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In truth, Lady Catherine had missed the express informing her that her sister needed her immediately.

It had arrived at Rosings after her departure but due to the conflicting orders given to her housekeeper, the letter was returned to Derbyshire with a larger packet of mail to await her arrival at Pemberley.

Lady Catherine herself took a more circuitous route, stopping in London to shop, pick up her two sons and, unfortunately, her husband.

Sir Lewis’ decision to accompany his family to Derbyshire was due to politics rather than any affection.

His latest affair in London had resulted in such a scandal that his own father had ordered him to spend time in the country with the rather staid and respectable Darcys while his reputation recovered.

Whether by luck or providence, the de Bourghs traveled north to Derbyshire with Lady Catherine, Anne and Mrs. Jenkinson in one carriage while Sir Lewis and his two sons occupied the other.

That gentleman’s lethargy on the last days of the trip was dismissed as a preference to pass the dull time on the road by napping.

Certainly his activities at the taverns each night kept him up late and required a goodly amount of energy.

Unfortunately, one of the scullery maids with whom he spent several hours had a bit of a fever but chose to ignore it in her desire to pocket a few extra shillings.

Not three days after the de Bourgh carriages left the inn with a fresh set of horses, the village would be quarantined for the pox.

By the time the de Bourghs arrived at Pemberley, Sir Lewis was so ill that he nearly fell out of the carriage and both Frederick and Herbert had fevers.

Being the warm, caring hostess that she was, Lady Anne welcomed them all into her house without complaint and set her servants to tending her sister’s family.

Her only precaution was to send a note to the dower house asking if her mother-in-law might keep baby Georgiana and her wet nurse until the de Bourgh’s illness had passed.

Mr. Darcy and his son had traveled to Matlock only days before the de Bourgh’s arrival.

When George Darcy had decided to visit the newly minted Earl’s estate, he could never have known the devastation he would return to, although guilt would haunt him for the rest of his days.

Lady Anne’s husband had received a letter from his brother-in-law requesting advice on a drainage issue in several wheat fields that were often too boggy by autumn to harvest.

Darcy decided it best to travel the thirty miles to Matlock to assess the situation himself and announced that his son Fitzwilliam would be joining him, along with his steward, Mr. Wickham.

John Wickham asked and received permission to bring along his own son, George.

Master and steward both hoped that such time together would encourage as steady a friendship between the boys as existed between their fathers.

Fitzwilliam was happy to be leaving his governess behind to spend a joyful week with his father and cousins.

After a few days at Matlock, a plan for the drainage issue was worked out but Mr. Darcy was tempted by his brother-in-law to remain another week for a bit of course fishing.

Not being particularly fond of Sir Lewis de Bourgh’s company (or Lady Catherine’s, for that matter), he was tempted.

His wife wrote, encouraging him to remain, understanding her husband’s temperament and liking to encourage his friendship with her own brother as well as her son’s friendship with his Fitzwilliam cousins.

Lady Anne wrote that Pemberley was quiet— Sir Lewis had arrived with a bit of a fever but otherwise all was well. When Mr. Darcy decided to extend his stay, Mr. Wickham allowed his own son to remain with the Darcys at Matlock while he himself rode back to Pemberley alone.

When Wickham reached the estate, he was shocked.

Although Lady Anne had written of a fever, the illness was not identified as the pox until after that good man’s return.

The fever had spread quickly from the family to the servants at Pemberley House, the tenant families, and then the nearby villages of Lambton and Kympton.

The doctor, though skilled, was at his wit’s end and had begun to fall ill himself.

Deaths began to be reported on the day of the loyal steward’s arrival and, though he worked tirelessly, it never seemed to be enough. Stunned by the extent of the suffering, when Wickham himself awoke with a fever his only consolation was that his own boy was safely away with his master.

It is understandable that Lady Catherine’s sanity suffered as she watched her sister, husband, and both sons all die miserably over less than a fortnight.

Georgiana and her grandmother were the only Darcys left at Pemberley and, as they were restricted to the dower house, Lady Catherine resolutely took charge.

It was not a pleasant charge as the pox took its toll on all the neighborhood.

Both the housekeeper and butler at Pemberley succumbed to the fever early and were laid to rest even before Lady Anne.

Young Susan Reynolds, previously of the home dairy and then promoted to the kitchens, stepped into the void and worked tirelessly to manage the house.

Her practical, forthright nature might not have endeared her to Lady Catherine in a different situation (that lady preferring the cowering, obsequious style of servant), but her organizational ability and familiarity with Pemberley (in addition to her continued health) made her indispensible.

For the next three weeks, Lady Catherine came to rely on the vicar and his wife who worked day and night to support the healthy and see to the sick.

Even as the cemeteries filled, many lives were saved due to their efforts.

Sadly, their generous nature did not grant them immunity to the disease and they passed within hours of each other.

Through all of this, Lady Catherine persevered.

She organized the healthy to see to those most fundamental tasks that kept all fed and clean.

She sent several expresses to her brother, ordering that Mr. Darcy and his son be kept away until the danger was past. Pemberley’s master was extremely unhappy, feeling that it was his duty to be with his people at such a time but he was forced to agree after much pressure from the Earl.

Eventually, as the fever burnt itself out and left behind a tattered remnant of the population, it was also Lady Catherine who wrote to Mr. Darcy and the Fitzwilliams with news of the deaths.

After so much misery, Lady Catherine was very nearly mad by the time Mr. Darcy returned to Pemberley, more than a month after he had left.

When the carriage stopped at the front steps, there was an odd moment of hesitation when no footmen darted out from the house or stable and no butler appeared at the door.

Even the birds seemed quiet. Mr. Darcy had just opened the carriage door himself and stepped down when a strange woman appeared at the front door.

He only recognized the thin, grey-haired crone as his sister-in-law when she looked past him and cried to his son in a harsh but unmistakable voice .

“Fitzwilliam! You must not be here! Return to Matlock, or go to the dower house.” She turned on Mr. Darcy and her urgency was replaced by bitter anger. “Fool! What are you thinking, bringing him to this death house? Have you no care for my poor sister’s only son?!”

Father and son stood for some moments, stunned to silence, even after Lady Catherine retreated indoors and slammed the door of Pemberley House behind her. Eventually, Mr. Darcy gathered some wits about him.

“Son, she is correct. You will go to your grandmother until I am certain it is safe here.”

Fitzwilliam rarely argued with his parent but an innate sense of duty was already pushing him to put his responsibilities before himself. “But Papa…”

“No,” interrupted Mr. Darcy curtly. He sighed before continuing in a calmer tone, “You must go to the dower house and look after Georgiana and your grandmother while I see what needs to be done here. Will you do that for me?”

The boy nodded seriously, accepting the responsibility and turned to climb back into the carriage by himself.

Mr. Darcy gave his instructions to the driver but did not think to farewell his son as the carriage crunched down the gravel drive.

His whole attention was focused on the house that his forefathers had built and maintained for hundreds of years.

Feeling centuries older than his forty-two years, George forced himself up the steps and through the door.

After standing for a minute to allow his eyes to adjust to the dimmer light, he noticed a young woman moving to meet him. Clearly not his sister-in-law, yet she moved with a sense of confidence and authority.

“Mr. Darcy,” she curtseyed.

“Err, yes…”

Seeing that the master was overwhelmed and did not recognize her, the servant spoke; “Mrs. Reynolds, sir. I’ve been filling in as housekeeper since Mrs. Thompkins and Mr. Briggs passed.”

Darcy forced his mind to focus and was reassured with the recognition that followed. “Of course— Mr. Moore’s daughter, Susan. You married John Reynolds in March, did you not?”

The woman nodded. “Yes, sir. My husband died early in the fever, but my father is still at work in the stables here.” Her eyes betrayed her grief for a moment before she drew herself up and continued, “I’m sorry if no one met your carriage, sir, but we didn’t know to expect it and I’m afraid that hands are mighty short at the moment. ”

Her master was already shaking his head. “Not a problem. Lady Catherine met us.” Seeing the servant look toward the window, he added, “I sent my son and the carriage along to the dower house until I was certain that the main house was… was…” He trailed off but Mrs. Reynolds was alre ady nodding.