Page 7 of His Pride and His Prejudice

Elliot gestured to the dozen or so couples dancing across the room. One of those couples was Jack and Bingley. He noted Mr. Lucas was gesturing at them also, which was likely why Charlie Lucas was being given a lecture. At twenty-seven he was beginning to look like he was firmly on the shelf and Mr. Lucas was becoming slightly desperate.

“They have been quite occupied.”

“Stuff and nonsense!” Mrs. Bennet declared. “Come now, I am going to introduce you to someone else who has barely danced all night as well! I believe convention allows, considering I have been introduced to him by Mr. Bingley.”

An odd sensation hit Elliot then, almost like he knew what his mama planned to say before she said it, though why that should make him feel odd Elliot could not say.

“Mama…who…”

She squeezed his arm. “I am going to introduce you to Mr. Darcy.”

Four

“Ihave no need to meet Mr. Darcy!” Elliot said but his muttered words did nothing to deter Mrs. Bennet. Her grip on his arm tightened as she began to steer him quite forcefully across the room. They passed by quite a few friends and acquaintances who gave Elliot a sympathetic sort of look but made no attempt to intervene. They all knew Mrs. Bennet well enough to know they would likely be unsuccessful, besides no one wanted to raise her ire at the best of times never mind with an alpha vying for her son’s attentions!

“Mama, are you hearing me?” Elliot demanded.

“Indeed, I am, Elliot, but this is not an opportunity to be ignored,” she said.

There was a large crowd in front of them on the edge of the dance floor which she negotiated easily despite Elliot’s attempts to halt her progress. Mr. Cottlesworth was given a slight shove and almost stumbled onto the dance floor. Mrs. Langley too was encouraged to make way and did so before Mrs. Bennet had a chance to insist. Elliot noted the Hardy boys were part of the crowd. They were watching Jack and Bingley with clear admiration. Elliot grimaced. If not for Mrs. Bennet’s expectations Jack would probably have been happy with one of them. He’d have settled in a small house in Meryton, perhaps taken up apprenticeship in some form of literary expression, lived his life happily and well. Alas, his good looks had ensured that he would never have that opportunity…and speaking of which…

“An opportunity for what?” Elliot asked once they were on the other side of the room and free of the crush.

“For you, Elliot.”

This time Elliot did succeed in bringing Mrs. Bennet to a standstill. He turned her around before looking down at her hopeful expression. The lights above glinted on her ostentatious necklace in a slightly odd fashion. He realised then that it was probably paste.

“You are surely not serious, mama?” he asked as he realised what she was planning.

She narrowed her eyes. “He has no husband or wife. This I have ascertained from Mr. Lucas. He also has ten thousand a year.”

“He is rumoured to have ten thousand a year.”

“Do not be tiresome, Elliot!”

“It is not tiresome, it is factual.”

“Rumours must start somewhere,” she said.

“Yes,” he conceded. “But…”

“But, what?”

Elliot shrugged. “I assume Mr. Darcy is here as a guest of Mr. Bingley to see him settled into Netherfield Hall. This is likely why his sisters are here also. I doubt Mr. Darcy is here hunting for a mate of his own.”

“He is older than Bingley though, and so should be considering a mate. I am surprised that he has not already done so. This is the trouble with young gentlemen and women these days,” she continued, her voice rising. “They spend too long thinking about what they would like to be doing instead of what they should be doing.”

“Mama—”

“In my younger years there was no choice,” she continued. “You reached mating age, you went searching for someone who would suit you well, you wed them then mated with them and that was that! All this talk these days of finding your fated mate, the one meant just for you, especially where alphas and omegas are concerned, there was none of that when I was younger! You did your duty and if you fell in love all the better!”

“Mama!” Elliot said again, interrupting her diatribe before it got really heated. “Perhaps there is a reason he is not mated. Did you ascertain anything else from Mr. Lucas?”

“I did not.”

“Then—”

“But how many times in our life will a single alpha with ten thousand a year come upon us?” Mrs. Bennet demanded. “Had I known this would happen I might have changed the sequence of my introductions!” She scowled. “It is too late now to repine on that though! We must take advantage where we can.”

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