Eliza and Will

Chapter 5

I feel as though his dark eyes stare into my soul as he holds my gaze, before he continues walking. Charles gestured towards the spare seat next to me for him to sit at.

William's head remains straight ahead away from everyone as he walked. When he sat down he offered a brief nod to Charles, ignoring our greetings before fixing his eyes on a corner in the room.

"William, I'd like you to meet the Bennett girls, technically my new neighbours." He speaks with such enthusiasm that we can't help but smile adoringly at him.

"Hello," he replies stiffly.

I feel as though I may laugh aloud, and have to fight with all my willpower to maintain my composure. I am taken aback by his rude manner and attitude, which is a close match to that of Caroline's.

After brief moments of awkwardness and tension, the conversation at our table picks up again. Jane and Charles happily converse, while my two younger sisters talk heartedly amongst themselves, with Mary adding in the odd phrase. Caroline seems more interested in her phone, so I attempt to strike up conversation with William.

"Are you from Hertfordshire as well, William?"

"No," he replies quickly and bluntly. "I'm from Derbyshire.'

"Do you go to university there?"

"No, University of Cambridge.'

Of course he does.

"What do you study?"

"Law." I'm bored already, but pretend I'm not.

"Oh, what year?"

"I'm completing my Masters."

Not impressed with his lack of manners, I turn away and take my phone out from my bag to text my best friend Charlotte.

*Can you come around to the pub and save me? This meeting is not going well.*

*I'm on it,* she replies. *Don't say I don't do anything for you.*

A few minutes later I spot her familiar, friendly figure arrive through the door and walk over to our table.

"This is my friend, Charlotte," I indicate mainly towards Charles, as the other two aren't interested. "Do you mind if she joins us?"

"Not at all. Nice to meet you Charlotte," he says.

"And you," she smiles.

I squeeze past my sisters on my left to reach Charlotte and we head over to the bar to get drinks.

"So what's the matter?" She asks.

"Charles' friend is the most arrogant guy you'd ever meet. So is the other girl, Charles' sister. And I was stuck beside them and had nothing better to do than stare at the wall, which I wasn't having."

"They do look a bit snobby," she claims. "It could be shyness though, you've only just met them."

"Trust me, they are up their own backsides."

"Shame," she says. He looks rich, if not richer than the other one," she jokes. "Not to mention seriously good looking. I'd pay just to smell him."

I burst out laughing. "No thanks, I'll pass on him."

While we wait for our drinks, I turn around from the bar stand and notice that Charles, Caroline and William have left our table and are seated again  at their previous one.

"Thank goodness," I say, letting out a sigh of relief. "Only pity you didn't get to speak properly with Charles, he's lovely."

We leave with our drinks and make our way back to our table. "Oh, I should have bought us crisps, be back in a minute," I light heartedly sing.

I roll my eyes as I rejoin the que, which has gotten bigger since myself and Charlotte last joined it. I am about to give up and leave it when I overhear Charles and William speaking, and persevere.

"Jane is the most beautiful girl I have ever seen," I hear Charles say. I am frozen to the spot, intrigued to hear what they have to say. They are obviously unaware of my presence a few feet away, which is understandable as I am hidden amongst the crowds of people.

"And her sister Eliza is very nice as well."

Nothing could have prepared me for William's harsh and bitter reply. "She's satisfactory I suppose, but not my type. I'm not a fan of the lower ranks, Charles."