Chapter 31

"Well, it appears to be as we thought," Lord Matlock said the next morning, addressing his three eldest sons and Darcy as he finished reading the letter from the private investigator he had contacted.

"Mr. Houn was able to confirm it was Nurse Patterson who left Elizabeth in Hertfordshire?" James asked.

"It would appear so. He spoke to Mr. Boswell and Mr. Smelt, who confirmed Bennet's story. He also spoke to some of the locals, including a woman who would have been a young girl at the time. It was her testimony that confirms it. Given her age and gender evidently no one had thought to inquire what she knew at the time."

"Hardly surprising, sadly," Richard said with contempt.

"Tis the way of the world. Mr Bennet and Mr. Boswell are men. Not to many men would ask a child, especially a female child," James reminded Richard.

"It was while Mr. Houn was speaking to her brother, that her knowledge came to light," Matlock continued. "She evidently remembered Elizabeth very well, having found her amusing. She claimed the only time she ever recalled not seeing her charging around, a bundle of energy and questions was the first time she saw her, when she was with an unfamiliar woman. The woman, she said, told her that her charge was waiting for her family to find her. She spun a tale that they had been playing hide and seek and as soon as she woke she would turn into a princess of a great estate far away soon. Naturally the woman had assummed her family was the Bennets since it's she was with them, not being questioned or told about why she was with them and when the Bennets moved to Longbourn she figured it was the great estate."

"Damn," David said softly, with emotion, wondering how things may have been different had Mr. Bennet or Mr. Boswell thought to question the girl or had any of the adults she knew explained the situation to her.

"Elizabeth was evidently sedated, giving her the appearance of sleeping, and her nurse set her down under a tree after getting off the post coach. Which Mr. Houn was able to confirm would have been a possible route from the genreal area of Malcom's estate where she disappeared, to Plymouth, via Oxford, within the correct time frame though not the most direct as from the town nearest Malcom, but still possible. The brief discription the woman provided while vauge matched Elizabeth's nurse. Further more he was able to find a ticket purchased for Beatrice Patterson and child on an old coaching list along the route a few stops away from Oxford."

"So Nurse Patterson bought a ticket only a few stops away and then abandoned Elizabeth," Richard said thoughtfully. "It seems the scenario works of a falling out with her lover and beytraying her partner in crime."

"What about Sir Peter?" Darcy asked frowning.

"When he challenged Lady Rutherford's will, I had Mr. Houn investigate him again regarding any possible connection to Elizabeth's disappearance. When no ransom note arrived at the time of her disappreance he seemed a good suspect. There were plenty that could vouch for his whereabouts at that time and he was cleared of suspicion. My second investigation of him supported the conclusions of the first. He makes himself a target for suspicion with his vitriol about Harcourt and against our family, particularly Elizabeth, but he is not party to the crime, much as any of us might like him to be held responsible and blamed. No, he is just a bitter idiot."

To dispel the morse mood brought on by the investigator's letter, the gentlemen decided to go in search of the ladies, particularly Elizabeth for some livley company.

"Ha!" they heard Henry's voice exclaim. "Let us see what mischief can be had from this one."

"If Aunt Catherine ends up under it, I am running. It will be every man for himself," Issac's voice could be heard to answer.

"Aunt Catherine, good god man! Miss Bingley! With that harpy in residence, I'd rather buss the harridian on the cheek a hundred times!" David said coming around the corner and seeing what his brothers were up to.

"Mistletoe? Really?" James asked raising an eyebrow.

"And do the ladies know you are rearranging their greens?" Matlock asked.

"Not persay," Henry said shrugging.

"So not at all," Richard said grinning. "They did have a bit of an advantage, knowing where they had directed the footman to place it. I am relatively certain Miss Bingley has determined already where every branch is and is already plotting how to encounter her prey under it."

"Exactly," Henry said grinning. "Can you imagine her face when she positions herself under where she believes it is, expecting a kiss and none is forthcoming since the mistletoe has moved? She would like to appear not as gaunch as to be cranning her neck around looking for it, so she has determined the locations in advance."

"And we shall thwart her," Issac said with satisfaction.

"Yet your efforts to thwart Miss Bingley will thwart the other ladies as well. I do believe they have designated uses for that mistletoe, to further Bingley and Miss Bennet's courtship," Darcy said dryly.

"And poor Anne who has been careful to not be near Darcy under it, will be forced to crane her neck around looking for it, least her doting mama pounce on an opportunity to further her perceived courtship of Darcy and Anne," James said chuckling.

"Oh I am sure little Georgie will go on a recconossaince mission for her. Those two, I believe have more than one goal with the mistletoe. Miss Bennet is not the only one they intend to manoeuvre," Henry said with a shrug.

"Ah, yes. They do seem to wish to catch Darcy and Elizabeth under it," Matlock acknowledged.

"The proviable rock and a hard place, Darce," Issac said. "Four ladies wish to catch you under the misletoe. Two for purposes you would rather avoid and two with a purpose you do not object to. Shall you risk the horrors of Miss Bingley and Aunt Catherine's expectations to claim the prize of a kiss with my sister?"

"Hmmmm, our cousin has never been a gambling man," James said thoughtfully.

"True, he invests with us in our endeavors at Harcourt, but not once has he placed a bet on a race," Henry said.

"Yet, I suspect he will take the gamble," David said. "For he knows if he waits for Elizabeth to be under the mistletoe, while givng it a wide birth, he won't be the one to bestow a kiss on her. For it is far more likely one of us will kiss our sister's cheek."

"Afterall, as her brothers and his cousins we must do what we must to thwart him and impede his courtship," Richard said grinning.

"Unoffical courtship," Matlock said dryly. "I have no intentions of sanctioning an official courtship anytime soon, though I respect your wish to make your preference clear, Darcy. And applaud your efforts to earn my daughter's good opinion."

In the drawing room prior to dinner, Miss Bingley in an attempt at nochalance positioned herself under where previously a large clump of mistletoe had hung. She looked coyly around the room, fluttering her eyelashes, waiting for Darcy or the Viscount, who were both near to notice her. With acting worthy of the stage, Miss Bingley delicately let out a small trill of affected laughter. Darcy and the visocunt's eyes flickered to her and then both ignored her. She gave another little trill and moved her eyes upward, hoping they would follow her glance to where she knew the mistletoe was.

"Say Caroline, are you okay," Mr. Bingley asked after his sister gave yet another trill.

"Marvelous, Charles dear," Miss Bingley said affecting a smile. "I am quite in awe of your talents with greens Lady Elizabeth. You have decorated this room in such a charming manner with them. My eyes could rove around the room taking in the placements with constant delight. Could not yours as well, Mr. Darcy? I encourage you to look around and see what joys there are to be had."

"My cousins and Miss Bennet have done a delightful job of it. I need only look around the room to be reminded of the enjoyment we had gathering it," Darcy said civily.

"Surely there is more to see if only you look. You wouldn't wish to miss a single clump of festive boughs," Miss Bingley prompted.

"Yes, Darcy," David said mockingly. "It would not do for your eyes to miss all these lovely boughs. Have you spotted a favorite yet?"

Making a show of looking around, his eyes passing over above Miss Bingley, Richard said, "Yes all these greens are quite eye catching and artfully done."

"It brings me great satisfaction to see this parlor so festooned," Henry said innocently. "And I do believe I have spotted a maiden under a clump of berries."

"Oh," Miss Bingley said affecting a demure demeanor.

"Little Georgie!" Henry declared stepping towards her. "It seems you are in need of a kiss." He leaned down and kissed her cheek.

Unfortunately for Miss Bingley, not only did her mistletoe scheme yield naught but humiliation, she found little joy to be had in the dancing after super. It appeared none of the gentleman found her a desirable partner and she each time was selected last by any of the gentlemen. She was even forced to sit out a set when Lady Matlock was asked to dance by her husband and Lady Catherine was engaged by one of her nephews to stand up with him. With some good natured prompting by Elizabeth the great dame consented to Richard's request of a set. Unbeknownst to Lady Catherine Richard had lost a wager to one of his brothers, the forfeit being asking Lady Catherine to engage in the frivolous activity of dancing. Needless to say, no one was more surprised than Richard when she agreed.

Miss Bingley's greatest frustration came at the last dance the company engaged in. All ready the Viscount had choosen to sit out a previous set rather than take his turn with her, something that vexed her. Despite having danced with Elizabeth earlier, Darcy requested a second set with her, though he had yet to partner Miss Bingley.