Page 31 of Third Time is the Charm
Beth sat there stunned, again, by Darcy’s attempt to go over and above to help her family; she felt her face slowly draining of color, wishing he was doing things that would make it easier for her to want to keep her distance from him.
“I’m paying rent,” Lydia assured her. “Although I doubt it’s what he should be charging for the size and location of the home. I also don’t know how much it was really used for business since it looked brand new the day that I walked in. If he hadn’t mentioned it so readily, I would think that he went out special and bought it for me to use, but I just don’t know why he would do so much for me after everything he’s already done.”
“I see…” Beth murmured, still trying to process this new information.
“Mom doesn’t know about any of this,” Lydia hastily exclaimed. “And I don’t want her to for right now. She doesn’t know about George or the job; I’m just trying to find my footing on my own and I can’t do that with her hovering over and trying to pressure me. I’m not as strong as you, Beth.” Lydia smiled at her as though she were some sort of role model.
What could be further from the truth.
George broke Lydia’s heart and she had left him. Darcy had broken Beth’s heart and here she was trying to convince herself that she wasn’t dying on the inside to be with him again.
Lydia had no idea just how weak she was.
“I don’t know what happened between the two of you, so I’m sorry if what I’ve said has upset you, but I honestly don’t know what would have happened if Mr. Darcy hadn’t done this… any of it… for me,” Lydia choked out, the thought of the alternative – unable to find a job, being stuck with George, and suffocated in sadness – was too much for her.
“Of course. No, I’m so glad that he helped you—” Beth began, stopping short as they heart footsteps approaching. Both girls looking over their shoulder to see who was intruding on their safe space just as Kat stumbled down the hill.
“There you guys are!” she exclaimed with a huff. “I’ve been looking everywhere. Mom wants us to come to Jane’s room now because the hair and makeup people are here early.”
Beth couldn’t help the groan that escaped her.
“I need to pee anyway,” Lydia murmured, slowly standing and following Kat back towards the hotel.
“I’ll be right behind you guys,” Beth said as they retreated away from her. There were plenty of people who could get ready before she needed to be there – it was only ten-fifteen.
Her mother was crazy,she thought as she buried her head in her hands for a moment, trying to hold in the thoughts that were trying to run rampant. First, Darcy had given Jane and Charles the venue at no charge, plus his private island for their honeymoon; now, come to find, he’d given Lydia not only a job, but a house to live in that, if she had any luck, he was probably only charging her sister like ten dollars a month in rent. She groaned again in frustration.
Who was this man going out of his way to help her family, of all people?
Last time she checked, he hated her so much for what she did that he’d run right back into the arms of his certifiably insane ex-girlfriend. Ok, maybe not the last time – because as of last night he still liked her enough to kiss her, to want to talk to her.
He didn’t know that she’d seen Caroline at his place, maybe he was trying to make up for the fact that he’d yelled at her about when she had worked for Mrs. DeBourgh, maybe Anne had told him the truth about that relationship; it was the only thing she could think of. Last time, he’d helped Lydia out of love, this time, it must be out of guilt.
Standing with a sigh of frustration, Beth made her way back into the castle, quietly maneuvering away from any guests, up to the old part of the building where her room was. Her heart began to beat faster as she neared the end of the empty hallway where her and Darcy’s rooms were, praying that there wouldn’t be a repeat of last night.
Clear.
She began to breathe again, hurrying to her door and putting the key into the lock, about to turn it when she heard a voice –Darcy’s voice– coming from inside of his room. Beth stepped away from her door, drawn to his, needing to hear what he was so emotionally saying.
“I know, I know what I have to do, it’s just so fucking hard.”Beth heard him say forcefully, followed by a pause;he must be on the phone.
“I wish you could be here and see what I’m dealing with.”
Her gut clenched –who did he miss?
“I understand, but you are the one who knows how to make things better, when I only seem to make them worse.”Silence.
“I will probably need to call you later.”Pause. “I know. Fine.”Pause. “I need to see you as soon as I get back.”The words were firm and heavy with meaning.
Beth backed away from the door; she’d heard enough. Her hands frantically turned the key in her door as the sound of the door behind her opened. She exhaled a gasp of relief when she stepped inside her room, shutting the door firmly behind her just as the faint sounds of her name escaped Darcy’s lips. Leaning back against the door, her chest rose and fell in rapid fire trying to redirect oxygen to her brain. She heard nothing from the other side of the door, yet somehow knew that he was still standing out there; she didn’t have to look through the hole to know that; a minute or two later, she heard his heavy footsteps stalking down the hall, probably to head to the Bingley’s room where Charles and his groomsmen were getting ready.
Who had he been talking to? Who did he want here? Who could make things better for him? Who was he so desperate to see?
Her heart burned. At least when she knew that he was with Caroline, it had been easy to hate her; it had been easy to deal with the hurt because the source of it had a face. Whoever that was, was a mystery to her, and it certainly was Caro because Caro was going to be here today for the wedding – assuming she deigned to show up.
Why would he kiss her if he so desperately wished someone else was there with him instead?
Chapter 10
