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The momentary calm was once again swept away. Lady Catherine was on her feet glaring at Elizabeth.

“Colonel would you favour me with an introduction.”

A bitter late January frost engulfed the room. Heads turned.

“Do not take that tone with me young lady.”

“What tone would that be? I am the one asking for an introduction not shouting in the drawing room.”

“I am not shouting!”

Irony was apparently in short supply in Kent.

“Never mind Colonel. You fought magnificently today. I am sure I will see you at a ball next week. Until then.”

She turned to the Earl, and then the Countess.

“My lord, my lady, thank you for lunch. I will take my leave.”

With a nod at Darcy and a smile at Georgiana she followed Lady Maria to the door.

“Now just a minute. I will not have you ignoring me.”

Elizabeth did just that, smiling calmly at Claire and continuing to ignore the incoherent splutters of Lady Catherine.

“Brother, stop her at once. She has used her arts and allurements to entrap our nephew.”

It was the Countess who responded.

“Catherine, you have been told to moderate your tone twice already. You will apologise at once to our guest.”

“Apologise. Ha! I will do no such thing.”

Lady Maria’s hand reached out and was half way to restraining Elizabeth just in case but she stopped. Elizabeth was not striding towards Lady Catherine but instead looking at her companion.

“You will stand behind me and not react. I will not have you as a scapegoat for this. Do you understand?”

Her tone was firm.

“If you insist Miss Elizabeth.”

“I do. Thank you.”

Lady Maria watched as the genuine smile for her companion vanished as Elizabeth turned back to the drawing room. Still ignoring Lady Catherine, she approached Lady Susan.

“I am apparently the cause of this interruption. However, I know as little as you. Do you wish us to leave or to stay and resolve this?”

Lady Susan was struck by Elizabeth’s calm. An odd thought struck her. Her friend Maria said that Elizabeth would just walk away if someone tried to compromise her. This was not her life. Or at least it had not been. This needed to be fixed and now.

“Lady Maria, Miss Bennet, please stay. I have no idea what is going on, but as you say, it is better that it is resolved now.”

Elizabeth waited until Claire Smith was seated behind her before resuming her own seat. The air was so thick with tension that it was surprising there was not a bolt of lightning. The only person who appeared calm was Elizabeth. Lady Susan was still extremely upset at her sister-in-law.

“Now that you have wrecked a pleasant afternoon perhaps you can explain why you felt the need to act in this deplorable manner.”

Even the Earl was taken aback at his wife’s vitriol. He needed to tread carefully. Rather than bluster Lady Catherine’s eyes narrowed but before she could say anything Lady Susan spoke again.

“My Lord, would you complete the introductions of our invited guests.”