Matters of Chance

Chapter 16

Elizabeth's first couple of days in Los Angeles had been successful. As for work, she had interviews and research for two articles, and had more leads to follow up on. However, the more exciting premise is that she found herself enjoying the bustling city life. She drew energy from the sights of such a bustling and sunny city. The exhilaration was a feeling that she never experienced in Meryton.

Lizzie's bubble of euphoria popped as soon as Charlotte returned from work and reminded her that they were leaving to go to Catherine De Bourgh's dinner party in less than an hour. Lizzie took out the huge binder that Liam Collins had given her. She had skimmed through it earlier in the day, and all she had learned from it is that she should probably keep her mouth shut.

Elizabeth dug through her suitcase. She hadn't packed anything special to wear for the trip. If she had known that she'd need fancy clothes to got to a senile old woman's house, she might have been more prepared. What she settled on was her nicest pair of jeans and a button up. According to the dress code, what she was wearing was bare minimum, but it was the best she had.

Once Elizabeth changed, Charlotte looked her up and down and shrugged. "If you get kicked out, you get kicked out."

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow at her friend. Charlotte was better dressed for this party than she was for work.

Charlotte grabbed her purse. "Alright, Liam will be here to pick us up in a couple of minutes. Let's go."

Elizabeth shoved her phone in her back pocket and nodded, and the two of them walked out the door.

The car ride to Catherine De Bourgh's house was a long one. The snail's pace of traffic was only made worse by Liam Collins talking off Lizzie's ears. Charlotte sat in the passenger seat while Elizabeth sat in her back row. When Lizzie had gotten into the car, Liam looked at her through the rearview window and, after giving her a disapproving look, told her that De Bourgh is understanding enough to give her a pass on her wardrobe just this one time.

Catherine De Bourgh's house was made to look like a miniature palace. The front of the home was symmetrical. Ornate windows lined the face of the home. The front door was surrounded by carved stone. The driveway was a large circle in front of the house, in which a gurgling fountain sat in the center. Liam Collins had parked behind a few other cars that were already in the driveway.

Elizabeth looked at the cars. All of them were sleek designs that Lizzie figured must have come out that year. She could tell with one look that one of the cars could pay for her to go to grad school.

"Are all of these cars hers?" Lizzie asked.

Liam looked at the cars. "Three of them are. I'm not sure who the black one belongs to, but she could have bought another one."

Elizabeth only hoped that the mystery car didn't belong to another judgemental old lady.

When they entered, the door was opened by a man with rich, dark skin. Elizabeth looked to Liam, but saw no recognition on his face. Despite the collective confusion of the three guests in front of them, the man smiled.

"Sorry, I guess I wasn't who you guys were expecting," he chuckled. "I'm Oliver De Bourgh, Aunt Catherine's nephew."

He stood to the side of the door and let the three of them in. All of them introduced themselves to him. Elizabeth wanted to speak with Oliver more, but Liam Collins took up the man's attention and began spilling compliments to him about Catherine De Bourgh. Elizabeth simply shrugged and followed Charlotte into the dining room.

The interior of the house was decorated in a way that made Elizabeth believe that she had been transported to the Victorian era. Several mirrors and paintings hung on the walls around them and all of the furniture were engraved with ornate carvings. The only hint that she was still in the 21st century was the TV hanging in the living room and the Amazon Alexa she spotted on a side table.