Chapter 3

"Interesting reading material," a middle age, well dressed man said in the clipped accents of the ton, raising an eyebrow at the book Elizabeth held.

"Yes. It is interesting. For sleep I prefer a weighty tome on sheep farming or crop diseases. But works such as Cook's Journal are a much more entertaining read," Elizabeth said arching her eyebrow back at him.

"Touche," he said with a chuckle. "It is certainly an entertaining read. I myself, along with my eldest son and nephew, found it to be a fascinating read. Most females of society do not choose it as their reading material, though."

"Most females of society do not know what they are missing out on," was Elizabeth's rejoinder.

"And I would wager you are not most females of the ton. Your taste in reading material certainly claims you are not. It caught my attention. May I ask what has led you to your selections?"

"My own interests. I find myself in need of a good adventure to distract and occupy me. My father's library contained the works of explorers and while Cook is an old favorite, he does not reside in my uncle's library. Neither do some of my other dear friends here. So when my uncle bade me to buy a few books I would enjoy, I naturally sought out Cook, as well as Coleridge's recent poetry and though I have never read it, I find the idea behind an ancient city under the water to be fascinating."

"I agree, as would my son. My eldest is a bit of a scholarly fellow. He enjoys reading of ancient civilizations. What is your name, Miss?" he said pausing for her to introduce herself.

"Miss Elizabeth Bennet of Longbourn in Hertfordshire but lately of Gracechurch street," she responded with a smile.

"Henry Fitzwilliam, Earl of Matlock," he said with a bow and smile.

"Oh," Elizabeth exclaimed in surprise. "I made the acquaintance of your wife yesterday at my Aunt Maddy's."

"What's this? Ah, you are connected to the Gardiners. Splendid. A charming family. I greatly look forward to getting to know you better, my dear. I believe you are to dine with us tomorrow," he said jovially. "You will do just fine," he added beaming at her.

…

Darcy strolled into his bedroom whistling a happy tune. Having made the decision that he would marry Elizabeth he felt nothing could dim his happiness. With sudden inspiration he walked toward the connecting door to the mistress' chamber and opened it. He surveyed the room and with a decisive nod he decided that he would intruct his housekeeper to have the chamber opened and aired out so it would be ready to be refreshed. Elizabeth, he knew, favored greens and yellows, while his mother had favored pink.

His meeting with the solicitor had gone well and he was anxious to take the next step to securing his bride. If he expected his aunt's support and help in making society accept his bride, he needed to first show up for her dinner party as part of his duty to his family. He would also need to be firm in the fact that while Elizabeth's family was a complete degredation and she was from an inferior society, he would brook no insult to her from anyone. He would remind his aunt of her own wise words, the right woman was her own dowry, which made his Elizabeth absolutely priceless.

While his aunt's words were welcome to him since he had already fallen in love with a lady deemed unsuitable by society's standards he did not feel obligated to browbeat his cousin into a match. He would support Richard if his cousin refused to go along with his mother's plans, and if he unexpectedly fell in with them, then he would support him in that. Dinner tomorrow would determine the outcome. Based on his aunt's words though, he was confident she would accept his choice at least though. His Elizabeth was vastly superior to any other gentlewoman and she was prepared to accept a penniless woman with no connections for her own son.

…

Elizabeth chewed her lip as she thought, her attention not on the book she held. Her thoughts, she knew, should be consumed by what she had learned about her mother and that woman's relationship with her. She had always been aware of her mother's scorn and distaste for her, but the love of her Aunt Madeline took away the sting. Elizabeth had sometimes felt guilty that she loved her Aunt Maddy more like a mother than she did her own mother. She felt some relief to finally be able to acknowledge that her mother and her did not have a loving relationship and had not from the moment she was born. Her mother made that choice and Elizabeth had simply responded to that choice. These though were not the thoughts that plauged Elizabeth. A handsome scowling countance with dark eyes kept intruding into her thoughts. Mr. Darcy, she thought with irritation. He disapproved of everything about her. Her sister had received a note from Miss Bingley the same day Collins proposed to her, proclaiming that she, her sister and brother-in-law the Hursts, and houseguest Mr. Darcy had decamped to London after Bingley did. Claiming a belief that her brother would not wish to leave the metropolis once he was there. Elizabeth scoffed at this notion. She was quite positive that Miss Bingley, Mrs. Hurst and Mr. Darcy would do their best to presuade him to stay. Now she awaited word from her sister about Bingley's return. Thoughts of her sister's suitor just brought his friend to the fore of Elizabeth's mind though, no matter how hard she attempted to not think of Mr. Darcy.