Hello, readers! Next chapter is here. Things are starting to pile up here for me with the start of college approaching, and I don't know if I will be able to keep up my weekly updates. I will try, but I'm not going to be able to promise anything. I hope you understand!

As always, please leave a review! I enjoy reading what you think.

Disclaimer: I don't own 'ROTG' 'HTTYD' or 'P&P'

Chapter Seven

"I hope that you have ordered a good dinner for today," Mr. Overland announced to his wife at breakfast. "I am expecting an addition to our family."

Her brow puckered in confusion. "Who? I know of nobody. Unless it is Jennifer Bennett," she finished flippantly, "in which case, my dinners are good enough for her."

Clearing his throat, the older man wiped his mouth before continuing. "The person I speak of is a gentleman and a stranger."

The woman's eyes sparkled as she clapped her hands together. "A gentleman and a stranger! It is Mr. Liely. Why Emma, you never spoke of this. I am sure I will be glad to see Mr. Liely. But—how unlucky. We are out of fish—"

"He is not the gentleman," her husband interrupted.

"Is-is not? Than who is?"

"He is a man I ever never seen before."

All eyes were on him, arched eyebrows high and brushing hairlines. He took a moment to smile and enjoy the full attention of his family that he finally had on himself. The man leaned back in his chair and rested his hands on his legs.

"About a month ago," he began, "I received a letter. It was from my cousin, Mr. Black, who, when I am dead, may turn you out of this house as soon as he pleases."

"Oh, my dear!" his wife exclaimed. "I cannot bear to hear that mentioned. Pray, do not talk of that horrendous man. It is the hardest thing in the world that your estate should be giving away without consideration to your son. If I had been you, I should have tried long ago to do something or other about it."

"Mother," Jackson groaned, running his fingers through his hair. "It is to repay for a debt he has yet to pay back. If you had been better at keeping books than Father perhaps he would have allowed you to help. But, seeing as you cannot go a week without purchasing lace, you truly have no grounds of argument on financial. He has done the best he can with such a large debt and medium income."

But, as always, Mrs. Overland refused to see reason and the logic of the simple fact. She couldn't believe in the fairness of the property being cruelly snagged away from the family without thought or care for the future of her children. Emma and Jackson continued to try and resolve the problem, but she was resolute.

The young Mr. Overland sighed in defeat. His mother did care for her children's well-being but she was too stubborn about it. She had her own set of views and would not suffer any other as being better for them. It caused more frustration than anything else.

The man of the house sighed as he stood from the table. "It is a difficult affair, but from his letter he appears to be a most courteous individual. There is some self-importance in his letter, but he may prove to be a valuable acquaintance."

With that he left his family. Mary was the furthest thing from impressed by this man who was going to visit. He was most likely not to be a soldier, and where was the fun in talking to a man if he would insist on pointless prattle. Sarah was at most curious and Emma was hopeful. For once in a long while, Mrs. Overland and her son were on the same page with their unease at welcoming such a stranger into the house. However, the similarity ended there. Where Mrs. Overland was panicking over such a man entering her house, Jackson was dreading the true reason from him visiting.

He was punctual, and at this moment that was the only positive remark Jackson had of the man. He was quite tall and slender. Dark hair was slicked back and parted cleanly. His nose was a prominent feature and gray eyes peered out over it giving him the impression of a hawk. Mr. Black's manners were proper and sweet to the point of becoming insufferable. As Jackson watched him chatting politely with his family, he couldn't help but being wary of the glint and sly smile that curled his lips.

Mr. Overland's cousin insisted on assuring the family of the daughters' beauty. But he knew no end as he breezed over Mrs. Overland's talent for raising her children so well and the wonderful upkeep of the house: he would have no worries when he would come into possession of it.

Mrs. Overland's lips were pressed firmly together as she said tersely, "You are very kind, sir. I hope you continue to prove to be so when my children are destitute."

"I assume you are speaking of this estate which is entailed to me," he responded with raised eyebrows.

"Indeed I do."

"I'm a sensible man and quite aware of the hardships that will befall my cousins due to their father's ill-managed debts," he responded sweetly. "I do not wish to be too forward, but I possess a few ideas on how to remedy the situation."

But brown eyes caught the ever-so-slight twitch of the lips. The Jackson's fingers curled around the arm of the sofa he sat on, his nails digging into the fabric. He was playing with them, and the rest of his family was either oblivious or too nervous to say anything. The young man was saved from furthering the difficulty in resolving such a delicate matter by summons to dinner.

He released a breath he had no realized he had been holding as he stood and led the way to the dining room. His teeth gritted against each other, the muscles of his jaw tightly clenched, as he listened to the superficial praise of the furniture that came flowing with ease for Mr. Black lips. At first Mrs. Overland was flattered by the continuous slew of praise until she realized that his admiration stemmed not from her upkeep and styling, but from his view of his future property.

Once the family and their guest had settled at the table, the compliments continued to rain down as the meal was brought out and the first bite was taken.

As slender lips closed around the fork and teeth pulled off the food that rested on the utensil, one eyebrow arched up—whether in surprise or play was unclear, though Jackson would swear the latter. The fork was slipped out of its prison and jaw muscles worked slowly to chew before swallowing. "Which of my cousins must I commend for this delicious meal?" he questioned with a harmless air.

Mrs. Overland spluttered and before she could stutter out an answer, Jackson bit out, "We are very well able to keep a good cook, dear cousin. Perhaps if you spent less looking down, you're view wouldn't be so obstructed by your unusually large nose."

Silence blanketed the small dining room as the last syllable fell from his lips. He knew he should have probably kept silent and that he would more than likely regret that comment later, but at this particular moment in time, he didn't care. He would not suffer his sister to be brought to such insult and disgrace.

A soft chuckle echoed in the room as Mr. Black's long fingers snatched up a cloth and brought it to his lips. "My patroness would approve of such…creativity when it comes to words. She's quite a resourceful woman, even ruthless at times."

Emma smiled pleasantly. "She must be an extraordinary woman," she stated, spying the opportunity to move conversation away from her brother's faux pas and running with it.

"She is," he agreed as he took another bite. "Madame Gooding is a wonderful woman to have as a patroness. I would fear invoking her temper, but, that is part of her charm. She has helped me further my purposes greatly, and has advised me in ways of improving that I had never thought of before. I am quite grateful to have stumbled across her."

As dinner progressed, so did Mr. Black's praise of his patroness. The Overlands listened eagerly, glad to have diverted his tongue from a topic that did not include them. Jackson shuddered as he thought of the woman that was being described. His cousin spoke of how he wished to not greet her as an enemy while the young Mr. Overland did not wish to greet her even as a friend. The woman sounded truly fearful and vindictive.

A new person of topic caught his ears, and he perked up to listen to the change.

"Miss Gooding is quite a spectacular young lady as well," he said, taking a sip from his glass. "Though, not to insult the grace of my cousins, she is quite distinguished. She holds her mother's fierceness for a fight, that much is certain. However, her charm ends with the saddening fact that she was unable to inherit the full potential of her mother's wits. Yet, she has grown well, and is very accomplished in her own rights."

"Has she been presented?" Emma questioned, still keeping form of interest in his tales. "I do not recognize her name."

"Madame Gooding believes her too brash for such events. The young lady has yet to grasp the concept of subtlety. And, until such a time is reached, she will not be presented. Such a thing is a shame—as I have told her mother on countless occasions—for if she was able to prefect such an art, she would be the brightest jewel in the court just as Madame Gooding herself was, and still is."

"You are a fair judge when it comes to praise," remark Mr. Overland over the rim of his glass. "I've never met one holding so much talent in flattery."

Similar smirks appeared on the faces of the other two men at the table as dinner continued; however, their reasons could not have been more different.