Chapter 36

Baron Epsom was somewhat disappointed Lady Elizabeth was not part of the receiving line when he reached those waiting to greet him at Bedford House. He was greatly put out that he, a baron, had to greet the two Bennets with civility when they were nobodies from nowhere. He did so to make sure he was not asked to leave by the Duke and Duchess who seemed to enjoy the lowborn couple’s company.

As he circulated around the ballroom waiting for those in the receiving line to complete their duties, he was more than pleased to see so many leading members of the Ton present. He saw the Duke of York speaking with the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. All the better that the King’s second son who, as always, was without his wife, Princess Frederica Charlotte, was present. He did see Princess Caroline indicating the Prince of Wales was in attendance. With royal witnesses, he could not fail.

If that were not enough, he noticed all six patronesses of Almack’s in quiet discussion together. Their husbands were standing off to the side speaking with Holder and Matlock. He could not have planned things better had he tried. Epsom was well aware that the patronesses would not stand for Lady Elizabeth not being wed to him after he had his accident. As powerful as the Duke of Bedford was, he would defer to the ladies, otherwise his precious daughter would be well and truly ruined. Now all he had to do was secure Lady Elizabeth for a set.

The object of the dissipated man’s ruminations was waiting on the landing with the five younger girls, Mrs. Frost, and Mrs. Annesley. The latter two had agreed their charges could keep Lady Elizabeth company until his Grace came to collect her.

At the time he was expected, Father appeared and kissed his youngest on her cheek. “I could not be prouder of you. Your courage truly does rise at every attempt to intimidate you,” Bedford stated and then kissed his daughter on her forehead making certain he did not disturb her coiffure or the placement of the tiara. “Shall we?” He offered Elizabeth his arm. She rested a hand on his forearm lightly. They advanced to the first descending step and the Duke nodded to his butler.

“Your Royal Highnesses, your Graces, my Lords, Ladies, and gentlemen, I present to you Lady Elizabeth Rose Bennet Rhys-Davies,” the butler intoned in a loud, clear, and steady voice.

As soon as his retainer started to speak, Bedford began to lead his daughter down the stairs to the double doors leading into the cavernous ballroom. The instant they stepped into the room; thunderous applause was heard. Elizabeth looked at the faces before her, maintaining her equanimity and looking for one face in particular. Thanks to his height, William was easy to find. She beamed a smile at him as soon as her eyes found him.

Seeing Elizabeth seek him out as soon as she entered the room gave William a sense of pleasure he would have had difficulty putting into words. It was a simple, yet clear, affirmation of her love for him.

Epsom was in a position to see the look which passed between Lady Elizabeth and that prig Fitzwilliam Darcy. He would have had to be blind not to see the attraction was mutual, but that did not discourage him in the least. As he was assuring himself of the success of his plan, he had failed to approach the lady to secure a set. A further problem due to her absence from the receiving line, was that he had not been introduced to her.

Once he got himself moving in her direction, he was delayed by all of the young bucks being presented to her and requesting sets. He saw Hilldale and Lady Isabelle near Lady Elizabeth. Even though they had not been friends at Cambridge, he was one who could affect the introduction for him.

“Hilldale,” the baron inclined his head to the viscount.

“Epsom,” Andrew responded with distaste. Other than being in a few classes at Cambridge, Epsom was a man with whom he did not associate. The Baron was a gamester and rake of the first order.

“Would you introduce me to your beautiful cousin?” Epsom requested. He was sure Hilldale would have preferred not to do so, but the rules of polite society forbade him from ignoring the request. The Baron smirked knowing he had Hilldale trapped.

“Lizzy allow me to present Lord Horace Kimble, Baron Epsom, Epsom, my cousin Lady Elizabeth Bennet Rhys-Davies,” Andrew performed the office. Had he his druthers, he would not have.

“Lord Epsom,” Elizabeth curtsied to which Epsom inclined his head, even though as the daughter of a duke she was higher than he was.

“Never have I seen such beauty before me, may I have the pleasure of your next open set,” Epsom requested as he turned on the charm presenting the lady with a smile. The smile almost became a scowl when the Darcy heir came and stood next to the lady, who turned to him and smiled in welcome. Seeing her reaction to the man and her lack of interest in him made Epsom all the more determined to carry his point.

“You may my Lord…but it will not be at this ball,” Elizabeth responded evenly.

“You dare refuse me? In that case you will have to sit out,” Epsom bit back. “I know you grew up in the wilds of Hertfordshire, but there are consequences for refusing a man at this level of society.”

Andrew, Belle, and William had looks of fury on their countenances and any or all would have put the man in his place had Elizabeth not given a shake of her head.

“Please explain why I would have to sit out…” the aloof man was about to speak but Elizabeth continued before he could do so, “…when my dance card is full? Would you like to see for yourself?” Elizabeth held up the card.

Every space was filled. Then he noted the name of the younger Darcy was written in for three sets. “I will take the second set, this son of a gentleman farmer,” he looked William up and down with disdain, “will defer to his better for that set.”

“He will not as I have no desire to dance with an arrogant horse’s posterior like you!” Elizabeth hissed. “I granted Mr. Darcy those sets and you have no say over with whom I do or do not dance. Should I ask my footmen,” Elizabeth inclined her head to the side of the room where Biggs and Johns were watching the goings on around her intently, “to escort you from my parents’ house?”

Realising his plans would come to nought if he was evicted, Epson took a more conciliatory tack. “Please accept my apologies, Lady Elizabeth. In my disappointment I forgot myself.” The Baron inclined his head, turned on his heel and stalked off.

He was seething inside. ‘I will compromise her during the second set when that Darcy prig is dancing with her!’ he promised himself silently. ‘No one humiliates me in that fashion without paying for it. Just wait until we are married, I will make you pay one hundred fold for your rudeness to me.’ Epsom stood in a corner against the wall where he could have a clear view of the dance floor. He knew how and when to act.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

Due to the presence of the Prince of Wales and the Duke of York, Elizabeth danced the first minute with the former and then the same amount of time with the latter. Prince Frederick was relieved by Father who danced the balance of the first dance with her.

At the end of the premier dance, Father handed her to Papa. Soon the music commenced for the second dance. “Who would ever have thought I would be dancing with you in this ballroom after two princes and a duke had danced with you before me?” Bennet quipped.

“A few months ago, certainly not I,” Elizabeth averred. “Are you, Mama, and Grandmama Beth all sanguine with the upheaval in your lives?”

“We are all very happy to have met our sons…” The dance parted them. “…however, it does not change the fact we miss our Lizzy.” They were parted once again. “We will always miss you, Lizzy, but we know we will see you often enough.”

Elizabeth gave a wan smile. It was similar to how she felt. She loved her new family members, especially her birthparents, sister, and brother, but there was a hole in her heart which could only be filled by the Bennets. “I love you all too, Papa. It is most pleasing that all of you, as well as so many from Meryton are with me here tonight.”

William was dancing the first set with Princess Esterhazy whose husband had injured a knee in a riding accident, so he was not able to stand up with his wife. Whenever he could see her, his eyes found Elizabeth.

“I had heard you are courting Lady Elizabeth,” the Princess stated. It was not a question.

“Your Highness is well informed,” William responded when the dance brought them back together. He wished for the set to speed up because then it would be his turn to dance the first of three sets with Elizabeth.

“Thank you, Papa,” Elizabeth kissed one of Bennet’s cheeks when the dance was over. He led her back to where her parents, Fanny, and his mother were seated.

“It was my pleasure, Lizzy,” Bennet responded, and meant it. For one who did not enjoy such events, or being in London if he could help it, he found he was perfectly happy to be attending Lizzy’s ball. In fact, he would dance the second with his wife.

As soon as William returned the Princess to her husband, he made his way to the group where Elizabeth was standing, which now included his parents. He loved the way her whole being lit up when she saw him.

“I believe these two dances are mine, my Lady,” William dramatically bowed over Elizabeth’s hand eliciting a tinkling laugh from her. He loved that sound!

“Lead on William,” Elizabeth replied.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

Epsom felt the anticipation building as soon as he watched the Darcy heir lead Lady Elizabeth to the floor. The group of dancers they joined for the cotillion was far from where he was standing, but knowing how the groups rotated, it would not be too long before she was close enough for him to have his accident.

It took about ten minutes before Epsom judged Lady Elizabeth was close enough. He waited until she was at the closest point she would be to him. He launched himself forward, but instead, he was flung backwards. A door he did not know was there, had been opened; he sailed through it and landed on the hard floor on his posterior. He looked up, as dazed as he was, he could make out the two enormous footmen and two others, not much smaller than them, who were with them.

“Release me now!” Epsom demanded. “Do you know who I am?”

Biggs ignored the man and nodded to the other men. Epsom found himself lifted roughly, bound, and gagged. “‘Is Grace will see ya after ta ball,” Biggs told the reeling baron.

He shook his head trying to understand what had occurred. A few minutes before he was to jump out and land on Lady Elizabeth, he could have sworn the two footmen had been on the opposite side of the ballroom from him. So how had they been behind him? And how was it they seemed to know what he was about? As he would be restrained, his only chance of learning how this had come about would be later.

Biggs stepped back into the ballroom with Johns and nodded when he caught his mistress’s eye. “It is done, William,” Elizabeth said during the second dance of the set.

“Do not concern yourself over that wastrel now, he will be dealt with after the ball,” William stated, “he does not deserve our notice and we will not give him the power to spoil the night for us.”

“Amen to that,” Elizabeth agreed. “What luck my dance card was practically filled before tonight. With fathers, you, uncles, brothers, and cousins it left only one set to be taken by a man I did not know.”

“Granville is a good friend of Andrew’s, happily married, and an honourable man, so it was by design he was the first one introduced to you,” William stated. “I trust your next partner implicitly.” William grinned.

“You should! What would it say if you did not have confidence in your father dancing with me,” Elizabeth smiled widely. The next two sets after Uncle Robert were filled with her uncles Philips and Gardiner, then the Earl of Granville, followed by Uncle Paul for the set before the supper set. After supper, it was Uncle Reggie, Sed, Andrew, Richard, Saul, Philip, and then the final set with William.

Thankfully the remainder of the ball passed without any issues and no attempted compromises. The highlight of the evening was when dances of the final set were both waltzes. As much as she enjoyed the waltz with William at the pre-wedding and engagement ball at Netherfield Park, Elizabeth enjoyed the two this night with him that much more.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

Once all the guests had departed, the extended family congregated in the largest drawing room and Bedford instructed Biggs to bring the Baron to them.

Epsom decided his only way out of this was to go on the attack as soon as the gag was removed from his mouth. “How dare you…”

“DO NOT SPEAK!” Bedford thundered. Epsom quailed. If looks could kill he would be dead based on what he was seeing directed at himself from the many people in the room.

“Do you think I did not know what you were about? I am fully aware why you were watching my daughter every day for the last weeks?” Bedford demanded. “Hoping decency would win out, I allowed you your head, and you placed it right into our trap.”

“H-how did you know? I was never near those two enormous men who followed her,” Epsom claimed confusedly.

“You simpleton, there were other guards as well!” Bedford revealed. “From the first time you watched Elizabeth onward, except when you slept, you were being observed. I needed to know what your motivation was. It was easy enough to discover your debts, all of which I now own; the Spaniard was only too happy to sell them to me. Had you not attempted to compromise my daughter at her own ball, I would have worked with you to find a more amicable way for you to repay me. However, that chance has been irrevocably lost.”

“W-what d-d-do y-y-you m-mean?” Epsom stammered.

“Do you have seventy thousand pounds to clear your debts?” Bedford demanded. All the Baron could do was shake his head as he began to sweat. “As I am calling in your debts, I will be taking possession of both Epsom House on Curzon Street and Epsom in Surrey. If I sell them both and the cumulative amounts paid to me in the sale is more than I paid to purchase your debts, then I may give you part of the amount over and above what you owe.”

“While you digest that,” William barked at the reeling man, “Lady Elizabeth and I are courting and will be engaged soon enough. Had your despicable plan succeeded and you had compromised her, she still would not have married you. All you would have done was to significantly advance the date of our wedding. Do you really think any of us would allow you anywhere near her?”

Epsom knew not where to look. Everything he had planned was for nought. Regardless of what would have occurred, he would have gained nothing, and now it seemed he had lost everything.”

“Here is my one and only offer to you, and you have a choice. You will leave England on one of my ships, never to return. You will be given two thousand pounds to start over. The alternative is for me to report your actions to my cousins. You will be stripped of your title, which will happen regardless, and put in the tower for a plot against a relative of the royal family. If you ever return to England, the second option will be activated and your short remaining life will be spent in the tower.”

“Choose wisely,” Matlock interjected.

He knew there was only one choice. “I will depart these shores never to return,” Epsom stated resignedly.

“You will be taken to Southampton and put on a ship for New South Wales. When you disembark in New Holland, the Captain will hand you your funds,” Sed told the worthless man. “We have contacts in all of the colonies as well as the former colonies of America, so do not let us hear you have been misbehaving.” Epsom had no doubts it was not an idle threat.

He was taken to a room in the servants’ quarters where he would be guarded until his departure to the port.

“Father, thank you for including me in all of this rather than making decisions for me without my input,” Elizabeth stated gratefully. “Now I think we can all turn in, even if it will take me a while to fall asleep.”

Those not resident at Bedford House soon took their leave.

Contrary to her assertion, Elizabeth was in Morpheus’s arms rather quickly. She fell asleep to visions of William swimming in her head.