Page 53 of Heiress of Longbourn (Pride and Prejudice Variations)
“Miss Bennet,” Lady Catherine began. “I wish to ask of you a difficult thing; would you be willing to enter a courtship with Darcy to facilitate the removal of Wickham from polite society?”
Both Elizabeth and Darcy gasped in astonishment, and for a moment their gazes met. Darcy was, she noted distractedly, even more handsome when his expression lacked its usual cold hauteur. He looked thoroughly ruffled at the moment, and his color was heightened with distress or embarrassment.
“I cannot ask Miss Elizabeth...”
“I doubt that Mr. Darcy...
They spoke at once, and ceased speaking at once, causing their hostess’s lips to quirk slightly.
“My dear Miss Bennet,” Anne de Bourgh continued seriously, “I would not ask this of you if we did not feel it was the best way to deal with Wickham. But perhaps it would be helpful to provide a more thorough explanation of our plan?”
Elizabeth leaned forward and said, “Please, Miss de Bourgh.”
“Do call me Anne,” the lady suggested cheerfully. “We will be spending significant time together in the future.”
“Will we?”
“Yes. Mother and Mrs. Jenkinson and I spoke at length last night, and we agree that it is almost certain that Wickham has separated Georgiana’s letters. Darcy’s description leads me to believe that Wickham is intelligent enough to realize that having all his blackmail material in one place is risky; thus, he almost certainly has given at least one letter to a friend to keep safe, and the most likely person is Mrs. Younge, Georgiana’s degenerate former companion. For this reason, we need a two pronged approach. Lady Catherine and Colonel Fitzwilliam will retrieve the letters from Mrs. Younge, and you, Darcy, and I will return to Hertfordshire to regain the correspondence from Wickham.”
“Should I not deal with Mrs. Younge?” Darcy asked. “I know her well.”
“Which is precisely why you must avoid her, Darcy,” Lady Catherine asserted. “If you try to pressure her, she will realize her power to, at the very least, obtain significant money from you in exchange for the letters. She would almost certainly warn Wickham of our attempt to regain Georgiana’s missives as well. No, we must regain them by subterfuge, and Richard and I are the best ones to do it.”
Darcy looked at his aunt in wonder. “Are you certain that you wish to deal with a woman like her? This is not your responsibility, Lady Catherine. It is mine as Georgiana’s brother.”
The lady’s face lit up rapturously. “My dear nephew, I would not miss this for the world! I have been trapped too long at Rosings managing the administrative arm of the League; I have not been out in the field for more than a year! In any case, you are a near relation, and the Darcy name is connected to the de Bourgh name, not to mention the Matlocks, so it benefits me to put this threat to rest.”
Elizabeth did not realize she was smiling slightly until Lady Catherine bent a curious look at her. “What amuses you, Miss Bennet?”
“I apologize, but it seems extraordinary to me that you and Miss ... and Anne are leaders of an underground organization which nobly fights for the rights of oppressed and mistreated women, and yet you are also concerned about possible scandal over a few letters by a young girl, when if the truth were known of your other activities, all of England would ring with shock and wonder and, I fear, condemnation.”
“That is true enough,” Lady Catherine acknowledged crisply, “but I believe you are missing a rather important point, Miss Bennet.”
“Which is?”
“Our ability to penetrate into the highest reaches of society depends on our good name. I am entirely indifferent to the scorn and derision of others, but I am concerned that if a scandal erupts, Anne and I will be far less able to gain access to the high-ranking swine who take advantage of women.”
Elizabeth looked troubled. “Are higher ranked men more likely to take advantage of women, then?”
“I would think,” Darcy remarked, “that the nobility and gentry are more likely to get away with such foul behavior.”
“Precisely, Darcy!” Lady Catherine agreed with an approving nod. “Most men are decent enough, but there are always a few who seek to take advantage of others. It is easy enough to deal with a blacksmith or butcher who attacks a woman, but an earl? A duke? We must be more creative in those cases.”
Elizabeth shivered a little at the dangerous look on the lady’s face. She was suddenly quite certain that Wickham would be dealt with most competently.
“Why do you think Mr. Darcy and I should engage in what must be a ... false ... courtship?” she demanded abruptly.
Anne leaned forward, her slender hands relaxed in her lap. “The main reason is that I wish to go along with you to Hertfordshire to oversee the mission against Wickham. If you and Darcy are in a courtship, I can better play the part I wish to play – a disappointed woman who is seeking love and affirmation after being effectively jilted by Darcy. Wickham will be drawn to me like a moth to the flames and will no doubt attempt to win me himself. Rosings is an even greater prize than Georgiana’s dowry.”
“That sounds dangerous, Anne,” Richard worried aloud, “given that Wickham is suspected of using violence on occasion.”
“I will be cautious,” Anne assured him, “but I am also not nearly as helpless as I look. I have been trained to protect myself. By the way, Miss Bennet, I do have another reason for wishing for this courtship.”
“Please, do call me Elizabeth. What is your other reason?”
“I hope you and Darcy make a match of it,” the young woman explained with an impish smile. “Indeed, Mother and I are quite certain that you are perfect for one another.”
Again, Elizabeth and Darcy looked at one another, and this time both their faces suffused red.
“I do not believe that Mr. Darcy can possibly be interested in such an eventuality,” Elizabeth said hesitantly.
“I continue to love you very much, Miss Bennet,” Darcy responded immediately. “I am aware that my initial interactions with you gave you a negative view of my character, and my proposal was ... poorly worded in the extreme, but I would ... I would appreciate the opportunity to improve your opinion of me. Even if our courtship ends without an engagement, I would sleep better at night if I knew that you no longer despise me.”
“I do not despise you,” Elizabeth said uncomfortably, “but I would not wish to ... to embark on a courtship under false pretenses.”
“What falsity is there?” Lady Catherine demanded. “Darcy understands the situation, as do the rest of us. Yes, you will need to conceal some details from your family, friends, and acquaintances, but I am confident no one will scorn you for entering into a courtship with an intelligent and wealthy man, especially with Longbourn entailed to Mr. Collins.”
Elizabeth stared at the lady, then at her nephew, whose eyes were filled with longing, and opened her mouth. What came out rather astonished her.
“Very well, Lady Catherine. I would be honored to enter a courtship with Mr. Darcy.”
***
“Lady Catherine,” Mr. Collins enthused, bowing so low that his head was briefly on the level of his knees, “I am truly honored that you chose to invite my fair cousin, Elizabeth, to Rosings this morning, and I trust that she was an enjoyable and properly humble guest?”
Lady Catherine waved her right index finger imperiously. “Yes, of course she was. But come, Mr. Collins, you must not keep me standing here. The wind is quite cold! Invite me inside!”
Mr. Collins, apparently overcome that his patroness actually wished to enter his parsonage, gaped in bewilderment, and Mrs. Charlotte Collins stepped into the breach. “Lady Catherine, please do come into the parlor. May we offer you some tea?”
The lady stalked into the house with Elizabeth a few meek steps behind her. Now that she knew that the mistress of Rosings was playing a part, Elizabeth found herself having to swallow a laugh. Truly, Lady Catherine was a most remarkable actress.
By the time Elizabeth had reached the parlor, Lady Catherine had seated herself on a brown wingback chair and was glaring around with a frown. “Mr. Collins, why did you move that green chair closer to the window?”
The man paled and twisted his fingers together. “I apologize, Lady Catherine, but Mrs. Collins wished to move the chair to make use of the sunlight on those occasions when she is mending clothes and knitting, but we can move it back if...”
“No,” the lady interrupted imperiously, “I quite approve of that decision. Economy and thriftiness are most valuable attributes for a parson’s wife. It was well done to save your candles, very well done indeed, Mrs. Collins.”
“Thank you,” Mrs. Collins said calmly as her husband relaxed in obvious relief.
“Well, do sit down, all of you! I have a message of import. I am pleased to inform you, Mr. and Mrs. Collins, that Miss Elizabeth Bennet has done my nephew, Mr. Darcy, the honor of entering into a courtship.”