Darcy looked embarrassed. He had no idea what I'd been through. And now here he was, the King of the Elites, telling me that I was misjudging them.

I went on. "Please tell me at what point between the taunting and humiliation during my first few months was I supposed to get to know people better?"

"I didn't --"

"Of course you didn't. That's my point."

I walked up to the counter and tried to not feel self-conscious when I had to flatten my dollar bills wrinkled from the Junction tip jar in order to pay. Once the purchase was complete, I walked back to the car without even looking at Darcy. I grabbed the handle before he could open the door for me.

"In case I haven't made myself clear," I said, once he'd caught up, "I want you to know that I have absolutely no interest in you or your money." I got in the car and slammed the door shut.

We drove back in silence. I ran up to my room as soon as we got back to the cabin. I didn't relax until I heard everyone else leave for the slopes.

Eight

DESPITE THE ROCKY MORNING, I ENDED UP HAVING A GREAT day at the Bingleys' ski house. I got caught up on all my homework, even managing to read ahead in a couple classes, and gave Henry a mini-concert on the Steinway.

I was on my second cup of Henry's amazing hot chocolate when everyone else returned from their afternoon on the slopes.

Caroline entered with Darcy, laughing and talking his ear off. I picked up my English anthology book and decided I could get even further in my reading.

"Hey, Lizzie, how was your day?" Charles asked the second he and Jane entered. He brushed off the snow from his jacket and helped steady Jane as she removed her boots. Their cheeks were bright red from the cold.

"It was great," I replied. "Thanks so much for having me."

"Anytime!" Charles waited until everybody else was upstairs before asking me his next question. "Um, Lizzie, would you be okay if I took Jane out to dinner tonight? I know that Caroline can be, well, not the most tolerable of people, but you'd have Darcy here to protect you."

I tried to not choke on my hot chocolate. It was clear that Charles meant every word he was saying, and at the same time had no idea what he was talking about. Despite my growing displeasure with Darcy and my extreme desire to avoid Caroline, I wanted Jane to be happy. Sometimes friends have to suffer for their friends' happiness.

"Of course, Charles," I replied. "Have fun!"

I went upstairs and helped Jane prepare for the evening. She was ecstatic to finally go on a real date with Charles.

My own dinner was even more awkward than I could have imagined. I kept to myself, only speaking to compliment Henry or offer help. Mostly I felt like I was a third wheel on a date. Caroline kept flirting with Darcy, reaching across the table to touch his hand at any chance she could get. Darcy, for his part, seemed as bored as ever, especially when Caroline brought up prom. Which she did ... twenty-seven times (I counted).

"There are so many responsibilities being head of the prom committee," Caroline stated. (Make that twenty-eight times.)

Darcy pushed away his plate. "Do you think it would be possible to have an evening that doesn't revolve around talking about prom?"

Caroline opened her mouth, but paused. She began to twirl her hair around her finger. "You're right...." She smiled sweetly at Darcy. "Let's get a nice bottle of wine and start a fire."

He shook his head. "I should get some reading done tonight."

"Ugh, reading? On a Saturday night?"

I tried to not laugh as I got up and cleared my place. "Please let me help you with the dishes, Henry," I said once I got back to the kitchen. "Don't make me go back out there." I nodded toward the dining room.

He shook his head. "My dear, you have no idea how long I've had to put up with Miss Bingley. Why do you think I don't use the dishwasher?" He gestured toward the stainless-steel industrial dishwasher to his right as he filled up the sink to manually do the dishes. He gave me a wink as I headed to the living room.

Caroline was mindlessly flipping through the channels on the large flat screen against the wall while Darcy was busy on his laptop. I curled up on the chaise longue and tried to read. As much as I enjoyed Chaucer, the Caroline Bingley Show was much more entertaining.

She leaned over to watch Darcy type. "Tell Georgiana I say hello."

"I already did -- do you want me to tell her again?" Darcy didn't even look up from the screen.

Caroline placed her hand on Darcy's shoulder. "Well, I just think it is so sweet of you to check up on your sister as much as you do."

Darcy didn't respond and kept typing.

"Hmmm." Caroline yawned exaggeratedly. "What an amazing day on the slopes." She got up and began stretching in front of Darcy. She took a deep breath as she reached her arms up to the ceiling, a motion that exposed her midriff conveniently at Darcy's eye level. She continued stretching, bending over to the side and letting out a loud sigh.

Darcy closed his laptop, much to Caroline's delight. But then he went over to the couch beside me and picked up his book, not giving Caroline a second glance.

Caroline slouched down on the couch beside him. Darcy was entrenched in his book. "Ooh," Caroline cooed. "What a beautiful evening. Yes, I think it is a perfect evening to read." She bit her lip and went over to the bookshelf and selected a book at random.

She pretended to be interested in Great Expectations. But after ten minutes, her own expectations had clearly not been met, and she threw the book down.

"Lizzie," Caroline said to me. I was in such shock that she was addressing me directly I didn't respond right away. "Lizzie, do you want me to teach you some yoga moves?"

I didn't know how to react. I automatically assumed that she was setting me up for something.

Darcy set down his book and started studying me as Caroline began doing very complicated poses, obviously trying to impress him.

"Not your thing?" Darcy asked me.

I shrugged. "Yeah, I guess not."

Caroline, satisfied that she had outshined me, sat down on the floor facing us with her legs crossed. "Yoga isn't for everybody. I just really try to challenge myself physically, as well as intellectually, every day." I had to bite the inside of my cheeks to stop from laughing. "I have to admit that I'm not nearly the sibling to Charles as you are to Georgiana." Caroline reached over and touched Darcy on his knee.

"Do you have any brothers or sisters, Lizzie?" Darcy asked.

I shook my head.

"Your parents must be sad to have you so far away." He looked genuinely interested in my family life.

Before I could answer, Caroline kept prodding on. "I try my best to be a good sister, but I have a tendency to take on the big-sister role with so many of my friends. It's hard sometimes, when you put so many others first."

Darcy kept staring at me, and it was making me uncomfortable.

"Not that you have any faults, Darcy," Caroline continued. I couldn't tell whether she was serious or not.

Darcy turned his attention away for a second to look at her. "Nobody's perfect."

I let out a laugh. He looked over at me. "Do you think you're perfect?" he asked.

"No, no, not at all. Far from it. I'm just interested in hearing what you think your faults are." I found myself enjoying the conversation.