifted two suitcases out of the hatch back, waited for his sister to grab a lighter one, and then he did something he had never done before—slammed the door of his precious SUV. Georgiana jumped at the unexpected noise.

  Richard seemed to appear out of nowhere and planted a quick kiss on his young cousin’s cheek. “Hello, Poppet. Why is Will angry at his truck?”

  William glared at his cousin.

  Richard took the suitcase from Georgiana and led the way into the building. Richard’s glances back at him gave William the impression that Richard didn’t want to broach that subject again.

  As they approached the third floor, Richard turned to Georgiana. “Have you seen your rooms yet?”

  “Yes, and we saw Anne and Lizzy.” She glanced significantly at her brother before continuing.

  Richard’s eyebrows rose high on his forehead as he looked back at William.

  William’s scowl deepened.

  Georgiana reached the top of the staircase and turned around. “Anne is already moved in. Lizzy said she’d already emptied her car, too.”

  Richard laughed and winked at Georgiana. “Anne is always ‘moved in’. I’m sort of a mascot to the ladies in suite 310, so I thought I’d see if anyone needed help, but it looks like I timed my arrival perfectly.” Richard smiled widely. He turned to look at William. “I didn’t think my boss would mind if I took the day off since he just happens to be here, too. We’ll all be going out to dinner and dancing at Speakeasy tonight. You’ll be coming along, right, Will?”

  William glanced at Georgiana’s expectant face before allowing her to enter the common room ahead of him. He let out a sigh. “Yes, I’ll come along, but do not expect me to dance!” William exclaimed as he passed through the door. Richard followed him.

  Elizabeth stopped halfway out of her bedroom door, obviously struggling with the heavy box she was carrying. “Hey, Richie!”

  William moved to rid himself of Georgiana’s suitcases so he could help Elizabeth, but Richard got there before him and took the box from her. “Gads, Squirt! What do you have in here, weights?”

  Elizabeth’s laughter tinkled. “Where were you when I carried this up three flights of stairs earlier today? I think there are several hundred of Jane’s clothing patterns in that box.”

  “Then why wasn’t Jane the one carrying it up three flights of stairs?”

  Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “Jane is following in her boyfriend’s SUV with the rest of our stuff. They must have been delayed, probably too busy staring dreamy-eyed at each other as usual. I was supposed to leave the heaviest stuff in my truck for her boyfriend to carry it up, but…”

  Richard interrupted in a very bad accent. “But Lizzy don’t need no man for nothin’.”

  “Darn straight, buster!” She giggled and opened the door to Jane’s bedroom, gesturing for him to pass through first.

  William’s jaw muscles tightened throughout this exchange.

  Georgiana placed a hand on his arm and whispered, “What is with you today, Will?”

  He shook his head.

  Anne came out of her bedroom. “Is that my man I hear?”

  “’Tis I, my sweet.” Richard peered out from behind Jane’s bedroom door.

  Anne crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her foot, obviously holding back a smile. “In a woman’s bedroom?”

  Elizabeth stepped out of Jane’s room. “And not alone.”

  “Drat, I’ve been caught, red-handed!” Richard hung his head in feigned shame, then walked toward Anne and took her hands in his. “Forgive me?”

  “Prove your devotion to me, sir, and perhaps I will.”

  “Your wish is my command, my lady.” Richard grabbed hold of Anne and hoisted her over his shoulder. Anne shrieked as he carried her into her bedroom and used his fo
ot to slam the door closed behind him.

  Elizabeth was laughing quietly as she looked at Georgiana’s and her brother’s reactions to their behavior. “I take it that neither of you has ever seen them act this way?”

  They both shook their heads. Georgiana’s eyes widened at hearing a peal of Anne’s laughter.

  Elizabeth spoke loudly enough to be heard through the door. “Don’t worry, Georgiana, I think they’re just trying to shock you! They’ll be out in a minute. You should know that men are not allowed on our floor of the dorm except on moving days. Unlike some other dorms, we take that rule very seriously.”

  Anne’s bedroom door opened almost instantly, and Richard stepped out with Anne in tow. “I can’t get away with anything today, can I? Let this be a lesson to you, Will—never date a college girl. They’re too smart for us.”

  William felt heat rise to his cheeks. Mercifully, only Richard was looking at him since everyone else’s attention was drawn away by a male voice at the door to the hallway.

  “Well! This is a nice surprise. What are you all doing here?”

  “Charles? Is something wrong at the office?” William was concerned.

  “Of course not. Didn’t I tell you I was driving my girlfriend to school this weekend? This is Jane.” He grinned at the woman standing next to him.

  “Your Jane is Jane Bennett? Excellent!” Richard smiled widely. “I must inform you that I am Jane’s honorary brother, Charles, and will behave as such.” Richard turned to Jane. “Fortunately for him, I can report that he has said nothing but wonderful things about our Jane.”

  As the others began speaking about the coincidence, Elizabeth turned to Will. “I gather from your question that you work with Charles?”

  “Yes... and Richard.” William forced his lips into a slight smile. How can I apologize for my earlier behavior if I can’t even speak to her?

  After the last of the introductions were made, the men went down to Charles’s SUV to bring up the remainder of the Bennetts’ belongings.

  ~%~

  Elizabeth decided to finish what she had been doing in her room instead of risking another confrontation with William right away. She could hear voices and moved toward her open window to see that Charles’s SUV happened to be parked on the street just below her. Smiling when she heard Charles talking about his “angel,” Elizabeth then heard Richard ask William why he was acting like such an jerk today. She decided to close the window to avoid tempting herself with eavesdropping on their conversation.

  So, apparently, this is not his usual behavior. But it is normal for him when it comes to dealing with me. Every single time I’ve answered the dorm phone, he was rude.

  Elizabeth sat on the bed and hugged her pillow to her chest.

  And yet, Anne and Richard have such high opinions of him. During the weekend I was with Georgiana in the city, she spoke of him in such glowing terms, and so did their housekeeper, Mrs. Reynolds. They all make him sound like a wonderful person. There must be more to him than I’ve seen. It’s so confusing.

  His incredibly disappointing behavior toward her was at odds with all that.

  Maybe he has something against me personally? Based on what, though? I doubt he would allow his sister to live here if his opinion of me is that bad.

  Elizabeth sighed deeply, pressed a icon on her cell phone, and scrolled through to the second photo she had received of William Darcy. His clear blue eyes had seemed to melt her very soul, the same way they had every time his gaze met hers today.

  He seems to like my work. I’d think he’d want to meet the person responsible for most of the designs for Lambton Village. But, since I can’t sign the plans, it’s possible he doesn’t even know I drew them. I know uncle is proud of me, but maybe his partners don’t want Will to know that a mere intern is designing his buildings—with help, of course. If he does know, could Will think of me as a sort of employee and feel I’m too far beneath him to treat nicely? I’ve only worked for my father and uncle, but I’ve heard from others that some employers are like that.

  She turned to look at her reflection in the mirror and raised her chin.

  I will act civilly toward him—give him the respect he deserves as a client and a friend and relative to my friends—but no more. Anything else I feel is just physical attraction and means nothing. I’ll only be hurt if I follow those impulses!

  Elizabeth gave up on the work she was supposed to be accomplishing in her room, knowing that if she stayed there alone, she’d end up thinking about him instead. Overhearing Anne mention that the men had gone to their hotel to freshen up before dinner, she joined Georgiana, offering to help the younger girl set up her room. Maybe she would understand the man better after they went out tonight.

  ~%~

  As William watched Elizabeth walk away from their table, he had to admit that from what he’d seen so far tonight, Jane Bennett was going to be a very successful fashion designer. The outfits that all the girls were wearing were perfect for their figures and coloring, which was particularly impressive since they were so varied in type. This included Georgiana, who, he had learned a few hours ago, had been measured by Jane while the Bennetts had visited the city so that she could design some clothing specifically for her before school began.

  Once Elizabeth disappeared into the ladies’ room, William fidgeted with the straw in his glass as he became lost in thought.

  In a way, he was thankful for Jane’s talents. Since he was having such a difficult time tearing his eyes away from Elizabeth, he hadn’t noticed the way men were looking at his sister until Elizabeth excused herself to the ladies’ room a few moments ago. At the same time, maybe if Elizabeth wasn’t wearing a dress that clung in a way that drove him to distraction, he wouldn’t have completely mortified himself every time he opened his mouth tonight.

  Earlier this evening, while he had been preparing to go out, William thought back over the past several years. His ears had always perked up whenever he heard stories of Elizabeth from Anne and Richard, and more recently from Georgiana. He was no longer surprised to hear from Gardiner that almost every building he chose to be part of the Lambton project was one of her designs.

  Tonight he had learned that the subtle expressions dancing deep within her emerald eyes enhanced her beauty more than he could have dreamed possible. By observing her, he also found that she was even more kind, compassionate, witty, and intelligent than he had expected her to be. William had never been so captivated by any other woman as he was with this very real Elizabeth!

  Yet, he still felt wary. She was too good to be true.

  The difficulties William had experienced trying to converse with her earlier in the day were nothing compared to how he was behaving this evening. Proving to be a blithering idiot, he decided to stop speaking altogether.

  ~%~

  After everyone had danced their share, the men escorted the girls to the dorm and then headed for the hotel.

  Charlotte knocked on Elizabeth’s door and threw herself on the bed. “I’m officially jealous! All my hopes are destroyed.”

  “What are you talking about, Char? It’s a little late to be jealous of Anne or Jane. Their relationships are old news at this point.”

  “Will Darcy and you, that’s what I’m talking about. He’s magnificent, Liz, and it doesn’t hurt that he’s incredibly rich.”

  “Me and… You’re nuts, Charlotte! What could you possibly be jealous of? The curt replies I get any time I’ve tried to talk to the man? Yes, he’s good-looking, but he doesn’t hesitate to advertise that he thinks he’s better than the rest of us.”

  “Lizzy, you can’t tell me you didn’t notice the way he looks at you. He’s got it bad.”

  Elizabeth could not understand why she was so flustered and saddened by Charlotte’s words. She knew better than anyone that William Darcy did not think well of her. She responded a little more forcefully than the situation deserved. “You’re imagining things. Oh, I’ll admit that he spends a lot of time lo
oking at me, but his expression is harsh. I must have insulted him at some point, but I can’t figure out what I did. This has been going on for years now—every time he’s called the landline looking for Anne, he’s been incredibly rude to me. I had hoped that, like my father, he just wasn’t a phone person, so I was willing to give him another chance when I met him in person, but you weren’t here the first few hours after he had arrived. It was very uncomfortable. While at dinner, I was tempted to ask him what I’ve done and apologize, but I decided I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing he’s bothering me. I’ll just ignore him as much as possible while he’s here.”

  “I think you’re wrong, Lizzy. You just don’t have that much first-hand experience with guys, so you don’t see it.” Charlotte frowned. “It still makes no sense that you never had a date before college, and the couple of guys you’ve gone out with since you’ve been here ended up being losers.” She shook her head, then wiggled her eyebrows up and down. “You’re just not used to the look Will’s been giving you.”

  Elizabeth’s scowl deepened. “No, Charlotte, I’m absolutely sure I’m right about Will Darcy. I can’t wait until he leaves so I can be spared his disapproving glare!”

  Chapter 4

  ~A few weeks later

  Returning to the dorm, Elizabeth walked into the common room and found everyone present, except Georgiana. They were getting ready to watch a movie, and the telltale scent and sounds of popcorn cooking filled the room. Anne jumped up from her seat and moved toward the microwave. Elizabeth followed her.

  “Anne, you’ve met this guy that Georgie’s been hanging around with lately, haven’t you?” Elizabeth asked.

  Anne dumped the bag of microwave popcorn into a bowl. “George Wickham? I’ve known him almost all my life. He was always hanging around anytime the Darcys had us over. His father was a lawyer for Darcy Construction and was one of Mr. Darcy’s best friends. When Mr. Wickham died, George had no other family and went to live with the Darcys. Why?”

  “I’m not sure. I was walking across campus a few days ago and ran into Georgiana and George, and she introduced us. She seems so vulnerable sometimes, and the way he looks at women, especially Georgiana... I just don’t trust him.” Elizabeth sighed. “Maybe you should ask Will about him?”