Page 21 of He Taught Me to Hope (Darcy and the Young Knight’s Quest #1)
W ho amongst us cares that you are a most active magistrate in your parish?
Must we hear every account, of the minutest concerns of which are brought to you by Mr. Collins?
Do we truly need to know how you sally forth into the village whenever any of the cottagers are disposed to be quarrelsome, discontented, or too poor; arriving in splendour to settle their differences, silence their complaints, and scold them into harmony and plenty with your august presence?
What concern is it of any of ours, other than that ridiculous vicar, that is?
Such were the thoughts that drifted through Darcy’s mind almost as soon as his aunt ventured to speak in long-winded, one-sided dialogue accompanied with a steady nodding of the greasy head of the younger Mr. Collins.
Would it be terribly rude of me simply to stand from the table and take my leave? Would that I could persuade Elizabeth to join me?
One can always wish, he considered, having pondered the implications of such a scandalous notion.
Darcy looked about the members of the dinner party as they sat around the table heavily laden with platters of meats, vegetable dishes, assorted fruit, and superb wines.
It is a blessing Lady Catherine harbours the antiquated rule about husbands sitting next to their wives.
Otherwise, that ridiculous parson might be seated next to me.
Instead, to have Elizabeth seated beside me is better than anything I could have wished for at the start of the evening It is most pleasant to have her by my side.
It is worth it just to be able to reach over and touch her or perchance brush my hand against hers as we fetch for something at the table.
How I wish for some time alone with her this evening!
How on earth will I bring that about? Darcy then considered from the moment of her arrival, Geoffrey Collins had not ventured from her side by more than a few inches.
The gentleman seems as possessive of Elizabeth as his brother seems solicitous of my aunt.
One can hardly blame him, Darcy reckoned. If she were mine, I would not trust another man to be with her either. Patience man, Elizabeth will see Collins for the man he is not in due time.
Lady Catherine had been extremely curious about the young widow visiting the parsonage.
Indeed, she regretted Anne’s health had not allowed them to receive the Hunsford party at Rosings Park sooner.
It turned out Lady Catherine and her late husband, Sir Lewis de Bourgh, had been long-time acquaintances of Elizabeth’s late in-laws, Mr. and Mrs. John Carlton.
Lady Catherine had been fond enough of the late Mrs. Sara Carlton that she had considered her a dear friend.
Darcy honed in on his aunt’s discourse as she expounded her history with the Carlton family.
She elaborated in detail on that which Elizabeth already knew, as well as some things she did not, and enlightened her nephew Darcy in the process, as well.
Upon speaking of the string of tragedies that had befallen the Carlton family, the death of her dear friend, the death of the young Mr. Randall Carlton, and lastly, the passing of the patriarch himself, she expressed her condolences in the sincerest of terms.
I had no notion of any of this, Darcy considered.
Here sits this amazing woman who means so much to me, yet she is scarcely more than a stranger.
I hardly know a thing about her at all. Perhaps, had I not spent so much time during our brief interludes in Hertfordshire jumping to conclusions, I might have learnt all of this from Elizabeth herself.
It is a grave injustice to be parted from one’s husband so soon after the marriage—a mere month!
It is an even greater injustice that young Ben never experienced first-hand a father’s love, that his father never knew his son.
How proud he would be. Indeed, if he had loved Elizabeth yet half as much as Lady Catherine suggests, then surely he would be swollen with pride over his son.
Having exhausted the subject of all she knew of Elizabeth’s past, Lady Catherine’s curiosity could not be contained as regarded her present, as well as her future.
“Where is your son now? Did he travel here with you? Surely, you did not leave him in Hertfordshire. A young child should be with its mother,” Lady Catherine began. She lovingly looked towards her daughter, who sat to her left. “I have never parted with my dear Anne, even to this day.”
“Yes ma’am, your ladyship, my son is at the parsonage.”
“Excellent. Do remind me, if you will, what is your son’s name?”
“My son’s name is Bennet Carlton, your ladyship,” Elizabeth said as she sat her silverware aside, thinking this might be a lengthy inquisition, if her ladyship’s preceding discourse served as an example.
“Yes, of course. Now I recall clearly. Bennet is his given name, in honour of your family. Although,” she pontificated, “I am not quite persuaded your family deserves such honour after practically having disowned you when you went against your father’s wishes in marrying at seventeen.”
Elizabeth was not at all pleased to have all her life’s history the topic for discussion. She did not know whether to be honoured or deeply offended that Lady Catherine was so inclined to discuss aspects of her past she had not disclosed herself.
Lady Catherine’s speech was mixed with praise and condescension.
“I commend you on your decision to remove yourself from the way of life afforded by the Camberworth fortune for the sake of providing a good environment for the child. It is admirable that you would sacrifice your own comfort in the interest of what is best for your young impressionable son.”
You think highly enough of Elizabeth now and cannot help but bear witness to her many admirable qualities.
The question is will you continue to regard her so once it is made known she is the one woman who holds my heart?
Darcy silently reflected. In the hours that had passed since he had left her side at the parsonage, he had spent much time thinking of how much he wanted her, but no time at all considering exactly how he would help bring that about.
Instead, his mind was flooded with hopeful thoughts.
She is not married. She is not truly lost to me! I am in love!
Lady Catherine went on to speak disparagingly of the fact that the Longbourn estate was entailed to the male line. Even how happy she was Rosings Park was not similarly encumbered.
“I must also commend you on your alliance with Mr. Collins, to whom your family’s estate is entailed.
By your act, your family will be protected from what would have been certain destitution when your father passes.
” There was not one person seated at the table, other than her ladyship, who did not suffer embarrassment by those words.
She made it sound to all as if Elizabeth merely was mercenary!
“Though I can imagine the Longbourn estate is nothing compared to Camberworth, I would think it is a decent enough place for your son to be reared.”
“My son enjoys his new home very much, your ladyship,” Elizabeth politely replied.
“You must bring him around for I dearly wish to meet the sole heir of my dear friend Sara Carlton.”
“I thank you for the warm invitation. I shall be happy to honour your request to meet my son.”
“Excellent! I shall send my carriage around to bring you here tomorrow.”
“Again, I thank you, your ladyship. However, tomorrow is a bit sooner than I had anticipated.”
Geoffrey Collins intervened, “Tomorrow is as fine a time as any. We shall bring the child together. ”
“I beg your pardon, but again I will have to defer until a later time,” Elizabeth adamantly affirmed.
“Begging your pardon, my dear cousin, why are you so opposed to bringing the child around tomorrow, especially as her ladyship has taken away any inconvenience with the offer of her carriage?” Geoffrey Collins asked. A little irritation was evident in his tone.
“My son and I have made other plans for tomorrow. I am not in the habit of disappointing his hopes,” Elizabeth expressed in a measured response.
“I am most eager to meet your son. I insist it be tomorrow!
I, too, am not in the business of having my hopes disappointed.
He is but a child. I fear, as an only child, you may have spoilt him.
This is yet another of the many advantages to your alliance with Mr. Collins—the prospect of extending your family and providing young Bennet with siblings.
“A healthy young woman such as you will likely bear a number of children,” Lady Catherine declared. She regarded Elizabeth’s youthful appearance in wonderment and thought to ask, “Pray what is your age?”
Elizabeth smilingly submitted, “Your ladyship can hardly expect me to own it.”
“I detect a bit of dignified impertinence in your tone that I pray your young son does not possess. I insist on being satisfied! Tell me at once! If my memory serves me correctly, you are in your early twenties.”
“I am not yet four and twenty, your ladyship,” Elizabeth was compelled to disclose.
“There, that was not so difficult. You young people today have much to learn when it comes to showing the proper deference to your elders. Indeed, I shall be quite interested in meeting your child.”