Page 23 of Beyond Pride, Past Prejudice
But Elizabeth shook her head violently. “I cannot face him. I am not without guilt. I said the most dreadful things a lady could utter to a gentleman. I told him he could not have offered his hand in any possible way that would have tempted me to accept it. You should have witnessed his astonishment. He regarded me with a blend of incredulity and mortification. And I did not stop there. I recounted my initial impression of him when we first met—that his manners had convinced me of his arrogance, conceit, and disdain for the feelings of others. I had not known him a month before I concluded that he was the last man in the world whom I could ever be induced to marry.”
“I see,” Lady Oakham said. “You were correct in stating that this proposal resembled a battle. Now, you must meet and try to mend this situation.”
“But…how? Do you imagine I could face him, or does he wish to see me?”
“Miss Elizabeth,” Lady Oakham spoke with determination, “you do not see the whole situation. First, tell me, what would you say to him if he appeared here?”
“The same as everybody around me suggested—that he come to Hertfordshire for a few weeks to better acquaint himself with me and mostly with my family.”
“Because you want to be sure about your feelings?”
“I am certain of my love,” she murmured. “But I would never marry a man who disdains my family. My answer would remain no if he failed to accept them.”
“Such honesty becomes you.”
“But he would never journey to Hertfordshire now…never!”
“You might be correct, but not for the reasons you presume. Fitzwilliam was so wounded that he might act recklessly. Lady Catherine has been chasing him for her daughter—and when I say chasing, believe me, it is true.”
“And he saw Mama in that role. How ironic!”
“Yes, indeed, it is ironic. But Lady Catherine possesses a few methods of persuasion and knows that this is a good moment to act. She arrived in London last night with Anne, and she asked Darcy to host them at his house even though she usually stays at ours.”
Elizabeth gazed at her, perplexed, her face indicating that she did not understand Lady Oakham’s words.
“I saw him yesterday at dinner—he is wounded and deeply sorrowful, and in that state it is much easier to persuade him that the solution for him is Anne de Bourgh. He will face no difficulties with her, leading a life much like that of many within our circle. Honestly, I never had great hopes that Fitzwilliam would choose a different kind of wife. Your arrival was both a great surprise and a joy.”
“But why marry Miss de Bourgh when London is full of lively and beautiful young ladies?” Elizabeth asked.
“It is a legitimate question. Of course he may marry a young woman in our circle from town. While he is wounded and indifferent, certain that he will never love again, I fear he may yield to the one who knows how to present the matter aright. And if Anne is incapable of such a thing, believe me, Lady Catherine possesses formidable weapons—she knows Darcy well, and now she is within his very household,” Lady Oakham said, avoiding mentioning anything about the other candidate, Lady Olivia.
“Why the hurry, though?” Elizabeth asked the same question that had burdened the colonel.
“He has decided to marry, and for many absurd reasons, Miss de Bourgh seems the best solution.”
“I can do nothing to stop him from marrying Miss de Bourgh. Lady Catherine spoke about an agreement between her and Mr Darcy’s mother,” Elizabeth murmured, obviously in pain, and Lady Oakham nodded.
“There is nothing you can do in that direction, my dear. However, you must be back in his life and endeavour to conquer him with your means of persuasion.”
“Do you believe it will hold any sway against Lady Catherine?”
“Yes, unquestionably. Fitzwilliam loves you. Can you stay in London for a longer period?”
“Yes,” Elizabeth answered. “Whatever it takes.”
“That is perfect. Then prepare to meet Fitzwilliam.”
Elizabeth reflected for a long time. She wanted to see him again, but his letter had destroyed all her dreams. At the same time, Lady Oakham’s story about Lady Catherine and Miss de Bourgh made it even more difficult.
“I do want to,” she finally said. “I am not someone prone to quitting. Only that I realised I had strong feelings for him a day too late.” Elizabeth spoke with a sad smile. “From everything I know about men, my refusal is too great an affront to be forgiven.”
“And that is precisely why Fitzwilliam is in great danger. He wishes to marry and to forget what happened in Kent. I fear he will propose to a woman without giving it much thought.”
“I shall meet him.” Elizabeth spoke in that determined characteristic manner of hers; she did not require long to make a decision, yet this time, it was not her mind that she allowed to decide but her heart.
“The matter at hand is of such importance that any indiscretion could have dire consequences. Even for me. I dare not speak of this matter to anybody other than Richard—the colonel. It could be taken as if I am betraying the family by encouraging Darcy to marry someone other than his cousin.”
“I understand. Even Mr Darcy would be loath to know someone is interfering in this manner in his life.”
“But there is no time to waste. Lady Catherine had scarcely arrived from Rosings when we were inundated with her plans.”
Elizabeth averted her gaze, but Lady Oakham saw the change on her face; her jealousy was a good sign as it betrayed the affection she held for the man whose proposal she had rejected—a reality she may not yet have fully embraced.
“I intend to tell only Georgiana what happened in Kent, but I wished to confer with you first.”
Elizabeth, puzzled, did not immediately respond.
“Georgiana is yet young, but the events of last summer gave her a maturity beyond her years in some ways. She has often told me that she hopes her brother will marry someone like me. Fortunately, we are remarkably close. I am sure she would like to know about you and will not enjoy the idea of Fitzwilliam marrying Anne too much.”
“Why is that?” Elizabeth asked, trying to imagine Mr Darcy’s sister.
“Georgiana hopes for a sister-in-law who will make Pemberley what it was in her mother’s time, and Anne is hardly that person.
“But you also have another advantage—Lady Catherine has an unshakable conviction in her persuasive abilities , which renders her ignorant to everything else. Furthermore, she fails to comprehend Fitzwilliam’s deep affection for his sister, which is a huge oversight.
Failing to secure Georgiana’s support is a grave mistake that I trust you will not commit. ”
“Lady Oakham!” Elizabeth exclaimed, shaking her head, clearly annoyed as she had never liked those schemes she often heard about and sometimes even witnessed in her own family. “Please, no!” she said. “After all, Mr Darcy has every right to choose his own wife—”
“And he has done so!” the lady interjected. “He did so at the Parsonage. Regrettably, he did not find the best way of speaking to your heart.”
“He found his way,” Elizabeth whispered, her cheeks flushed. “Perhaps not the right entrance…”
“My goodness, let us use more direct language. He acted foolishly and conceitedly, passing judgment on your family rather than asking himself about his own. His mother, I assure you, would have been mortified by his conduct. I knew her for less than a year but adored her. Her premature death a decade ago likely played a part in his transformation. Cousin Darcy’s enjoyment of life perished with her, and their once-harmonious family ceased to exist. This may account for Fitzwilliam’s aloofness. ”
“He did not seem aloof when speaking of his inner struggle.”
“That behaviour was fuelled by his love for you! You, Miss Elizabeth, brought him back to life. You are his only chance to be happy again. With Anne, he will be buried in tedium, duty, and a life outside the family.”
“What am I to do? I am not inclined towards such schemes as those used by Lady Catherine—or my mother, to be completely truthful.”
“Rest assured, that is not what you must do. You are an intelligent lady. All you need is to meet him again and let him see you have changed.”
“That, I can do,” Elizabeth murmured, her demeanour regaining a determination that had seemed lost at the beginning of the conversation.
“Miss Elizabeth, I would never have resorted to such tactics if Anne de Bourgh genuinely loved him.
I would have stepped aside and let him marry a woman whose sole aim in life would be to bring at least peace to his life.
Unfortunately, Anne will remain the way she has always been, no matter how elegant we make her look.
Besides, he does not need her dowry—that is certain.
He is rich enough and not the type of person who is always in search of more wealth.
“I first heard discussions regarding Lady Catherine’s intentions at Christmas.
My father-in-law is not opposed to the marriage—they appreciate that Anne’s fortune would remain within the family, and my mother-in-law told me that Lady Catherine was concerned that Darcy had grown too close to certain persons in Hertfordshire. ”
“Lady Oakham!” exclaimed Elizabeth. “It has been quite some time since a conversation has carried me through so many emotions. Now, I cannot help but laugh. Close to certain persons in Hertfordshire? That is, without doubt, the most inaccurate interpretation of Mr Darcy’s visit to our neighbourhood. ”
“And yet, the story was told to Lady Catherine in this form—”
“By Mr Collins,” Elizabeth said, suddenly seeing that man as the only explanation for news travelling to Rosings. “Only he could have informed her about events in Hertfordshire, and only he could hold such a distorted view of reality. Mr Darcy was never close to anyone.”
“Except for you, perhaps,” said Lady Oakham, and Elizabeth searched her memories of that time. The dinners at which Mr Collins had been present, the walks, and then the ball at Netherfield. Each time, she found Mr Darcy within that circle…always not far from her.
“Yes, without doubt, Mr Collins informed her, perhaps not explicitly about me, but there was certainly a great deal of attention surrounding him and Mr Bingley.”
“At Christmas, Lady Catherine had already begun her assault, already scared she might lose him.”
“Mr Darcy left Hertfordshire at the end of November.”
“He was already in love with you,” Lady Oakham stated plainly, voicing what Elizabeth had refused to see earlier.
“If that is true, I wish I had suspected his sentiments…earlier…from the beginning,” Elizabeth confessed, her sadness visible. “Yet, he was insufferable—so proud. Moreover, there was the incident with Mr Wickham, where he appeared as the villain.”
“What a deception! Wickham’s presence in Hertfordshire thwarted my plans to visit Netherfield with Georgiana. Now you see why.”
“Yes, everything went wrong, and they left.”
“Enough of the past. Georgiana’s favourite play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream , will be performed in Covent Garden in a few days. I am confident Darcy will accompany her to the theatre, and you will also attend with your family.”
“But he will suspect a contrivance!” Elizabeth protested whilst secretly hoping for a chance to meet him.
“No, he will not, for we shall leave no reason for suspicion.”
“I abhor this role I must play.”
“Then, one evening in the future at Pemberley, you will reveal the truth to him. But for now, attend the theatre. If you want to feel better, watch the play, imagine yourself in Athens, and, like the other characters, play a game of innocent love.”
“I usually play Artemis,” Elizabeth murmured.
“Then it is time to become Aphrodite,” Lady Oakham said with an affectionate gaze towards her new friend, making Elizabeth remember an evening at Rosings when she had been Aphrodite…and yet she had not realised that it was a deep feeling and not a fleeting state of mind.