From Pemberley to Manhattan [COMPLETED]

Chapter 40

After their filled-with-revelations talk at Starbucks, Nat and Darcy agreed they should forget about it. The agreement had been mutual and implicit, of course, since he had regretted his words the moment they had escaped his mouth, while she considered them nothing but a joke to improve her mood, even though a part of her wished it had not been the case.

The following couple of weeks hadn't allowed them to spend time alone, the work at the restaurant and the bookstore being very demanding for both.

"Dear", Julia called Darcy when he was having breakfast with Bobby one morning. They liked eating together; the two men had similar rhythms eating. For very different reasons. "I have a surprise for you! There's an exhibition of your Queen Victoria at the Met, and my daughter got you tickets!", she finished excitedly.

"I thank you and Ms. Estevez Brown, Madam. However, I am expected at the restaurant in an hour and I believe there will be not enough time to–"

"No worries, Honey Bunny!", Julia interrupted with a radiant smile. "Or should I say 'Honey Brit'?", she giggled with her own little joke. Her grandson and the houseguest simply glanced at one another suspiciously. Even the naïve Darcy knew she was up to something. "I've got you replacements!", she finished triumphantly.

"Oh, Grandma! That's incredible!", Bobby was immediately eager about the much needed day-off. Obviously, he wouldn't waste it on a museum trip. Perhaps he would take Fitz there then go to Central Park or something.

"Have you suddenly become British, Robert?", his grandmother's tone indicated she didn't expect – or wished – to be answered. "This invitation is for our Fitz here, who is British, has been in New York for almost a month and hasn't visited the Met yet."

"I much appreciate your kindness, Madam", Darcy intervened. He noticed how disappointed his friend looked. He certainly had no inclination to be the cause of disagreement between grandmother and grandson.

"If you call me Madam, ma'am or Ms. Brown again, you'll get no pancakes with Nutella, Fitz", Julia threatened.

"I beg your pardon. Julia", he replied with a grin. There was no way he'd do anything to compromise his pancakes. Ms. Brown's pancakes were almost as delicious as Miss Nathalie's.

Talking about her... "So, Fitz, my granddaughter will be going with you today", Julia mentioned it as if it were a small, unimportant detail. But it had been the whole point of the museum day trip all along. Nat had been sad ever since that awful, cheating episode.

Besides, Julia had noticed how they looked at each other. Whenever Nat walked into a room, Fitz' eyes would lighten up. Whenever Fitz did something adorable, Nat would stare at him with admiring eyes. Their spark was so bright it was almost blinding.

"Yeah, sure, 'cause Nat is a Brit", Bobby complained, not caring if he sounded like a seven-year-old.

"She's a British descendent, may I remind you", Julia countered, throwing him her don't-you-dare-ruin-my-brilliant-plan look.

"So am I!", Bobby decided to ignore the look.

"Are the young men in your country insolent with their grandmothers as well, Fitz?", she asked Darcy, who was on the verge of chuckling. Before he could offer a response, she placed the pancakes on their plates and continued, "Get ready, Fitz! I'm going downstairs to tell Nat the news! She'll be thrilled!"

Darcy waited until Ms. Julia Brown had left the apartment before saying, "I am sorry, my friend", Bobby's answer was a sad sigh, which made the other man smile. Then, Darcy swallowed a few times, cleared his throat, and asked, "Do you think your sister will be glad with the arrangement?"

"Well, she doesn't approve when grandma plays the cupid." When he saw Darcy's quizzical brow go up, he continued, "Trust me, that's grandma's plan; throwing you two in each other's arms so she can have some little Darcy dudes running around her. But, luckily for you, Nat loves the Met. So I guess she'll be fine." Even though the answer hadn't been enough to calm Darcy's nerves, Bobby was finished with that subject, so he moved on to the next, "This is so insane, Fitz. You're gonna see old stuff about a queen who hadn't been born yet in your time! So wicked, bro!"

"Bro? Robert, I was just beginning to get accustomed with the 'doode' expression, and now you decide to apply yet another term as you refer to me?" With that, Bobby laughed and they didn't exchange words for a while. Darcy wasn't able to hold his insecurities back for long, though. "What do you mean your grandmother wishes to be surrounded by 'little Darcy doodes'? Do you believe your sister wishes the same?"

"Seriously dude, what's going on between Nat and you?", Bobby had expected to catch them in the act by now, but it hadn't happened yet. He wasn't sure he was relieved or frustrated. There was a lot of sexual tension between his sister and his time-travelling friend, which would explode if they didn't do anything about it.

"Nothing!," Darcy replied quickly.

Even Bobby knew that was far from the truth.

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