"...you know you really should be more careful." Elizabeth looked up at the sound of the taunting voices, just in time to see a girl a little older than herself smash a jelly filled pastry into the bodice of a young redhead's dress. She had begged her Papa to have a picnic in the park, and he had happily agreed since they would be returning to Rosings within the week. Once in the park her Papa had met with some old school friends, and was visiting with them while she drank her tea. He had told her she could wander around if she like, but that she must take one of the footmen with her as well as stay where he could see her.

It was strange to her to have adults care so much about her safety. Had she grown up with it, she may have found it overbearing, but after having a father who would rather read a book than see to it she was protected on a walk, and a mother who wished she had never been born, it was nice to have people who fear for her safety. It told her that she was loved, and that they wanted to keep her with them...for now at least. She wasn't sure when whatever it was about her that her mother hated would make a reappearance, and make them hate her as well, but she was going to enjoy their love while it last.

Looking back at the girls who were taunting the other girl, she suddenly got an idea. Returning to her picnic, she retrieved her own pastry, making sure it was the messiest one she could find. Pretending to nibble on it, she moved so that the girls were between her and her father, "I'm coming Papa!" She saw the funny look he gave her, before his eyes filled with laughter as she "accidentally" crashed into the girl who had been the instigator of the group.

"Oh...I'm so sorry...here, let me help you..." As she spoke she grabbed a cloth from off the ground, grinning when she saw it was covered in dirt, and started rubbing it all over, acting as though she were thoroughly flustered, spreading the mess even further.

"Stop that this instant, you are only making it worse!" The girl cried, as she pushed her away, causing her to lose her balance, and fall to the ground.

"How dare you raise a hand to my niece." The voice had come from where her Papa was standing, though was not the man himself, and for a second she thought she would be in trouble.

"I'm sorry Sir, I didn't mean to push her. I appreciate her help, I was just distraught that it situation was not improving." The girl curtsied, as Elizabeth was helped to her feet, staring at the tall gentleman in awe.

"You will apologize to my nice this minute." The girl complied, "Good, now off with you." They all watched as the girl's scurried off before the gentleman turned to her Papa. "Well Lewis, it is a good thing Anne was such a well behaved child. This one will give you more than your share of excitement." She was worried her Papa would see adopting her was a mistake. "It is about time you got to experience the trials George and I have had since our boys were young."

"I'm looking forward to it Edmund." Her Papa smiled indulgently at her. "Elizabeth, I would like to present your uncle, Edmund Fitzwilliam, the Earl of Matlock. Edmund, may I present your new Niece, Miss Elizabeth de Bourgh."

"It is my honor to meet you my lady." Her uncle spoke as he gave her a bow, which she returned with a curtsy of her own. He then turned to the young girl who had been the original victim. "Would you introduce me to your friend?"

"Well...that is to say..."

"We have never been acquainted my Lord." The young girl curtsied.

"Just give us a second and we will be." Elizabeth grinned before taking a few steps closer to the young lady, "My name is Elizabeth deBourge, it is a pleasure to meet you." She spoke with a curtsy.

"Miss Caroline Bingley, the honor is all mine, I assure you." Caroline returned the curtsy, and then Elizabeth turned to her uncle.

"Uncle Edmund, may I present my new friend Caroline Bingley, Caroline, my uncle the Earl of Matlock." Her uncle bowed with a large smile, as Caroline gave an awestruck curtsy.

"Miss Bingley, do you by chance live close by? We would be honored to escort you home so that you could change your gown." Her Papa spoke, and she looked eagerly at her new friend.

"I would hate to inconvenience you, I will return home with my maid and footman." The girl demurred.

"Nonsense, we shall happily escort you home. Beth and I had finished our picnic anyways, and we're getting ready to return home." Her papa spoke, offering her his arm. Once she took it, he offered his other one to Caroline, and the three were on their way after saying their goodbyes to her uncle.


"So you blame your daughter for the actions of others carried out against her." Lewis glared at the man, having followed him to his study even though he had not been invited. He had been horrified when young Caroline's father had berated the girl in front of them for her dress being ruined. He had said that if she had done what he told her and learned to behave like the girls who had hurt her, none of this would have happened. He then went on to say that she would never find acceptance in the gentry, once he had purchased his estate, if she could not learn to behave as the other young ladies of the Ton did.

"Not that it is any of your business, but Caroline needs to learn what will be expected of her when we enter into the landed gentry. How is she expected to do that if she can not learn to behave like those girls." The man argued back.

"You truly have no idea what you are asking of your daughter?" The lack of understanding when it came to what young ladies of the Ton experiences astounded him. He had been doing everything he could to learn about it since Anne was born so that he could be able to better protect her. He was glad he had, and it helped him navigate things with Beth.

"The young ladies of the Ton will never accept her, nor will their parents. To them she will just be an upstart social climber, there just to compete for the eligible heirs. The only way she would be able to marry into the circles you seek is if she were to marry a gentleman on the verge of being bankrupt. Even then he will only be marrying her for her dowry."

"What care is it of mine how she gets there, as long as she gets there." The man spat, and both turned at the sound of a gasp, and saw a young girl around Anne's age.

To see a father so callous about the health and happiness of his daughters broke his heart. Anne was the center of his world until Beth came along, then his center shifted to include her. He would have done anything to have many and more daughters to dote on...

"They will never make it without the proper support." He was sure Cathy would be proud and his plan if she were here to see it. "However, with the right connections, your girls could have the potential to marry into the sphere you are so desperate to enter."

"I'm listening..."

"It is obvious you do not understand the intricacies that come with being a member of the Ton." The man made to bluster again, but Lewis held his hand up to stall him. "However, if your daughters were to be presented with my Beth, it would be seen as my wife and I supporting them due to those close friendship with our daughter. Their connections would be well established, especially if they can earn the approval of my good brother and his wife, Lord and Lady Matlock. This would go a long way in making them more worthy in the eyes of the Ton."

"Louisa is already out, and I have already accepted someone's suit to court her. For this reason, I see no need for her to leave, however, I will consent to give you Caroline." The man fired back, and Lewis felt himself bristle at the way the man phrased it.

"This won't do, it will undermine everything if it looks like you are favoring one daughter over the other. Besides, the season is coming to a close, and it is highly likely that this young man will return to his estate with his parents to escape the London heat. It would make sense for Miss Bingley to do the same, and go with her sister to help her settle into a new environment." He knew this was unlikely to be true, but he didn't think the other man did.

"If you like, I will even extend an invitation to this young man who has requested permission to court her. My wife's good brother is coming for a visit in August with is children and his godson. We would be happy to have him attend as well." That seemed to seal the deal, and Mr Bingley gave both of the girls permission to travel to Rosings with him and Beth.


"I'm glad to see you have finally decided to return my daughter to me." Elizabeth would have been worried her mother was angry with her father, had the man not been smiling from ear to ear. "How many times do I have to tell you, when you take my children, I expect them back in a timely fashion?" The way she raised just one eyebrow was so regal, Elizabeth wanted to ask her if she could teach her.

"We were barely gone more than a fortnight Cathy, how much more timely could we have been." Papa asked with a laugh.

"A day, maybe two at most, and only if absolutely necessary." The woman was unable to contain her smile as she opened her arms, and Elizabeth went gratefully into them. "All that matters is that you have both returned safely to Anne and me."

"And that our trip was successful of course." Her mother hugged her tighter at these works.

"Now, who might these two be?" Was the next question asked, once her mother had welcomed her father home properly.

"I thought our daughters could benefit from some companionship closer to their ages, and in return we could help launch these two young ladies into society." She saw her mother exchanged a look with her father, but still not knowing them well, didn't realize that it was her mother demanding more explanation when the couple was alone.

"Ladies, may I present Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Mistress of Rosings, and most importantly, my wife." Her mother gave the to girls a regal bow of her head, while the girls curtsied. "And my eldest daughter, and heiress of Rosings, Miss Anne de Bourgh. Catherine, Anne, this is Miss Louisa Bingley and Miss Caroline Bingley." More curtsies, before her mother spoke.

"Welcome to Rosings Ladies, I will have a maid show you to some rooms so that you may refresh yourselves."