Audrey's Mr. Darcy

Audrey Lambert is a self-sufficient woman, newly appointed as Manager of a Financial Consulting Department. Tall, sophisticated and well-educated, she hides well the simple dreamer within who finds immense joy seated in a window alcove reading the journals of her great grandmother's adventures and romance as she traveled with her husband in search of rare artifacts, often mysterious and mystical. To everyone, Audrey appears unattainable, especially to one of the financial consultants under her supervision, who considers himself cursed, because his name is William Darcy, from a long line of Darcys that had nothing whatsoever to do with Jane Austen's Mr. Darcy. What's worse, he resembles to a tee, the popular actor who portrayed the character in the movie based on Austen's novel. Inevitably, most women who date him, insist on comparing him with the character, to their eventual disillusionment. He doesn't have an English accent, born and bred in a small hamlet on Long Island, New York, a nice town with trees and malls, buses and trains and taxicabs. He isn't as tall or as confident, or as proud of bearing, and not one hundredth of a percent as rich as the fictional Fitzwilliam Darcy. One disappointed woman actually told him he had no right facially to resemble Austen's Darcy. She suggested plastic surgery. If only he could find a girl who dislikes Austen's Mr. Darcy. That's as improbable as finding a needle in a haystack. To his edification, he learns that Audrey dislikes the Darcy character, preferring looks akin to Bronte's Edward Fairfax Rochester. Attracted to Audrey, Wil is prepared to go to all lengths, even to growing his hair longer, dying it black, wearing elevator shoes to add more height to his 5' 11", and dressing in apparel a mix between respectable 18th century and cool contemporary. He is mortified when he reads the controlled laughter in Audrey's eyes. But surprised, soon after, at her request that he accompany her on an archaeological trip. Her trip has to do with company business and a multi-millionaire's account. Audrey tells Wil that she considers him one of the best and most conscientious worker in the department. He is honored, and sees a glimmer of hope for his chance to win her affections. Excerpt: Wil turned on his back and opened his eyes. He groaned with relief, glad the dream was over and he was awake. He wasn't overly fond of this dream. As a child, the occasional recurring dream terrified him. As a teen, it had made him wonder what was going on in his subconscious. As an adult, it made him speculate. Perhaps he should visit a psychologist. The setting wasn't always the same, but it evoked the same feelings; not fear any longer, yet strange. He didn't actually see himself, but he felt the tentacles, and he knew they were his arms and legs. That was the weird part of the dream. The part that he didn't mind at all was the woman who stood on the dais. Her flowing garment was sheer and spun from silk, and she wore a gold ankh pendant across her chest and a golden diadem with an ostrich feather at the front on her straight, black hair. Behind her was a royal throne garbed in red silk. Wil had long since deduced she was an Egyptian Queen from ancient times. She did not appear afraid of his appearance, almost as if she did not see the tentacles, as she smiled at him, admiration and warmth in her onyx gaze. She was as beautiful in form, as were her thoughts and her soul, inexplicably clear to him. And he, as the creature, loved her. The dream puzzling as ever, Wil ran a nervous hand through his darkened hair. What was his subconscious trying to tell him? He took a deep breath and climbed out of bed. A steaming cup of coffee sweetened with cream and sugar, followed by a nutritious breakfast, would help him shake off the dream's effects. Audrey is the great granddaughter of Elizabeth Grace whose story is told in the author's novellas and novel, The Adventures of Grace Quinlan and Lord William Hayden.