Chapter Five:

"Your mother seems to be enjoying herself" sneered Caroline, looking over at Mrs Bennet who was loudly giggling at one of Henry Lucas' jokes. Elizabeth smiled sweetly at Caroline, she was gradually realising how little she was warming to Caroline Bingley.

"Yeah, she's been looking forward to it all week.." drawled Lizzie, "too bad the food is taking so long or I'm sure she would be enjoying it more" she said, making a direct dig at Caroline.

After ten minutes of the Bingley sisters trying to make polite conversation (or what they thought was polite conversation) with the Bennet sisters, and their inviting Jane to their house for an afternoon of riding and dinner in the evening (Lizzie maintained she hated horses, but rather hated the company), Charlie and James returned. Lizzie found herself face to face with the tall, and irritated looking Darcy. As Jane seemed to be deep in conversation with Charlie and the Bingleys in a world of their own, (probably commenting on how last season everyone seemed) Lizzie had no choice but to attempt to make conversation, however, she found that Darcy got in there first.

"I'm correct in saying that you go to Oxford as well, right?" he asked.

"What school were you at before, Cheltenham Ladies, Wycombe Abbey?"

Lizzie sighed inwardly, she knew this was coming. She had been confronted with Darcy's type on numerous occasions.

"Oh I went to St Stephens." she said, smiling her most sickly sweet smile.

"Don't think I've heard of St Stephens, where is it?" asked James, inquisitively.

"Just down the road from here, in Meryton"

Darcy looked puzzled.

"I didn't know that there was a private school in Meryton"

Lizzie laughed out loud. 'Here we go again' she thought.

"Oh.. St Stephens isn't a private school! Just a good old comprehensive, there's nothing wrong with that, is there James?" she laughed, looking right at Darcy who, although had not gone red, seemed embarrassed in his own snobbish way.

He didn't reply, but rather moved on to speaking to Caroline about some polo match which had taken place a few days earlier. Lizzie rolled her eyes and walked over to speak to Charlotte who was again, stood by the drinks table.

"You will not believe that James Darcy" Lizzie snarled.

"What a snob! I'd be surprised if he didn't even know state schools existed before this evening! What an arse!" Lizzie was very vocal in her opinion of people she did not like. Charlotte laughed, she was used to outbursts like this from her best friend.

"Oh Liz, give him a chance. You've only just met the guy and already you hate him?" said Charlotte calmly.

"I think he seems nice, he might just take a bit of getting used to? Plus, he really is very fit"

"Lottie, you're outrageous!" cried Lizzie laughing as they made their way through the garden.

They sat down on a bench in the back corner which was surrounded by neatly preened bushes. To anyone stood on the other side of the bush they could not be seen or heard, but by some strange coincidence, they could hear everything being said on the other side, where James Darcy and Charlie Bingley just happened to be deep in conversation.

"Cheer up Darcy, you've had a face like thunder all evening and there are some cracking girls here" said Charlie. Lizzie suppressing a giggle motioned to Charlotte to listen in.

"I wouldn't say they were 'cracking' Charles, and anyway, you've been talking to the only decent looking one all night." said Darcy his true snobbery shining through. Lizzie looked at Charlotte as if to say 'I told you so'. Charlotte shook her head.

"Who? Jane?" asked Charlie

"She's great isn't she. Caroline's invited her over next week, what a catch! She's gorgeous! But her sister, Elizabeth, she's not bad either! You should talk to her, she seems really clever, right up your street then!"

Charlotte nudged the blushing Lizzie, who was trying not to look like she cared about Darcy's response.

"Well then Charles, you have me down all wrong. Although Elizabeth is not bad looking, she's definitely not my type. Far too loud." said Darcy, making Lizzie once again try hard to suppress a giggle.

"Suit yourself then." said Charles.

"Oh look, I think mum wants us to help hand out the food, come on". The two boys walked away leaving Lizzie and Charlotte finally free to release their giggles.

"Now do you believe me Lottie! Darcy is the last person in the world I would ever want to even be remotely friends with and I think he's made his position perfectly clear" cried Lizzie.

The rest of the barbecue ran pretty smoothly with Jane and Charlie becoming more and more engrossed in each other as the night went on, Caroline, Darcy and the rest of the host party seeming far less interested with the rest of the guests as they had initially been, Kitty and Lydia meeting more young men than the rest of their sisters combined and gaining numerous friend requests, and Mrs Bennet making firm friends with Emily Bingley whom the whole family agreed was perfectly lovely, unlike her two high nosed daughters.

When they got in Jane came to Lizzie's room.

"So, what did you think of them all?" asked Jane quietly. Lizzie could tell what she really wanted to know was what did she think of Charlie.

"Well, Charlie was lovely," she began.

"He seemed to really like you, you were inseparable for pretty much the whole night!" said Lizzie winking at her sister who went a light shade of pink at the mention of Charlie's name.

"Can't say the same about his sisters though, and don't get me started on Darcy!

After filling her sister in on what she and Charlotte had heard, Lizzie came to the conclusion that she would avoid James Darcy as much as possible.

"But Lizzie, surely you can't judge him that harshly when you've only just met him." said Jane, always the mediator.

"Maybe he just said all of that to get Charlie off his back"

"I doubt it, he seemed pretty certain about how he felt. Guys like that just aren't worth my time" said Lizzie, getting into bed as Jane went to the door.

"I hope things work out for you and Charlie though Jane, I haven't seen you that comfortable with anyone for a long time."

"Me too Liz, Me too" said Jane, closing Lizzie's door.

Sorry I haven't written for a while guys, I've been so busy! Thank you for all the suggestions and reviews, I have taken them into account, but keep them coming. Thanks for sticking with AMTOPP! New chapter will be up sooner, I promise.

PTK xo