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Set as he was between Miss Elizabeth and Mrs. Gardiner, a genuine smile soon creased Lord Henry’s face and they were not far into the dinner before a deep chuckle emanated from the head of the table.

While the Earl said something to her aunt, Elizabeth glanced down the table and met Darcy’s eyes.

She quirked an eyebrow, silently asking if there was something wrong, but he only shook his head slightly with a smile.

An amused but pointed look reminded him to pay attention to the conversation among his own neighbors.

When Darcy obediently turned his head, he realized that the entire interaction had been observed by his aunt and Mr. Bennet, and was causing a great deal of amusement.

Lady Eleanor patted his hand affectionately.

“I am very pleased for you, nephew. I believe that you and Miss Elizabeth shall be very happy together.”

Fitzwilliam blushed slightly but thanked his aunt with a quiet sincerity, before asking Mr. Bennet about a book he had been reading. Lady Eleanor smiled with satisfaction and ran her eye over the rest of her company before signaling the footmen to bring the next course.

At the other end of the table, conversation had turned to Christmas. Elizabeth attempted to draw out Miss de Bourgh but the other lady would only say that she was returning to Kent and had no plans to travel over the winter.

The Earl was quite amused when Georgiana began bubbling over her expectations for Christmas at Pemberley.

It was immediately obvious to her uncle that the normally quiet girl was embracing her future sister-in-law (and that lady’s family) with great enthusiasm.

Given what he had seen, he could not blame her and soon found himself telling stories about the grand Christmas balls that George and Anne Darcy had once presided over.

Lord Henry was struck by how much Georgiana was growing to look like his late sister when Miss Darcy turned to Elizabeth, practically glowing over the possibility of bringing back Pemberley’s traditional Christmas ball.

For just an instant, Lord Henry caught the eye of his nephew’s fiancée and the pair shared a moment of perfect understanding, glad to see the shy girl blossoming.

Meanwhile, Lady Alameda was becoming increasingly furious.

Denied the amusement of seeing the Bennet chits arrive in garish costumes, she had held on to the hope that the Fitzwilliams would put Darcy’s little country girl and her family in their place during dinner.

Instead, Miss Elizabeth and Mrs. Gardiner were seated cozily by the Earl and he was treating them with far more warmth than he had ever expended upon his daughter-in-law.

Elizabeth had just explained that the Gardiners hoped to visit Derbyshire for the holidays when Alameda’s temper finally reached a breaking point, causing her to lash out at the target that she judged to be the least of her immediate company.

“Oh, how nice. Shall this be the first time you travel beyond Cheapside , Mrs. Gardiner?”

Miss de Bourgh might not be exceptionally bright, but even she recognized a slight when it was so blatant.

The Gardiners (and particularly Mrs. Gardiner) had been exceptionally kind to her and Anne had enough of Lady Catherine in her that she responded immediately in a sharp tone that none present had ever heard her use before.

“My Cousin Madeleine spent much of her youth in Derbyshire, so the trip shall certainly not be strange to her. I myself look forward to repaying her hospitality when she and her family are able to visit Rosings Park.”

It was perhaps the longest statement that Miss Anne de Bourgh had ever made to such a large audience, but the warm smile she received from her newfound cousin assured her that the effort was appreciated.

Alameda’s growing headache made her impetuous.

Having had little interaction with Lady Catherine’s daughter, she had long since come to the conclusion that the “weakness” to which the family attributed Anne’s absence in Society was actually a mental deficiency so extreme that the girl could not be allowed in company.

Why else would an heiress avoid London, after all?

As a result, the Viscountess’ smile was exceedingly condescending as she patted Anne’s arm in the manner one might treat a senile elderly relation.

“No, Miss de Bourgh. Mr. Darcy is your cousin. This woman is merely an aunt by marriage of the girl he is to marry. In our circles, such a connection is really too distant to acknowledge… unless it is someone of importance, of course.” Though her comment was directed at the small woman beside her, Alameda’s enunciation ensured that everyone at the table heard her words.

When she turned back, Lady Ashbourne was pleased to see the tight look on Miss Elizabeth’s face. Unfortunately, the Earl himself spoke up before Alameda had had time to enjoy her petty victory.

“I fear it is you who are misinformed, Daughter.” His tone made his displeasure absolutely clear. “Anne and Madeleine’s fathers were brothers; therefore, they are cousins by blood, not marriage.”

Furious at the rebuke and still not understanding how Miss Bingley’s knowledge had been incomplete, Alameda continued, quite unwisely.

Having heard stories of Lord Maxwell de Bourgh and his sons, she made what seemed to be the most logical assumption.

“Oh heavens, please forgive me, Lord Matlock. I had no idea that you were so liberal as to invite someone’s natural child to share a family dinner, however far they have managed to rise above their origins. ”

The Earl was not the only one whose face flushed with anger, but he was the first to respond. His curt voice was cutting; “Again, it is you who are misinformed, Lady Ashbourne. Mrs. Gardiner is the daughter of Mr. Jonathan de Bourgh and his wife , Rebecca.”

Unfortunately for Lady Alameda, the conversation had attracted the attention of those sitting at the other end of the table.

Thus, her discomfort was increased even further when Mr. Darcy said sternly, “Both of Mrs. Gardiner’s parents are well remembered at Pemberley for the good work they did while Reverend Jonathan de Bourgh was the rector at the Lambton Church.

The parish school that they established is still running today and has been used as a model for other such establishments across England. ”

As if that were not enough, the Countess of Matlock added, “And of course you have heard of St. Elmo’s Home for wounded soldiers and sailors?

Mrs. Gardiner’s father founded it when he was only a curate at St. Mary’s.

We shall be meeting to organize a fundraiser next week.

Perhaps you can spare time from your other charity work to join us, Lady Alameda? ”

Lady Eleanor’s implication that her daughter-in-law did not contribute her time to charities as befitted her station was plain to all.

Unable to stop herself, Alameda glanced up and down the table and saw nothing but anger, disapproval, and pity.

Worst was her own husband who did not even bother to hide his amusement over her embarrassment.

It took all of Alameda’s will to adopt a properly respectful tone.

“Thank you, Lady Eleanor. If you would be so kind as to send me the particulars, I will put it on my calendar.” She barely noticed that it was none other than Mrs. Gardiner who spoke next, kindly turning the conversation to a more pleasant topic.

As soon as dinner was over, the Viscountess claimed a headache and managed polite farewells to all. Her husband sneered at her, saying that he had other plans for the night and no time to see her home if she was too weak to meet her family obligations.

Lady Alameda Fitzwilliam, Viscountess Ashbourne, mother of the future Earl of Matlock and Baron Asbury, kept her face absolutely expressionless until she was finally able to lock herself alone in her dressing room.

There, she curled up in a corner with a pillow and wept long and hard over the unfairness of life.