One Word From You: A Pride and Prejudice Adaptation (15 page)

I held my hands up, “I’m just saying that you can do better. I mean, a
lot
better.”

“
We’re just dating. No one’s talking about marriage, or our entire lives. I haven’t had a boyfriend before, Beth, and he asked me. So I’m going to try, and I’ll get to know him. If it doesn’t work, then we’ll break up.”

“
I still think you’re making a mistake, but okay, if that’s what you want.”

“
Can’t you at least
pretend
to be happy for me?”

I groaned, “Do I have to?”

“
Are you my friend?”

“
Of course I am! And that’s why I can’t be brutally honest, and tell you that you’re making a massive mistake.”

“
Beth, if you don’t like it, then at least try not to comment on it.”

That was easier said than done. How could I not comment on it? That was like telling me I wasn’t allowed to make fun of some of the ridiculous hats Chantelle wore at the weekends. It was physically impossible. I supposed I could just hold my tongue around Georgia, but I didn’t want her to think that I suddenly approved. Because I really, really didn’t.

At least I could talk with Jenny about it. And it would take her mind off what was happening with Charlie. Which was basically nothing. I found her hiding in our dorm, which is where she liked to retreat to when school was over. Although she’d always been kind of shy, at least she’d made an effort to talk with other people before. Now, she was becoming something of a hermit.

“
Hey,” I said, forcing a smile as I entered the room. It wouldn’t do for me to come across as depressed when Jenny was suffering so much already.

She put down her phone. I guessed she was reading Chantelle’s texts again. She didn’t communicate with many people outside of school, so there was little chance she’d found some new friends somewhere. I pretended like I hadn’t seen to spare her the need to explain. She too strained her mouth into the best smile she could manage, and asked, “Were you with Gideon?”

“
Yeah. Just for music. Nothing else. I saw Georgia on the way back.”

“
And you didn’t invite her to join us?”

I laughed softly, “No, I think she’s pretty pissed with me right now.”

“
What? Why?”

“
I sort of insulted her boyfriend. Well - not sort of - I openly mocked him, and suggested she was mentally unstable.”

“
Why would you do that?”

“
It’s Wyatt.”

“
Oh. Oh - well - he’s not - I mean - he -”

“
Precisely my point,” I said, “He’s no good for her, and she knows he’s a total loser. But would she listen to me?”

“
Beth,” Jenny said gently, “If it’s who she likes, then we can’t really judge them.”

“
I fully intend to judge,” I said, “Not to her face, but I am going to judge the hell out of that decision until she sees sense. Wyatt is a moron, and Georgia can do
way
better.”

“
That's not for us to decide. I don’t really like Wyatt after what he did to you, but there’s a chance that being with Georgia will help him to settle. We should be hoping that she’ll be happy, and wishing them both the best. I mean, she is our friend, isn’t she?”

I hated when Jenny was right. It made it difficult for me to continue on as I was. Okay, Georgia was my friend, and all I ever wanted for my friends was for them to be happy. That was why I was so angry at Charlie, because he’d stolen away Jenny’s smile. That was worth more to me than all the money in the world.

Eurgh.

It was going to be a total nightmare facing a smug Wyatt all the bloody time.

“
Fine. I’ll try to play nice. Emphasis on the
try.
”

She laughed softly, and my heart melted a little. It was hard to stay angry and annoyed in Jenny’s presence. I managed it sometimes, but most of the time her sweetness won out. Dad said she was the only person in the world who could tame me. I wasn’t sure quite what he meant by that, but he had a habit of saying weird things. Jenny’s mother usually agreed with him, and said that her daughter and I complimented each other as well as real sisters. It was too bad that we weren’t. I would definitely miss her when we were making our own way in the world.

Dad would, too.

The door banged against the wall violently as it was flung open, and Lisa ran into the room. She barreled into me so hard I staggered a few steps. Not caring that she’d almost sent me to the ground, Lisa held tight around my waist and wailed, “He’s leaving!”

“
Uh - who?” I asked.

“
Gideon, obviously! I just overheard one of the teachers saying she got engaged to him over the holidays. She’s transferring to a new school, and he’s following her there!”

I was surprised that he hadn’t seen fit to tell me that himself, but maybe he thought it would hurt my feelings. I was going to miss him, because I was starting to enjoy our music lessons together, but not because I was in love with him. I’d actually started to realise, after I got over the little crush, that I didn’t really get what it meant to feel that way about someone. I’d kissed Lewis when I was little, but that had been childish and meaningless. At least, it had been to me. Now people around me were getting boyfriends, or having their hearts broken, and I was finding it difficult to empathise.

“
Have you said congratulations to him?” Jenny asked.

“
No! I don’t want him to go!” Lisa complained, “He’s the best looking person here, who else are we meant to look at?!”

I snorted softly with laughter. I didn’t mean to, but Lisa was still so childish. Every Music lesson was spent staring dreamily at Gideon, and probably having some really inappropriate fantasies about him. I knew, because I’d done the same for a while. Then I got to know him, which is something Lisa had neglected to do. But she had a habit of seeing a pretty face, and declaring that the person beneath was perfect for her. I thought she’d grow out of that habit. I didn’t think I’d still be waiting for that to happen when she was almost eighteen.

“
Lis’, there’s nothing you can do about it,” I said as I tried to pry her off, “If he’s going out with someone -”

“
I thought you liked him,” Jenny said.

“
I did. But I don’t think it’s realistic.”

“
What does
realistic
have to do with anything?” Lisa asked, “Love isn’t realistic!”

“
You’re not in love with him, you just want to do a lot of really bad things to him,” I laughed, “Anyway, I’m happy if he is.”

“
It’s a shame you can’t think that way about Georgia,” Jenny said.

“
I know, I get it,” I said, “I promised I’d try, didn’t I?”

“
Guys! Can’t you see that this is the worst thing to happen in the history of school ever? We have to stop him!”

“
Or,” I said, “You could go and watch the boys play football. Seeing them in shorts should help you get over it.”

Lisa stopped her sniffling, and a glassy expression passed over her as she pictured it. A smile crept in, and she agreed, “Yeah, that might help.”

“
If only if it was that easy for everyone,” I muttered.

Jenny didn’t hear me, or she was pretending not to. What Lisa had was just an infatuation. I was afraid to say it, but I thought Jenny might have really been in love with Charlie. It was hard to know when she wouldn’t be so vocal about her emotions. I’d suspected an attraction, but honest, pure, true love was a dangerous thing, especially for people our age. And it was all too easy to get hurt when people were that open with their hearts.

Chapter Fourteen

With such a mother.

School hadn't ever been more dull.

Okay, it was always sort of dull, but it was really breaking some records as we worked towards our winter break. I'd managed to convince Jenny that my plan was an amazing one, even though I was losing some faith in it by the time it came to execute our little plot. Her mother had been easy to convince. Ms. Ayers was always up for a little adventure, and skiing during Christmas appealed to her greatly.

Gideon seemed to be happy enough in his situation. Nervous, that was obvious, but looking forward to a change of pace. I was really honest in giving my best wishes to him, and that was usually difficult for me to do, what with me being such a miserable cow a lot of the time. I'd miss him the way I would miss any friend, but if this was going to be better for him, then it was a good thing he was going. Lisa was loud about not agreeing with me, but she'd get used to it in time.

What I wasn't looking forward to, was a Christmas spent in France.

While I was still at the age where I had to go to school, even if I was over sixteen, my mother was able to make claims on my time. Dad was a fair man, and he didn't think I should be breaking off any family ties. I thought that made him a total idiot, but that wasn't something I could easily say. I did have some comfort in knowing that I wasn't going to suffer alone. Wyatt was going to join me, but he was forcing Georgia to go with him.

Fine.

He'd
invited
her.

Despite my declarations that I'd try, I wasn't trying all that hard. I just couldn't get over the way he'd treated me, and I knew that people didn't change. If he ever forced himself on Georgia, I was going to break his nose. The flight over was painfully silent, but that quiet felt like a blessing compared to what was waiting for us in the airport.

Monsieur Courtenay was rich, but he was also pretty ridiculous. He greeted me with a hug, and kissed my cheek. I froze up right away, while my mother laughed it off as being traditional, and very French of him. Everything about him was very French, what with him being a French national. It was a stupid thing to say, and she was a prat for thinking that he was suitable as a step-father. He drank more than any normal human liver could handle, and boasted non-stop about his vineyard, and how well he was getting along. He even took a pop at my Dad's business, and Georgia had to stop me leaping over the dinner table to strangle him.

We weren't doomed to spend the entire break in the South of France. I was, regrettably, going to be introduced to Madame Courtenay. The much discussed rich woman who had felt the need to take particular interest in William's life, or so Gideon had told me. She was well set up in Paris, with an enormous, gaudy town house for the height of the season, and an even gaudier estate on the outskirts with plenty of land for winter.

We were to be her guests.

I felt like more of an intruder. Given I'd never once met her, or really heard of her since my mother's marriage, I didn't think going there for Christmas was all that appropriate.

But what did I know?

I was just a stupid commoner as far as they were concerned.

Her staff greeted us coldly, and even then the others looked happy to be there. I clung to Georgia's hand, knowing as soon as we set foot in the building that she'd be the only friendly face I'd see until we returned to school. There was literally nothing that could make it worse.

Okay, maybe there was one thing.

“
You are come at last,” she said, sitting on a plush sofa, upholstered in fine red fabric with gold trims. The thing was practically a throne. She didn't condescend to rise, or to shake hands with anyone. She looked over us all with equal distaste in our attire, although I did detect a hint of joy at seeing Wyatt.

Joy was a strong word.

Tolerance?

Well, she was the only person who could tolerate that idiot.

She looked me up and down. From my battered old trainers, to my torn up jeans, then over my baggy t-shirt. Nothing about me met her approval. When our eyes met, she gave me the coldest smile I'd ever seen on a person. So cold, I was sure I was going to see a polar bear basking in the freezing aura she was giving off.

“
Hi,” I said when the silence became awkward.

“
You are Mrs. Courtenay's daughter, then? Elisabeth, if I remember.”

“
Yep.”

“
How brash you are,” she looked to my mother, “Her father raised her, you said?”

“
Yes, Madame. She doesn't have much exposure to society.”

“
So I can see. You will have to fix that, Mrs. Courtenay. Otherwise I will never approve her.”

I was remarkably okay with that.

“
You have guests already,” my step-father pointed out. I might have said he was stating the obvious, but I hadn't noticed the other people until that point. That being the case, I thought it was better to keep my mouth shut. I felt stupid enough, I didn't need anyone else commenting on my lack of observational skills.

As to the thing that could have made it worse, it was standing there watching us.

William Davies.

Compared to him, Wyatt was a joy to spend time with. At least he didn't openly hate me. And with Georgia being his girlfriend, he was obligated to at least be civil to me. William wasn't alone. On his arm was a girl with perfect blonde ringlet curls. Her dress was frilly and covered in bows. It looked like it would be better on a Victorian doll. She surveyed us with large eyes, and clung close to William as if he was her only protection from us strange normal people. The boy on his other side was smiling at us. He didn't seem too bothered by us at all. In fact, I'd have gone as far to say he looked pleased we were there.

“
This is my nephew, William Davies. His cousin, Frederick Lambert. And, of course, my daughter Cosette,” she explained.

Wyatt was bold enough to step forwards, “May I just say, Madame, it is a great honour to be asked to join you here. Not to mention, to have such distinguished company, it is truly beyond comprehension.”

Just like your stupidity.

“
Beth and I have met, aunt,” William said, “We went to the same school for a short time.”

“
Is that so? How interesting,” she didn't sound at all interested in that piece of information, “Well, if she already knows you, then you won't have much else to discuss. Frederick, I'm trusting Elisabeth to your care while she's in Paris.”

So long as he wasn't like William, I was sure we could get along. Then again, they were related. I wasn't going to hold out much hope. But with him being a total stranger, I was going to have to extend the basic courtesy that came with that. I mean, I didn't want to judge him just because of who his family was. That would make me as bad as Chantelle, who looked down on me instantly when she discovered I wasn't rich.

When we were shown to our guest rooms, I was glad to get away from Madame Courtenay and her weird daughter. Seriously, the girl didn't blink once during the entire introduction and it had me totally freaked out. I was expecting to find out she was like some possessed doll from a horror movie, or a ghost that everyone else happened to be able to see.

Georgia and I weren't sharing a room. There was enough space in the country castle to give us all two or three bedrooms a piece of they'd been so inclined. Someone rapped their knuckles against the door, and I didn't hesitate to pull it open without checking who it might be. I was greeted by William, and promptly slammed the door in his face. It should have been enough of a message to him to leave me alone, but the boy didn't have the manners to observe as much. He opened it, knocking me back a few steps in the process.

“
What are you doing here?” he demanded.

“
I'm not. You're in a coma, and this is all a dream. We've been trying to wake you up for weeks, and this is a new technique we're trying,” I suddenly grabbed his shoulders and shook him roughly, “We miss you, William! Come back!”

He knocked my hands away in annoyance, “You're being ridiculous.”

“
Well, it was a stupid question, it deserved the same kind of reply. I'm here because I was dragged along by my Mum. What, did you think I was stalking you?”

He blushed.

“
Oh my God,” I laughed, “Seriously? Did that actually come into your head? Wow, you are really, really full of yourself. Like, to the point where you're mentally damaged. You need help.”

“
Just stay out of my way while you're here.”

“
Says the guy that just barged into my bedroom,” I muttered.

He raised a brow, “I only came to give you a message.”

“
You could have sent a servant. I gathered there are a few,” I pointed out, “But consider the message received. Do you want to try leaving now?”

William opened his mouth to answer back, but thought better of it. That was probably wise, otherwise we'd provoke each other until we were in a full on fist fight. I was confident I could knock him out, but had to consider that such a thing wouldn't be well received by his aunt. Or anyone else, for that matter.

I was satisfied that I'd had the last word. He turned heel, and headed for the door. Almost as soon as it clicked closed, it opened again, and William stormed back towards me. He halted barely inches from me, “How are your friends?”

“
What?”

“
Jenny. How is she?”

“
Fine. In Switzerland, actually. Don't suppose you saw her before you came in this direction?”

“
No. Freddie wants to meet you.”

“
Good for him. Couldn't he tell me that to my face?”

“
Yes, probably. Will you come to see him?”

“
I'm sensing that I don't have much of a choice.”

That wasn't to say that William would conk me over the head with a piece of furniture, and then drag me off to wherever it was he intended me to be. It was just that he wouldn't leave me alone unless I agreed. Anyway, I was under the impression that Freddie might be better company. And anything was better than being in William's company all by myself.

Freddie was waiting in a games room. It didn't have decent games like consoles or anything, but a dart board, and a pool table. Given I'd grown up in mostly male company, I was no stranger to either. I couldn't profess to being that great at them, but I could surprise most people who assumed that, as a girl, I lacked any talent in either.

He was leaning back against the walnut panelled bar, his eyes on the football game playing on the flat-screen television. He was squinting at it in annoyance. When he heard us enter the room, he complained, “They could at least put English subtitles on the game.”

“
You're French, why do you need subtitles?”

“
They're speaking German.”

“
And you're watching it in German because..?” he asked.

“
Because I did something stupid to the remote, and I can't change it back.”

I didn't ask for permission to take the remote. We had a television at home, and when the weather was too miserable for surfing, I did a lot of watching it. I'd done the same thing with the settings before. Several times, actually.

I tapped away at the remote, scooting through all the menus with such speed that there was no way either boy would keep up. The reception changed, and it was back to French. Overjoyed, Freddie clapped me on the back, “Brilliant, thanks.”