While Jane and Charles had been lingering behind, the foursome had been briskly walking to the George V. Charlotte was holding Richard’s arm and, as usual, he had covered her hand with his. William and Elizabeth were thus paired up and the latter was very happy about that as it was serving her purpose. She still intended to go on with what she had most probably started by her dance: this dumbass would have to jerk-off before the end of the night or she was no longer Lili Bright. She had no second thoughts on her job; she was not a dancer at heart – like Jane was – but she was good at what she did and both the money and the free day-light time it provided her with allowed her to work on her thèse*. Their parents had, at first, been appalled by their choice but, as their eldest daughters’ lives seemed very balanced, they had stopped worrying.

The pace of the walk didn’t really favour a lively conversation, therefore Elizabeth decided on a more physical course of action. She willingly walked as close to William as she could and intently brushed her arm against his, smiling inwardly as he didn’t try to pull away. The only drawback was that she was more aware of his body than she had ever been with any man; and those almost-contacts seemed to affect her breathing. Fortunately, the long steps she was obliged to take to follow his could be another reason for her short breath and she hoped William would see it that way.

It happened not to be the case. Even if he had not used it for very long – as Charles had reminded him that very night – William was very aware of his power over women. Elizabeth’s moves clearly showed him that he had been right: those hot dancers were sluts and grabbed every opportunity to get laid. Well, for once, he might yield to temptation; Charles seemed to be about to, why not him? And if she was, indeed, the black-wigged dancer, he was pretty sure he would have a very enjoyable night.

When they entered the hotel, they didn’t bother waiting for Jane and Charles and went directly to the bar. The cosy wood- panelled room was almost empty at this time of the night and they chose a table large enough to accommodate six. The garçon, who waited to take their wet coats to the cloakroom, stood near the guests longer that he was used to. If the chestnut lady and the blond man gave him their damp raincoats fast enough, the dark haired couple stood, frozen, watching each other once they had removed their damp garments. He didn’t mind, though, as the two ladies were really easy on the eyes.

Charlotte and Richard also witnessed the strange scene in front of them. Babeth’s attitude was very unlike her. She was of the chatty and witty kind; she was wont to comment eloquently on a nice ass when she saw one, she was used to appreciatively tease if some shoulders happened to be square enough to flatter the eye, a broad chest usually got its fare share of compliments – and the redder she made the man’s cheeks, the better. William managed to possess all those physical qualities and she was mute… What was happening there?

Elizabeth’s power of speech had fled her when all her blood had quit her brain and her heart had stopped. This utmost pain in the ass was the best-looking man she had ever been able to lust over. His long-sleeved polo flattered his athletic torso; his khakis fitted his narrow hips. With a better light, she could see that, apart from his eyes that had drawn her from afar in the Crazy Horse, his face also was graced with a most attractive full-lipped mouth. She swallowed, blinked and started breathing again. Her first instinct told her to grab him and drag him in a remote corner of the room. Her second told her to flee as fast as she could, because, as satisfying as might be a one-night stand with such a specimen, she didn’t think it would be enough. Addiction was something she was very fearful of, and he was most obviously the closest thing to a drug she’d ever come by. Her reason shut up her instincts and reminded her that she had a plan; whether it was a good one was more and more questionable, though. The garçon’s harrumph startled her and she realised that she still had her yellow raincoat in her hands. She smiled and handed it to him.

William was as stunned as she had been. What made him freeze was Elizabeth’s outfit. To fit his hooker’s image, he had pictured a very low-cut black sexy dress, black stockings and high heels under the yellow raincoat. He gave her a head-to-toe look and realised that it was not at all the case. She was wearing a denim jacket, a red tee shirt underneath, straight jeans and some funny school-like shoes** – he absentmindedly wondered how he could have missed them when he had seen her in front of the Crazy Horse. With the better light, he also noticed that she wore no make-up. What kept him in his frozen attitude was his libido reaction at seeing her thus dressed. In the cabaret, he had fully charged her bewitching ability over him on her almost-nakedness. But now she was dressed and he was not able to think… His palms had somehow got moist; his heartbeat was well above its average pace; every litre of his blood had concentrated under his waist. This was far beyond his understanding. How this woman he barely knew was able to awaken his most masculine urges was a mystery. He could not begin to fathom how she could, by her only presence, stir every nerve he had in his body. He had to have her; this was the only outcome this crazy situation could have. He was very fortunate she had been hitting on him since they had met, as flirting had never been a technique he mastered – for lack of practicing, most probably. He just had to be his usual self and they would end where he wanted – him buried deep inside her. The garçon eventually cleared his throat and he realised he was the only one with his coat. He grumped and managed to give it and sit down without revealing the bulge on the front of his trousers.

After a quick study of the menu, they ordered their drinks, beers for Richard, William and Elizabeth, Lillet*3 for Charlotte. Elizabeth had been able to gather her wit on hearing William’s comments about Richard’s choice of a beer.

As soon as the waiter had left, he had scornfully asked his cousin: "What will you have?"

"A Seize cent soixante quatre*4, why?"

"That’s a French beer," replied an offended William.

"And so it is, we’re in France, after all…" Richard was much more amused than angry. William’s principles were far too high for his own good. No wonder he still had to find his soul mate… A creature that perfect probably didn’t exist. Although from the scene that had just happened, he wondered if his Dear Billy Boy was not about to trail a slightly less straight path.

Elizabeth was appalled. The more William spoke, the more contemptuously she held him and unfortunately, the less calm she felt. She also reconsidered her decision to tease him and to her relief, she was - at last - able to speak her mind. "After all, Ricky lives in France with a French girlfriend; it appears to me he’s chosen to take benefit of the best the country he’s in can offer. Haven’t you done the same… choosing the cabarets over the drinks?"

"Actually, I only followed Charles; I wanted to call it a night right after dinner." William grumbled, unable to understand why he deemed it necessary to explain how he had ended in this almost infamous place, and to some of its dancers, furthermore.

Richard and Charlotte exchanged a glance. The situation was slowly but surely becoming awkward, and Jane and Charles had still not showed up. Fortunately, the waiter broke the mood by bringing the drinks.

"So Will, how comes you’re in Paris?" asked Richard.

William was glad for this diversion. "Charles and I have thought about opening a subsidiary in France for a long time. It opens all the Southern Europe market and even some doors on the African one. We’ve eventually decided to do it and we’ve been seeing French lawyers, French recruiting cabinet and a lot of French landlords for two days to be able to make our choice." Quoting his friend’s name had reminded him that he was still not there; he frowned and looked at his watch.

"Where do you plan on settling it?" Charlotte decided to further the conversation before any comment on the absent was made.

"In La Défense*5, most probably. We’ve already visited some functional offices there. And it seems to be a nice place to work in."

"It is, the air is pretty clean, there’s no car and the big shopping centre on the parvis is very convenient. Babeth, you’re often there, aren’t you?"

Elizabeth laughed. "When I’m not studying or practicing, yes, I certainly am."

"Why would you go there? You’re not working in an office, are you?" William had been intrigued by the study allusion but didn’t want to embarrass her. Obviously she was smarter than he had thought; she was aware that a career as hers was a short one and trained to become a secretary or a sales-woman; a good choice of a career for her, he would certainly buy anything she’d care to sell!

"No, I do my thèse in La Sorbonne." Seeing his questioning eye, she explained further. "It’s the Parisian uni for literature, located in le Quartier Latin*6… And I’m practicing either at the Crazy or at the dance studio where Char and I met. No, La Défense is about half-way between Rueil and Paris and it’s the biggest shopping centre around, that’s why I’m there."

William couldn’t voice his astonishment at her hint about her studying literature at such a high level, because the waiter was coming to him with a cordless phone on a silver tray.

"Mr. Darcy, sir?"

"Yes?"

"M. Bingley souhaite vous parler, Monsieur."

William took the phone and prompted an unbelieving: "Bing?" … "Bing? Where are you?" His impatience at getting an answer showed on his face. His disbelief after he had got it was even more obvious. "You what? But where are you?" The answer rendered him mute. His eyes were wide opened, his mouth gaped, he draw a breath in. "Yes, Charles." … "Okay. Charles, … Charles?" He looked at the set; the plastic object only rang a busy tone. After a while, he switched it off and put it on the table.

Charlotte, Elizabeth and Richard were expectantly looking at him; he tried to regroup and phrased his next sentence as civilly as he could. "Charles and Jane won’t be coming. They’re… together…" He blushed slightly and turned towards his cousin. "He asked that you walk Elizabeth back to her car, as neither he nor Jane will reappear tonight."

As his companions got the meaning of his last sentence, he noticed with satisfaction that their faces reflected the kind of disbelief he had felt a few moments ago.

Charlotte was the first one to react in her usual no-nonsense self. "Eh ben, ça a pas traîné. T’inquiète pas Babeth, we’ll walk you back."

Shaking her head, she replied: "I’m not worried about that… But you’re right, so fast? It’s so unlike her…" Turning to William, she accusingly asked him. "How’s your friend? I mean, is he the kind to impose upon women?"

Richard’s "Oh" was covered by his cousin’s reaction. William’s indignation made him flush. "He’s certainly not the kind; he is a gentleman. And from what I saw when they met, I don’t think a lot of persuasion was needed to catch your sister’s attention. She seemed easy enough to captivate," he replied scornfully.

"Putain, how can you say that?" Charlotte was shocked. But where William’s face was red with anger, hers was of a very pale shade.

Her friend held out a pacifying hand and answered her, as matter-of-factly as she could. "He can say that because he thinks Jane’s a slut. And now that we’re at it, he also thinks you and I are sluts. What were his actual words? Oh yes, that the spectators were in the Crazy Horse to find ‘a whore for the night’. Well, Jane’s attitude is completely in accordance with this. Unfortunately, his cousin is your boyfriend; so his theory does suffer a little here… but he’s been hitting at me since we met, so depending on where his dick finishes the night, he might be right."

William’s shame hid behind an even colder behaviour. "If you heard us, you also know that I didn’t want to come and that Charles completely disagreed with my comments on the dancers being prostitutes. Yes, I still think the likes of you are easier to bed, and you’ve been hitting on me, not I. As for your last sentence, I won’t insult you by answering it. I can see that living for too long in France has somehow tarnished your good manners – if you ever had any."

Richard had to interfere; his cousin had insulted Elizabeth but, more importantly, his Charlotte by every possible method – even if none of his comments were directed to her. He sternly addressed him: "William, I think you owe the ladies some apologies." At his friend’s brisk movement, he understood he had some explanations to give. He turned to his astonished-beyond-words love and sweetly asked her: "Honey, I think Babeth needs a moment for herself too, would you please take her to the ladies-room?"

"Bien sûr, Mon Coeur," a still very pale Charlotte replied in a low tone. She took her friend’s hand and tried to drag her out of the room. But Elizabeth, unused to have a knight in shining armour stepping in for her, had to answer to William. Indeed, she would not leave the last word to this bastard.

"Oh yes, I need a moment for myself! The low-class, uneducated lass that I am has to find something ruder to say, don’t I? Or maybe His Haughtiness has to be punched hard by a peer to try to begin to imagine he might have been wrong! Mr. Darcy, please know that, from all the insults I ever received, yours were the most wounding and the most abusive. Because you’ve had a chance to meet us and to make your mind from what exists under the wig and in the body; and you chose to remain a paying customer in the Crazy Horse instead of becoming a dear friend’s cousin. Well, let me say plainly that you were wrong; Jane, Charlotte and I are no whores; and as far as I am concerned, your dick will have to find another shelter for the night!" That said, she turned around and led an astounded Charlotte to the restrooms.

Richard moved for the waiter and asked for two glasses of Oban. First, his cousin was at least as shocked as his lady had seemed to be, and the conversation he was about to have required much stronger drinks than the beers they had finished. He leaned towards William who had sank back in his chair, slowly recovering and already challenging him to start the scolding. This didn’t deter him but he used a tone much more patient than the one his cousin expected.

"Will, I can’t believe it. What has come over you? Did you really say what Babeth quoted? Did you really say that the dancers were whores?"

"Yes I did." William still didn’t seem to regret his words. "It’s all based on prejudices, but women whose work is to dance naked in front of lusty eyes cannot be very virtuous."

"Will, unless she works in an exclusively female environment, every woman uses her charm to make her job easier; and that doesn’t necessarily means that she sleeps around. A smile is a weapon. You’re right, I know some dancers who have a sugar-daddy but honestly, they are a minority. And I’m sure even you cannot say that you’ve never been the target of one of your employee’s ‘arts and allurements’."

Richard’s quoting their Aunt Catherine had the intended effect and William’s features softened, his mouth cracking a smile.

"And if the world was ruled by women, the exact situation would happen as often with men using their charms. It’s the way the world goes round; you cannot change that. Most of the dancers either have a boyfriend or are single; some are married; they are not sluts, they just work at doing what they do best. Babeth only works at the Crazy Horse to pay for her studies, Jane, because dancing is her life and she was too tall to be a ballerina, Charlotte’s reason is that she has fun and she’s making money. At first, it was her way to rebel against her family Puritanism, now, she’s just searching what she will do with her life once she quits."

"You mean that you won’t ask her to? How can you tolerate that she shares her body with 600 men every night? You have enough money, she doesn’t have to work…"

"I have enough money but she doesn’t want to. I’ve asked her, she said she would be bored. And I don’t share her body, I share the ability to look at her body. Truthfully that’s not the part I prefer but if it cannot be helped…"

"Well, I wouldn’t."

"But you’ll never have to, will you? It’s not like you gonna get lucky with Babeth tonight. I’ve never seen you so insulting. Now that I think about it, I’ve never seen you insulting at all. What was that crack about living in France and losing her good-manners?"

"Well, she had been rude!"

"And so were you! She only retaliated on the same low-level you had used. Do you have an idea about Charlotte’s feelings on hearing that comment? I know she feels very shy about our family, about our money; how am I ever to convince her to come to visit my parents, now? I plan to marry her, how will it be possible if she refuses to see them?"

William had calmed down and now understood that his words had been way out of line. "You want to marry her? You really love her?" His tone was envious. "I’m sorry, Rich."

"Yes I love her, I can’t live without her. And you’d better say you’re sorry to Charlotte and Babeth, otherwise your role as my best-man will be very difficult to play," he said, with a warm smile on his face and a question in his eyes.

William’s face lightened. "Really, Rich? I’m honoured, thanks… I'll apologise, I swear," he ended in a more subdued tone.

Meanwhile in the ladies-room, Charlotte had alleviated Elizabeth’s thoughts about the conversation she had just had with William by mainly speaking about Jane. Both had noticed the love-at-first-sight scene they had witnessed, both remembered Jane’s very astonishing reaction when she had first saw him in the Crazy Horse, but neither could believe Jane was somewhere, probably in the hotel, making love with Charles.

"Jane is no prude but she’s never been the one-night stand kind. At least, not since I’ve known her."

"She’s never been; I cannot believe that of her. Maybe it was love at first sight after all. Remember how she was moved by Charles’s message? He managed to attract her both physically and mentally from afar. I guess when a man embodies those two attractions, he must be the one."

Thinking about Richard, Charlotte agreed. "You’re right… And then, she only acted on her instincts… That’s very like her!"

"If only I could find such a guy…" Elizabeth went on thoughtfully. "You know, I was physically very attracted to William from the poste d’observation. I cannot say the same for his mind, though!"

"So you were…" Charlotte leaned lightly on the dressing-table.

"I may safely assure you that his dick will not finish the night in me!" she ended almost disappointed.

Charlotte’s un-hearty laugh alerted Elizabeth. "Char, are you all right?"

"Pour de vrai not really… I feel very tired… I’m very glad tomorrow’s my day off…"

"Okay, let’s go back, I’ll walk to the car alone or I’ll take a taxi; I want you to go home as fast as you can and to have Ricky tuck you under the quilt ASAP."

"You sure?"

"I am. I’ll SMS Jane to check she wants to stay before leaving…" Elizabeth added as an afterthought.

Richard was still puzzled about his cousin’s outburst. In the tone that used to be theirs when, as teenagers, they were dreaming about their aunt’s neighbours’ daughters, he asked him: "Will, what happened? What made you over-react like that? It’s so unlike you…"

Sipping the end of his scotch, William hesitated. He turned around, checked that the ladies were still out of sight and started his confession: "She has made me over-react since I saw her on-stage. Bing said I was bewitched… There must be some chemistry behind it, some pheromone phenomenon… I cannot say. And now that I know her, I kinda admire her… She’s never backed down, the way she answered back shows a quick wit; and I’ve never been able to resist a sharp tongue… And she studies literature?"

"Yes, that was her reason to come to France, to be closer to her dear French authors."

"I am bewitched," came his immediate reply, more grievously than he intended. He gave another look around to check Elizabeth was still not there.

"Do you plan a move?"

William chuckled derisively. "Oh yeah, a move would certainly be something she’d appreciate right now! No, as much as it would have liked it, I’m afraid my dick will finish the night in my PJs…"

Richard smiled, the return of his self-derisive cousin was very good news. Still, there was still something not clear. "Okay, Will, that explains your behaviour with Babeth, but that doesn’t explain the prejudice. You’ve always been the tight-ass of the family, even when we were allowed to ‘sow our wild oats," still their Aunt’s words, and still the same smile on their faces. "But first to be reluctant about going to the Crazy Horse and then to be able to utter such puritan thoughts… that’s not like you! Were you attacked by a horde of screaming dancers when you went to Georgie’s last show?"

Richard had meant his words to lighten the atmosphere; instead, he saw his cousin’s face drain of its blood.

"What happened with Georgie? Tell me Will! Is she alright?" Richard urgently asked.

"Had I arrived five minutes later, she would not have been. As luck had it, she only suffered in her mind. The same cannot be said about her closest friend," William replied sternly.

"Come on Will, what happened?"

"Well, there were some wild elements in her ballet class. Sixteen-year-old teenage girls have to be closely looked after, some of those girls are not. They thought it would be very funny to ask to some of their friends to come to the locker-room after the show… some male friends… some drunken male friends… guys who had the Las Vegas showgirls in mind…"

Richard’s face was as pale as William’s. He didn’t noticed that their two female companions had re-entered the room and were now standing behind his cousin, their faces as horror-stricken as his.

"It’s the shouts that made the families enter the back-stage door. They were not the excited ones we were used to hear but horrified and desperate ones. When I entered, I found Georgie first. The guy was unzipping his fly… I knocked him down before he had time to do any more damage. After I had calmed her a little, she asked me to look for Linda… When I found her, it was too late… I don’t think the jerk will have a straight nose when he gets out of prison, but it only relieved me a little."

The ladies’ shock was so great they had not been able to signal their return. They were still behind William but Charlotte had faltered a little and had grabbed her friend’s arm to steady herself. Richard was focused on his cousin, completely oblivious of their surroundings.

"My poor dear little baby cousin… When did it happen?"

"Last June, it was their annual gala… Georgie is fine now; she stopped dancing and started practicing Tae-kwon-do. But her friend is not so well. Georgie asked me to pay for a therapist for her as Linda’s parents are not very well-off; she’s seventeen, hopefully it will be effective soon…"

The ladies were still unable to utter a word, Charlotte relying more and more on Elizabeth’s strength. The latter’s brain was racing: Richard was speaking of his baby cousin, William obviously grieved about what had happened, Georgie had to be William’s young sister. O My God, why did I have to over-react like that?

Silence stretched over the table. Eventually William broke it. "My brain knows that those silly teenagers have nothing to do with the likes of Charlotte or Elizabeth; my brain knows that Charlotte or Elizabeth are not showgirls in Las Vegas; what you told me about them proves that, and the show was not vulgar… but given the other circumstances… well, I just blew a fuse!" He ended his speech with another derisive smirk.

"Well, that explains a lot…" Richard replied thoughtfully, shuddering at what could have happened.

"William…" Elizabeth’s voice startled them, both wondering about what the ladies had heard. They stood up.

"William, I’m sorry. There was no reason for me to be so vulgar; I understand your behaviour, I’m sorry to have condemned you so quickly."

So they had been there long enough… "Please, Elizabeth; that may explain my behaviour but that doesn’t excuse it. I’m sorry; I have been totally uncivil. I always try to behave in a gentlemanlike manner, I totally failed tonight…"

As Elizabeth was about to speak, he waved his hand to stop her. Addressing her friend, he went on. "Charlotte, I was completely out of line tonight; I apologise. I’m delighted to have met someone who means so much for Ricky. If he lets me say so, I welcome you in the family and I’m thrilled to be the first one to say that." He leaned towards her and enfolded her in his arms, placing two resounding kisses on her cheeks.

When he released her, a slight blush had tainted her paleness but Richard immediately noticed something was wrong. "Honey, are you all right?" He took her shivering self in his arms.

"No Ricky, she’s not. She says she’s tired. You go home directly and put her to sleep immediately."

Charlotte didn’t want to upset anyone too much. She tried to lighten the mood. "She won’t hear about us walking her back. She says she’ll take a taxi… And you must know how it costs her!"

"Oh yeah, given my aversion for the taxi-drivers, it tells a lot about my concern!" She replied, laughingly. Richard and William smiled with her, in spite of a still somewhat worried look in the fair one’s eyes.

"Well, Elizabeth, if I may show my contrition by walking you back to your car, I would be honoured." His face was open and seemed sincere; Elizabeth’s heart skipped a beat. Such an attractive smile couldn’t be a real ass’ one. She decided to trust him and smiled her agreement. The warmth that spread inside his body told him that he had not lied to his cousin earlier: in spite – or because – of their harsh words, he was more under her spell than ever.

"Mais en tout bien, tout honneur, William," interfered an almost scolding Charlotte.

William’s face showed that he had no clue about what Charlotte had meant. Elizabeth was too shocked by her friend’s advice to show up her fluency in French. Richard was also quite surprised by his girlfriend’s sermon; but considering what he had just heard from his cousin, the accuracy of her thought made him proud. He translated the French saying in an approximate: "You’ll have to behave!" making William blush.

Elizabeth had managed to regroup her spirit. "Don’t worry, I’ll make him," she replied playfully.

He acknowledged the teasing with a nod and urged his cousin to leave. "Rich, Charlotte is still tired; we should go."

"I have a SMS to send first," Elizabeth said, taking her mobile in her purse. She thumbed a short: ‘I leave – U stay?’ and sent it to Jane’s mobile.

"Yep, you’re right, Will; but I want to see you again before you go back… What about a dinner? Not tomorrow but Thursday… Would you like it?" He moved towards the garçon who came with the bill and went to get their coats.

"Great idea… But I have to know if Charles is okay with that, too…"

"Thursday is Jane’s day off, maybe you shouldn’t worry about that!" Elizabeth’s tone had regained all its easy playfulness.

Richard and William had fought over the bill and they had put their coats on when her mobile rang. She read the message, grinned widely, handed it to Charlotte and winked at her when her friend smiled as broadly as she had.

"Indeed, you shouldn’t worry about Charles’s opinion on your dinner…"

The men watched them and, putting their strange behaviour on another girly secret, they urged them out of the bar. Outside, the rain had once again stopped. The couples parted, Richard holding Charlotte as if she were about to break, towards the Champs Elysées, while William and Elizabeth, maintaining a safe distance between them, went towards the Pont de l’Alma.

Author’s notes:

*6 Le Quartier Latin is a part of the 5th arrondissement in Paris. It used to be the university centre up to the end of the 60’s. It is still a very animated place, both because of tourists and because of students.

Crazy Horse - Elizabeth and William