Brides and Prejudice

Midnight Encounters

"She's little miss popular isn't she?" Carolynn said not quite amused yet almost in humor as she watched Elisabeth Bennet change dance partners constantly before finally settling with one that even she thought was handsome, almost as handsome as Will, just in a completely different way. Everything about Will was handsome but slightly cold from his eyes to his natural rigid posture from being raised in an all boy's school that had been rather strict on manners. Lissa's dance partner though had a natural smile and a masculine laugh accompanied with soft blue eyes and and an easy persona that invited people in.

"Hmm," Will tried not to comment as he led Carolynn in the dance.

"Look at her," Carolynn said in shock as she watched the good looking male mock bow at Lissa, the two of them laughing before he twirled her in her bootleg jeans and sequined white top, her open red cardigan the only thing swirling around her.

"I don't have to," Will sighed as he tried to avoid looking in the direction of the laughter that even he could tell was Lissa Bennet, without looking. Elisabeth Bennet wasn't like the women he grew up with. She laughed with her whole body, never mind that the whole room could hear.

"And those women, you might as well be a filet mignon after a month's diet." Carolynn said as she laughed, poor Will, too handsome for his own good.

"Please, do not remind me." Will sighed before he tried to move but was cut off as another couple danced by.

"This place is just so..." Carolynn move on to a new subject, however trailing off as she couldn't quite find the word to describe the dance hall she was currently in. "I can't believe my brother-"

"Excuse us," A male said as he walked past them with Lissa in tow.

Hazel and blue eyes met briefly. No words were exchanged but Will could feel Lissa's contempt with him while she could feel him eyeing her and Shane, her ex boyfriend from high school. A dance for old time's sake and a beer to make up for missing his own engagement to a woman in New York, where he was currently living, but staying with his parents for the wedding. Like as if he could miss Jean's wedding.

~~~

"So Jean got herself Prince Charming." Shane said as he handed Lissa a drink, his blue eyes lit with humor as he gestured for them to toast.

"Yes, with a royal treasury to Mom's delight." Lissa said, raising her glass to clink against his, trying not to sound too judging, cause she really couldn't. Even the little time she'd been around her sister and Chase, she knew that money was the last thing on either of their minds.

"She giving you a hard time?" Shane asked, concerned this time because he still remembered the family dynamics of the Bennet family. With a family of five girls, there was always a lot of drama. Lissa was the most like her father and least like her mother so the two butted heads more than any other. There was also Jean who Lissa could never escape being in the shadow when it came to their Mom.

"No, not really. I think with Jean engaged to Chase, Mom doesn't think our family is doomed anymore. But..."

Shane turned his head to the direction. "Oh no, not you too." When he saw that it was Will Darcy that Lissa was looking at.

"No! Shane it is not like that!" Lissa hit his arm. She was more worried about how her sister was going to have a happy marriage with Will Darcy acting like one of the signs of the Apocalypse, Pestilence would be her guess.

With a laugh Shane nodded mockingly. "He's pretty handsome, even I must admit."

Lissa scrunched her nose in distaste. "Please, not you too." She mimicked.