Chapter 24

Finally the night of Lady Matlock's dinner arrived. Georgiana, with her companion, Mrs. Annsley, had taken up residence at Matlock House after Lady Catherine and Anne had arrived in London. Her presence gave Darcy an excuse to find himself daily at Matlock House, other than just for dinner each night. Now he nervously tugged at his neck cloth. He knew that other bachelors in the family and connected to the Fitzwilliams would be meeting Elizabeth and he was apprehensive that any of them had the opportunity to make a better inpression than he did. He considered what type of impression he may have made, had this been his first meeting with Elizabeth and he went into it knowing exactly who she was. He cringed to think that he knew he would have presented himself better than he had in Hertfordshire. As he ran through the list of eligible males, he felt slightly reassured.

Arriving early, Darcy took up a stance near Elizabeth in the drawing room. David moved closer to him and mummered with a smirk, "Surely you are not attempting to stake your claim on her here, against the lot expected here tonight?"

Darcy in a low voice said back, "Have you considered some of the bachelors connected to the family that will be here tonight? Farrington has pockets to let. Miles is a fop. Buckworth would take her for Harcourt and keep his mistress. Finchly would like to secure her for his son, that is barely older than her. Shelton has also always wanted Harcourt in his family and his son, who is no more appealing than the old man himself, is unmarried. Need I go on?"

David grimaced and said, "Feel free to break out the legendary Darcy glare as much as needed tonight. I believe I will mention my brothers keep a particular eye on the fellows you mentioned. Not a one of them would do for Elizabeth."

Surrounded by her some of her brothers and Darcy at any given time, Elizabeth was grateful for the fact that there were so many of her brothers. Darcy she assummed stayed nearby because he had allowed Georgiana to attend, due to the significance of the occasion, and Georgiana was staying close to her. Lady Matlock had said it would be a small gathering of connections, but thus far Elizabeth had lost count of the number of introductions pressed on her. It was certainly larger than the four and twenty families of Meryton, she thought with amusement. Seeing her eyes twinkling Darcy leaned down and whispered, "How does your first foray in London compare to the four and twenty families you dined with?"

"How did you know that was what I was thinking of?" Elizabeth asked with a smile turning toward him.

"It was a guess, for it was what I was thinking of and how much I might prefer the four and twenty families," Darcy said softly.

"Who would have thought our minds would have a very similar turn," Elizabeth said archly as she gazed upward at him.

"I cannot say I am surprised," Darcy said wryly. "After all, were you not the one that first observed the similar turn of our minds while we danced at Netherfield."

"And I believe I owe you an apology. I am afraid I attacked you with a vhemance I should not have," Elizabeth said softly, her eyelashes lowering.

"Never feel you need apologize to me, Elizabeth," Darcy said huskily in a low voice before raising his gaze from her and saying in a louder tone, incling his head to a tall well formed gentleman, "Buckworth."

"Darcy," Buckworth said with a small incline of his head. "Perhaps you would be so kind to introduce me to this fair creature," he said with a bow to Elizabeth.

"Lady Elizabeth, allow me to present Mr. Archibald Buckworth of Buckworth Hall. Lady Elizabeth Fitzwilliam my, " Darcy said with a pause and stepped closer to her. "long lost cousin."

"Lady Elizabeth and I are also cousins on our mother's sides," Buckworth said with a smirk directed at Darcy.

"Second cousins," Darcy corrected him, steel in his tone. "Lady Matlock was a cousin to your mother, making you second cousins."

"Either way I look forward to gettiing to know Lady Elizabeth much better," Buckworth said with a smile directed at Elizabeth.

"Buckworth," Henry said approaching. "Are you ready for the upcoming season with those nags of yours?"

"My stables would produce more champions if they had such close accommodations as yours enjoy to the turf. You may find yourself evicted from your cushy spot ere long," Buckworth said smoothly.

"I am sure the Fitzwilliam string could out race your string no matter where they were housed. After all, racers from Ireland have had successful showings at Newmarket," Henry drawled. "Darcy, bring Elizabeth over to meet Lady Claire when you get a chance," he said before walking off, drawing Buckworth with him with talk of the last racing season. He fully supported his cousin's suit over that of a man known to run through mistresses that would only wish to marry Elizabeth for Harcourt and its prime location.

Henry had known exactly what Darcy was about when he angled his body toward her and leaned down to whisper quietly to her when he saw Buckworth enter and his brother Issac step away for a word with someone. Witnessing a similar manoeuvre early in the evening when Lord Farrington had approached, the Fitzwilliam brothers had decided to support Darcy by whichever brothers were present withdrawing, leaving Elizabeth alone with Darcy when a male they considered objectional entered. And then one or more of the brothers would circulate back towards the couple taking their turn to be near, since all of them would prefer to stand near Elizabeth. Darcy was staking his claim in such a subtle way, supported by her brothers, that Elizabeth hadn't even realized, but he was making it clear to any males that would pursue Elizabeth that he was a strong contender for her hand and his cousins actions helped to underscore the fact that they considered him an acceptable suitor.

It was almost time to go into dinner when the final guests arrived. Sir Peter Shelton, with a scowl on his face, made his way over to Elizabeth and rather than wait for introductions said angrily, "So you are the chit that has twice stolen my daughters inheritance. My family's property."

"I suggest you offer your apologies to Lady Elizabeth," Darcy said with a growl.

"I would watch my words if I were you Shelton," James said. "Harcourt hasn't been in your family for generations. Not since your ancestor foolishly gambled it off to our ancestor. You had no reason to expect its return into your family. In fact it only spent what, one or two generations in your family if I remember correctly. "

"Named my daughter after the old bat, didn't I? Made sure the girl spent plenty of time with Lady Rutherford. Can't tell me Lady Rutherford didn't plan to leave the property to her namesake, my Miranda, she was the only girl child for years, with everyone having sons. Lady Rutherford's great great great grandfather left it to her grandmother rather than any of his grandsons. Her Grandmother than left it to her granddaughter, Lady Rutherford, passing it down the female line. And then your sister came along and stole it," Shelton said bitterly.

"Your line of conversation is objectionable," Richard said with a glare at Shelton.

"You just dislike hearing the truth, " Shelton said drawing himself up. "You Fitzwilliams have always been a shifty lot, wouldn't be surprised to find your ancestor cheated mine. I hope you enjoy your ill gotten gains, Lady Elizabeth, " he spat.

Elizabeth's eyes had widened at his unprovoked attack but now she thrust her chin forward slightly and her eyes glittering at him said, "MY ESTATE," stressing the words, " as I understand it, currently is home to a fine thoroughbred operation. One that will be there for decades. I daresay when MY FAMILY," once again stressing the last two words, "visit it this Christmas, we shall all enjoy it greatly, as will our descendents someday and our ancestors did previously."

"I believe it would be best if you left," David said to Shelton as he joined the group. "It is apparent you should not have been invited."

"I have just as much right to be here as anyone else," Shelton said with a glare.

"You received an invitation due to your connection to our family, but it is clear you intend to keep harping on your old gripes and our family would be best served severing the connection, " James said.

"You arrogant, little- just because your little brother kept us from overturning the old bat's will—"

"Sir Peter!" The earl barked quietly as he came up behind him. "My son is correct. The past two years it seemed that our families had burried the hatchet so to speak, and reached an amiable accord. Clearly you did not wish to reconcile as you claimed. You extended the suggestion of an olive branch to us," hearing this Elizabeth stiffled a snort recalling Mr. Collins olive branch. "one which we accepted in good faith. I have no wish to embarrass you or your family, but after tonight you will need to consider our connection dissolved. I will allow you the dignity of receiving an urgent summons rather than having my footman throw you out."

"So be it," Shelton said with a final disgusted look at Elizabeth. "The ink was barely dry on my daughter's marriage lines when the old bat cocked up her toes and you once again stole Miranda's inheritance," he said before stalking off.

"Good riddance," Henry mummered under his breath.

"I am sorry you had to experience that, my dear," Matlock said with a sigh. "He was invited in good faith. Your mother and I had debated if we should include them or not, his first wife, your mother's sister died in childbirth with Miranda. His next wife did not fair much better, though she managed to produce a son. We ultimately decided that we risked slighting them if we did not and the progress made the last two years would be lost. His daughter Miranda's husband is the younger son of Lord Prescott. Lord Prescott's support has been vital to seeing some of the bills I wished passed."

"I am sorry, father," Elizabeth said contritely.

"Don't worry about it," Matlock said patting her on the arm. "I'd rather have you back then Lord Prescott in my corner."

"It is not your fault, princess. You could hardly help that grandma chose to leave Harcourt to you," James said. "She found Miranda Shelton to be a whiny spoiled child. Just because the estate had been traditionaly passed down the female line once it came into the family did not obligate her to leave it to Miranda. Especially since you were also her granddaughter."

"I do not see why she would not have left it to one of you since it is evidently in such a desirable location for horseracing," Elizabeth said.

"Because that estate is better than any dowry," Henry said with a laugh. "Most gentlemen are interested in the races, even as a passing fancy. The chance to be at the heart of them would appeal to lots of bachelors. Dabbling in the races from such a location while waiting to inherit would appeal to many. Every female in the line that has held it has married a title."

"I flatter ourselves though and may claim that the current racing string and breeding program is the finest it has seen," David said chuckling.

"That is because for us it is a livelihood, not a hobby to dabble in like the gentlemen before us," Henry said.

"He is right," agreed Matlock. "I enjoyed the races when I was younger but once I inherited the Earldom I would not have had the time to dedicate to a racing endeavor. For you boys it isn't something to whittle away a few years, it is your life ambition."