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“Do you mind me asking her name?”

“Of course not, maybe you can help me. She was introduced as Lady Maria Leonard.”

Claire stopped in the street.

“Miss Elizabeth, you really do not know who she is?”

Elizabeth could feel her heart starting to beat faster, a physiological response to Claire’s panicked face. She shook her head.

“Miss Elizabeth, Lady Maria Leonard is the sister of the Duke of Richwood. Did you rescue one of his children?”

This revelation shattered the last piece of Elizabeth’s composure. There was no way she was capable of calming browsing Hatchard’s now. The three of them walked quickly along Piccadilly to the carriage and returned to Gracechurch Street. As they walked past Fortnum and Mason she remembered the last part of the day of the rescue.

Claire and Robert had been waiting outside Fortnum and Mason and so Elizabeth rejoined her staff and entered the store. The entrance was busy with onlookers and gossips so they slipped past them deeper into the store.

“We all need to bathe. Let us buy the preserve and return to the carriage.”

There was no disagreement and so after buying two jars for her mother they left by the Jermyn Street entrance to avoid the disruption, dust and smell on Piccadilly. Eventually they were reunited with the carriage and returned to Gracechurch street for a very welcome bath.

Compared to that warm and pungent July day, the trip back to Gracechurch Street was cold, although there was a winter freshness to the air. Claire sat opposite Elizabeth waiting for her to speak. Elizabeth valued Claire’s opinion and so recounted all of the conversation.

“I think you are right Miss Elizabeth. Lady Maria has thanked you on behalf of the family. I do not see any way that she, or they, will maintain the connection.”

Elizabeth nodded and let her frustration with the day go. Frankly she wished that she had waited a day for her trip to Hatchard’s as she could have completed her Christmas shopping without all this drama.

Across town Lady Maria Leonard sat with her youngest sister and recounted her day, focusing on the conversation with Miss Bennet. Although the oldest, Maria Leonard was the only one of her siblings that was unmarried. She thought back to the end of the incident back in July, recalling the final conversation.

“Hang on a minute, where is the young lady that rescued Louisa and returned her to us?”

Her sister-in-law was looking about. The oldest of her six children there, Jane, replied.

“She wished us a good day and left. I think she was scared of your shouting.”

Jane’s mother was about to respond as indicated but in a moment of self-awareness remembered her position and took a deep breath.

“Did you see where she went?”

Several heads all shook, most importantly Jane’s.

“She headed in the direction of Hyde Park, but I did not see where she went.”

Lady Maria stopped her reminiscing, they had been unsuccessful in locating the young lady again that day. It had been sheer chance that she spotted Miss Elizabeth Bennet in Hatchard’s. Her sister drew her attention.

“Why was this Miss Bennet not thanked at the time?”

“Charlotte was upset, angry and relieved. All at the same time. Frankly, she was making a scene.”

Not making a scene was an important, almost the most important, way to behave.

“It is a terrible shame that she is burdened by relations in trade. You could have thanked her by easing her way in society.”

Lady Maria nodded absent-mindedly.

“I know that face. What are you thinking about?”

“Family.”

Chapter 5