Free The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy by Sara Angelini Page A

like a brother to me. I only want you to be happy.”
    Bingley grinned with delight and agreed.
    ***
    Elizabeth was reviewing her mail in her office when Jane called her.
    “Lizzy, Charley has just invited me on a two week vacation in England!” she exclaimed. Elizabeth opened the Bar Association paper to look for courses to maintain her credit requirements. She browsed while she talked with Jane.
    “Wonderful!” Elizabeth exclaimed. She sighed with envy.
    “We want you to come along,” Elizabeth could hear Jane smiling.
    “What? Why would you want me along on a romantic vacation?” she laughed.
    “We won’t be alone, we’re staying at a friend’s house in the country,” Jane explained.
    “Who’s this friend?” Elizabeth asked.
    “It’s an old friend from college. Charley says you met him at the Halloween party,” Jane said. But since neither Bingley nor Jane could remember what costume he wore, they couldn’t provide any further details. “He dates Charley’s sister but she’s not going. He’s a nice guy, really.” Well, if he dates Charley’s sister, that takes Speed Racer out of the running, thought Elizabeth. She really should just ask Bingley for an introduction; honestly, she couldn’t get him out of her mind and it was already May!
    “I don’t think I can go, I have too much work. I don’t think I could justify playing in England for 2 weeks.” She sighed. Actually, the thought of spending two weeks in England in the summer sounded lovely. “Hang on ... what are the dates?” she said as she spied an advertisement for an international law conference in London. Jane told her; the dates would overlap perfectly! “I’m developing a plan ...” she said mischievously.
    Elizabeth exerted her considerable charms on Mr. Gardiner to get him to agree to send her to the conference in London on the pretext of possibly expanding his practice into international law. That in itself was ridiculous as Gardiner and Associates was about to be purchased by deBourgh and Associates and Mr. Gardiner was going to retire within the next few months. Nonetheless, he agreed to pay for the conference costs. Considering that Elizabeth was planning on ditching most of the conference, she insisted that she pay for travel and accommodations herself.
    Jane made all of the travel arrangements. They were to fly over on June 1st with Bingley, who had taken care of all the housing arrangements. Elizabeth left it completely to them, trusting her sister not to leave her sleeping in a hostel in Luxemburg.
    ***
    Elizabeth was heartily glad that she had a vacation scheduled as appearing before Judge Darcy was becoming more and more unpleasant. She had several blow-outs with him regarding introduction of evidence and legal theories. She thought he was being more unpleasant, was giving her a harder time, than usual. She wondered if something was going on in his personal life to make him so insufferable.
    She was relishing a reprieve from his disapproving stare when Rachel , Mr. Gardiner’s wife and the law firm receptionist , rang through to her office announcing that Judge Darcy was on the phone for her. Elizabeth picked up the receiver.
    “Good afternoon Judge Darcy, this is Elizabeth Bennet ,” she said in as pleasant a voice she could muster.
    “Good afternoon Miss Bennet . I wanted to speak with you and I wondered if you could pop down to my chambers for a few moments.” Elizabeth rolled her eyes and looked down at her jeans, studded belt, and skull-and-crossbones t-shirt.
    “I’m afraid I wasn’t expecting any appearances today, your honor; I am not dressed professionally,” she said. Darcy briefly thought back to her karaoke performance and thought if only.
    “That’s fine Miss Bennet , it’s not a formal appearance, just a quick meeting. I’ll see you in ten minutes.” With that he hung up. Elizabeth let out the breath she had been holding. What in the world could this mean? She dared not blow him off but