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Finally, the limo pulled up in front of the theater, right to the spot where the red carpet spilled down to the curb and crowds of eager fans strained behind velvet ropes. Darcy climbed out of the car and straightened his jacket. A huge wave of cheers and screams greeted him, only increasing in volume when Charlie emerged from the limo behind him. They smiled and waved. Darcy allowed the adulation to buoy his spirits while reminding himself not to let it go to his head.
Then it was time to work the red carpet. They posed for pictures, separately and together. Darcy spoke with a string of entertainment reporters about this momentous occasion and how he felt about the film. Charlie was pulled in a different direction to speak with other reporters.
While Darcy greeted his fellow In the Shadows actors and shook hands with other celebrities, he tried to focus on the task in front of him and not allow himself to be distracted. But his eyes couldn’t help seeking any sign of Elizabeth.
Upon reaching the lobby, he had a brief moment to himself and scanned the space, but he didn’t see her or any member of the Bennet family. However, near the restrooms Charlotte Lucas had pressed an unresisting Bill Collins against the wall as they made out like teenagers. Charlotte and Bill? He thought the woman had better taste than that.
I’m not desperate enough to…no, who am I kidding? I am.
Before anyone could stop him, Darcy darted toward the couple and tapped on Charlotte’s shoulder, causing them to jump apart with a nervous yelp. “Excuse me for interrupting, Ms. Lucas, but I was wondering if you’ve seen Elizabeth? Elizabeth Bennet?”
Given her red, swollen lips and disheveled hair, Charlotte probably hadn’t seen much of anything for the past ten minutes. “Uh, no.”
“Do you know if she’s coming tonight?”
She blushed a deep red. “No, I don’t.”
Collins had managed to collect himself and straighten his suit. He bowed to Darcy as if he were royalty. “Mr. Darcy, a pleasure to see you again.”
“Likewise,” Darcy said absently. Where was Elizabeth? “Uh, is my aunt attending the premiere?”
Collins shook his head slowly. “Unfortunately not. She had one of her spells this afternoon.”
That sounded rather alarming. “Spells? Like a seizure?”
“No, speaking in tongues,” Collins replied as if saying “head cold” or “back problems.”
“I…see. I didn’t know she suffered from that.”
“Indeed. I have frequently urged her to start her own cult. I believe she would make a most persuasive cult leader. But she is wary of the social stigma attached to the role.”
“Yes, I don’t suppose that’s common among her social set.” Darcy wondered if every discussion with Collins always went down a conversational rabbit hole. What did Charlotte talk to him about?
Charlie caught Darcy’s eye and gestured him toward the interior of the theater. “Very good. Er, carry on,” he said to the couple.
With a shrug, Charlotte resumed putting her tongue down her boyfriend’s throat as Darcy hastily joined his friend. “Have you seen Elizabeth?”
“Nobody from the Bennet family, but maybe they’re already seated.”
The ushers showed the two men to their seats in the front row, but they didn’t even have a chance to sit down. A steady stream of people wandered past, requiring handshakes, air kisses, and greetings. During his free moments, Darcy craned his neck, surveying the rest of the theater. Near the back, there were two rows of star-struck, selfie-taking kids from True Colors; Darcy exchanged waves with Garrett. He also spotted Caroline a few rows back with some Eurotrash guy as her date.
Tom and Franny Bennet occupied front-row seats on the other side of the aisle. He desperately wanted to greet them and ask about their daughter, but the procession of people made it impossible. Jane and two women he recognized as Mary and Kitty Bennet occupied seats further down the row. Darcy was a little surprised to see Ricky beside Jane and wished he’d had a chance to call his cousin after landing that afternoon.
But Elizabeth wasn’t sitting with her family, and he didn’t see her anywhere in the rest of the theater. Why wasn’t she there? She believed in this project as much as Roberta or Ricky or Jane did. And she would want to support her father and sisters. Anxiety over making an apology to Elizabeth began to give way to a more amorphous dread.
Belatedly Darcy realized that Lydia was also missing. What was up with that? She would never miss an opportunity to dress up and flirt. Of course, there were hundreds of people in the audience. It must be that they were sitting in the back for some reason, and Darcy just couldn’t see them. Nothing else made sense.
Less in demand than Darcy, Charlie had better luck at maneuvering through the crowds. Darcy noticed enviously that he managed to slip to the other side of the aisle for a brief conversation with Jane.
Darcy cursed his luck as the lights dimmed and he still hadn’t managed to speak with the Bennets. Right before they went to full dark, Charlie slid into the seat next to Darcy’s. “Any luck with Jane?” he asked.
“No.” Charlie looked disgusted. “She’s dating Ricky!”
“Huh.” Darcy twisted in his seat to catch a glimpse of the couple, who were indeed sitting side by side and chatting.
“I mean, I know he’s your cousin. But I never thought Jane would go for…you know?”
“Someone trans?”
