Page 7 of Intrigue and Inheritance (Crime and Consequences #3)

“Indeed?” Lady Matlock replied, her tone polite but cooler than it had been moments before. She did not invite Mrs. Jenkinson to take a seat, so the companion was left to stand before her in an attitude of supplicancy.

Mrs. Jenkinson produced a neatly written document from her pocket.

“I have taken the liberty of compiling from Debrett’s Peerage a list of suitable gentlemen whom Miss de Bourgh might consider as potential matches.

Lady Catherine was most specific about the requirements: title, fortune, and appropriate family connections. ”

Elizabeth watched as Lady Matlock accepted the list with a raised eyebrow, scanning its contents with an increasingly sceptical expression. “I see you have included several peers and heirs who considerably older than my niece,” the countess observed.

“Age is of little consequence when considering a match of appropriate rank,” Mrs. Jenkinson replied with the air of one reciting a carefully memorised lesson.

“Lady Catherine believes that a more mature gentleman would be better equipped to manage Rosings and to understand Miss de Bourgh’s delicate nature. ”

“Indeed.” Lady Matlock’s tone was deceptively mild, but Elizabeth noticed a certain steeliness entering her gaze. “And these younger sons of peers that you have included?”

“They have excellent connections,” Mrs. Jenkinson explained, “and while not heirs to their family estates, they would be likely to appreciate the advantages of marriage to the heiress of Rosings.”

“No doubt,” Lady Matlock murmured, setting the list aside with deliberate casualness and placing it, Elizabeth could not help but notice, upon the stack of invitations she had determined should be rejected.

“Thank you for your... initiative, Mrs. Jenkinson. However, I believe we shall allow Anne to form her own impressions of the gentlemen she meets this Season.”

Mrs. Jenkinson’s lips tightened momentarily, but she offered another stiff curtsy in acknowledgment. “As you wish, my lady. There is one other matter I wished to address.”

“Yes?” Lady Matlock prompted when the companion hesitated.

“It concerns Miss de Bourgh’s wardrobe for the Season.” Mrs. Jenkinson cast a disapproving glance at Elizabeth. “I fear that Mrs. Darcy’s preferences for, shall we say, country simplicity, have influenced the selection of gowns in a manner that Lady Catherine would not approve.”

Elizabeth felt a flush of indignation rising to her cheeks, but before she could defend herself, Lady Matlock spoke.

“Are you suggesting, Mrs. Jenkinson, that the mistress of Pemberley and Darcy House is incapable of advising her husband’s cousin on matters of fashion?

” The countess’s voice was still perfectly pleasant, but there was an undercurrent of steel that made Mrs. Jenkinson take an involuntary step backward.

“Not at all, my lady,” Mrs. Jenkinson protested, though her expression suggested otherwise. “I merely wished to ensure that Miss de Bourgh’s attire reflected her position as the daughter of Lady Catherine de Bourgh and heiress to Rosings Park.”

“I see.” Lady Matlock’s smile did not reach her eyes.

“Let me be perfectly plain, Mrs. Jenkinson. While your dedication to Anne’s welfare is commendable, you would do well to remember your position.

Mrs. Darcy is the mistress of this house and has been entrusted by my nephew with the supervision of Anne’s Season.

Her judgment in such matters is to be respected, not questioned. ”

The silence that followed this pronouncement was profound. Elizabeth watched with a mixture of gratitude and astonishment as Mrs. Jenkinson seemed to physically diminish before the countess’s rebuke.

“I beg your pardon, my lady,” Mrs. Jenkinson murmured, her gaze fixed firmly on the carpet. “I meant no disrespect.”

“None taken, I’m sure,” Lady Matlock replied smoothly. “Now, I believe Anne may be in need of your assistance.”

The dismissal was unmistakable. With another curtsy, this one so low as to risk overbalancing, Mrs. Jenkinson retreated from the room.

As the door closed behind her, Lord Matlock chuckled softly. “I see you have lost none of your touch, my dear. Poor woman looked as though she’d been struck by lightning.”

“Impertinence must be checked,” Lady Matlock replied with a dismissive little wave of her hand.

She turned to Elizabeth with a warm smile.

“I hope you did not mind my intervention, my dear. I find such presumption most tiresome; companions can sometimes tend to forget that they are only paid employees, after all.”

“Not at all,” Elizabeth assured her, even though she felt a little shocked at the way Lady Matlock’s manner had changed in an instant from kindly warmth to aristocratic hauteur. “In fact, I am in your debt. Mrs. Jenkinson can be occasionally... challenging.”

“A diplomatic description,” Lady Matlock observed with a laugh. “You are too kind, Elizabeth. But then, that is one of the qualities that makes you so well suited to your new position. Kindness tempered with intelligence is a rare and valuable combination.”

The conversation turned to more pleasant topics after that, but Elizabeth found herself reflecting on Lady Matlock’s defence with growing appreciation.

The countess was proving to be exactly the ally Elizabeth had hoped for: warm, witty, and formidable when necessary.

With her guidance, navigating the complexities of the London Season suddenly seemed far less daunting.