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“I believe she is someone that I met when I accompanied Bingley to Hertfordshire. But she never gave any indication of knowing the Leonards.”

“Well this Miss Bennet is a guest staying with Lady Maria.”

Lady Matlock watched her overly disciplined nephew try to process this new information. Then an unexpected voice entered the conversation.

“Is this the same Miss Elizabeth that you talked of with me brother?”

Lady Matlock was going to have Cook make Georgiana’s favourite dessert, it had been a perfect interruption. Sitting back she watched her husband and sons start to interrogate Darcy. Reassuring her niece all was well, she reached over and discreetly squeezed Georgiana’s hand.

“Before we ask young Darcy 20 questions let us make sure she is the same lady.”

The Earl’s statement stilled his sons. The Colonel continued.

“She told me that she is the daughter of a minor country squire. The second daughter I believe. She is a ward of her uncle, Sir Edward Gardiner, and is staying with Lady Maria Leonard until his new house is ready for occupancy on Bryanston Square.”

He paused as he considered whether he had heard any other information.

“I think that is all I know of her background. She is well read on the war, we even discussed it while dancing last week.”

“You discussed the war while dancing?”

“Yes, father. We talked of Cuidad Rodrigo, not just our recent victory, she also referenced the Spanish loss two years ago.”

“How singular.”

Three heads turned to Darcy.

“It is the same person. The Bennet family estate was the neighbour to the one Bingley was leasing. She was known as Miss Elizabeth there as her older sister was still at home. She acknowledged that Edward Gardiner, as he was then, was her uncle.”

“Brother, you mentioned that you enjoyed speaking with her.”

“I did. As Richard has mentioned, she is intelligent and well read. We too talked of the Peninsula during our discussions.”

“William, you were more forthcoming with me on our journeys. Why this sudden diffidence?”

“I never expected to hear of Miss Elizabeth again. I spoke to you of her positive qualities, and did not see the need to go into other aspects.”

“Meaning what exactly Darcy?”

The Earl was now intrigued.

“She was extremely unfortunate in her relatives.”

“He was awarded a Baronetcy, with support from both parties.”

“At the time I did not know of that. I viewed her having an uncle in trade as an unfortunate impediment in her making a good match but there were even more unfortunate members of the family.”

“Worse than an uncle in trade?”

“I had met Edward Gardiner, been to his premises to secure some ‘blood brandy’. He was most polite and well-mannered. He presented well, even more so when you consider his impairment. He was in trade but was not an embarrassment. Instead I refer to her family. She is the second of five daughters, and the youngest two are an affront to propriety and good manners. Her mother is as ghastly a matchmaking mama as I have ever met and the father an indolent ghost.”

“You exaggerate surely?”

“If anything, I am understating them. At Bingley’s ball the youngest sister was running around waving a Militia officer’s sword about her head. It was only sheer luck there was not blood spilt.”

Lady Matlock looked at her niece, sitting beside her in shock.

“I can see why she does not make mention of her family.”