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Intrigue and Inheritance - sample chapter

Elizabeth had raised quite a number of prayers of thanks that the speed of her unorthodox nuptials had prevented Lady Catherine de Bourgh from interfering in an attempt to impose her will and force Darcy to marry her daughter, Anne.

In the months that had passed since, Lady Catherine had written a few angry letters to Darcy but remained at a distance…

until now, when she had presented herself at Darcy House on the very same day they had arrived in London.

Elizabeth’s thoughts raced. How had Lady Catherine known they were coming? Or was she already in London, just waiting for their arrival? And most importantly of all, why was she here?

Lady Catherine turned as Elizabeth and Darcy entered the drawing room.

Her eyes, sharp and assessing, moved first to her nephew and then, with markedly less warmth, to Elizabeth.

For a moment, no one spoke, the only sound in the grand drawing room the gentle crackle of the fire and the ticking of the ornate clock upon the mantelpiece.

Elizabeth felt the weight of Lady Catherine’s scrutiny like a physical pressure, but she kept her spine straight and her expression pleasantly neutral, determined not to be the first to break the uncomfortable silence.

“Aunt Catherine,” Darcy said finally, his voice steady despite the unexpected nature of her visit. “This is a surprise. Had we known you were coming to London, we would have prepared for your arrival.”

Lady Catherine sniffed audibly. “I had not planned to come to Town at all this Season,” she said. “Circumstances, however, have forced my hand. I see you have only just arrived yourselves.”

“Indeed, we reached London but a few hours ago,” Elizabeth confirmed. “Will you not be seated, Lady Catherine? I shall ring for tea.”

“I did not come for tea and pleasantries,” Lady Catherine replied sharply, though she did move to take a seat in a high-backed chair positioned to command the room. “I came because I must speak with my nephew on a matter of the utmost importance.”

Elizabeth caught Darcy’s eye, silently questioning whether she should withdraw, but he gave a nearly imperceptible shake of his head.

Whatever Lady Catherine had to say, it seemed he wished her to hear it as well.

They seated themselves side by side on a sofa facing Lady Catherine, Elizabeth taking care to arrange her skirts with deliberate calm, though her heart had begun to beat rather more quickly than usual.

“I am most displeased,” Lady Catherine announced, fixing Darcy with an accusing stare. “Imagine my shock upon learning that your cousin has taken it upon himself to marry some country nobody!”

Elizabeth felt as though a lump of ice had settled in her stomach. So this was about Jane’s marriage to Colonel Fitzwilliam, now Lord Richard. She should have anticipated this; of course Lady Catherine would be displeased by another connection to the Bennet family.

“Richard has married the choice of his heart,” Darcy replied evenly, though Elizabeth could detect the tension in his shoulders. “I could not be more pleased for him.”

“That is precisely the sort of modern nonsense I would expect you to espouse,” Lady Catherine snapped.

“After your own disappointing choice, I suppose it is hardly surprising that you would encourage Richard in a similar folly. But I had expected better from him. A son of Matlock should consider his family’s interests, not merely his own fleeting sentiments. ”

Elizabeth pressed her lips together, forcing herself to remain silent.

She had known from the start that Lady Catherine disapproved of her marriage to Darcy, but the casual cruelty of having it referenced so dismissively still stung.

More concerning, however, was Lady Catherine’s apparent fury over Jane’s marriage.

The idea that her gentle sister could be a target of Lady Catherine’s anger was troubling.

“Jane is an excellent match for Richard,” Darcy stated with quiet authority. “She brings kindness, intelligence, and genuine affection to the marriage. My aunt and uncle are quite pleased with their new daughter-in-law.”

Lady Catherine gripped the arms of her chair so tightly that the fabric creaked in protest. “My brother and Lady Matlock are too good-natured for their own wellbeing. They would accept a scullery maid if it pleased their son. But that is hardly the point, Darcy. The point is that your cousin was the last eligible bachelor of suitable rank and connection for Anne!”

Ah , Elizabeth thought. Now the true source of Lady Catherine’s displeasure became clear.

She had not come merely to express her disapproval of Jane, but because she viewed Richard as having been a potential husband for her own daughter; perhaps a second choice after Darcy had disappointed her hopes in that direction.

“I was not aware that you had considered Richard as a match for Anne,” Darcy said carefully. “You have never mentioned such a plan to me.”

“I should not have needed to mention it!” Lady Catherine exclaimed. “It was the natural solution after you so stubbornly refused to do your duty. Richard has always been fond of Anne, and as a second son, he would have been sensible enough to appreciate the advantages of Rosings.”

Elizabeth wondered what Anne might think of such arrangements. The few times she had met Miss de Bourgh, she had seemed a quiet, almost timid creature, utterly dominated by her mother’s forceful personality. Elizabeth could not imagine she had been consulted about any of these plans.

“I am sorry that you are disappointed,” Darcy said, his tone formal but not unsympathetic. “But Richard has made his choice, and he is exceedingly happy in his marriage. I believe we should respect his decision and wish him well.”

Lady Catherine rose from her chair with surprising energy for a woman of her years, pacing before the fire with agitated steps.

“Respect his decision? When it has left my daughter without a suitable match at the age of one and twenty? You speak as if this were a mere inconvenience, Darcy, not the ruination of Anne’s prospects! ”

Elizabeth could remain silent no longer. “Surely Miss de Bourgh’s prospects cannot be so limited,” she ventured. “A young lady of her birth, fortune, and accomplishments must have many potential suitors.”

Lady Catherine fixed Elizabeth with a withering gaze.

“Do not presume to understand matters beyond your comprehension, Mrs. Darcy. Anne’s delicate health has kept her from society, and her inheritance makes her vulnerable to fortune hunters.

Richard was ideal precisely because he could be trusted not to mismanage Rosings or mistreat its mistress. ”

“There are other gentlemen of good character and suitable standing,” Darcy pointed out. “If Anne wishes to marry, I am certain a match could be arranged that would satisfy both her needs and your expectations.”

“Indeed!” Lady Catherine exclaimed. “And, Darcy, since you have failed in your duty to marry her yourself, and have now allowed your cousin to marry elsewhere, you must take responsibility for making these arrangements.”

Elizabeth watched her husband’s face carefully, noting the slight tightening around his eyes that indicated his growing frustration. Yet his voice remained steady.

“What exactly is it you wish me to do, Aunt?”

Lady Catherine drew herself up to her full height.

“Anne must have a Season in London. She must be properly introduced to society and presented to eligible gentlemen of suitable rank and character. Since you are already bringing out Georgiana this spring, you may as well bring out Anne alongside her.”

Elizabeth blinked in surprise. This was not at all what she had expected. The idea of Lady Catherine entrusting her precious daughter to their care, after all her objections to Elizabeth as Darcy’s wife, seemed utterly incongruous.

“You wish Anne to stay with us during the Season?” Darcy asked, his own surprise evident in his tone.

“I see no alternative,” Lady Catherine said stiffly.

“I cannot remain in London for the duration of the Season; I have responsibilities at Rosings that cannot be neglected. Mrs. Jenkinson will accompany Anne, of course, but Anne needs the sponsorship of a family of sufficient standing. You and your... wife... will be bringing out Georgiana in any case. One more young lady can hardly be an imposition.”

Elizabeth’s mind raced with the implications of this unexpected development.

She had anticipated her first London Season as Mrs. Darcy would be challenging enough, with the responsibility of introducing both Georgiana and Kitty to society.

Adding Anne to their party would complicate matters considerably.

Yet she could hardly refuse her husband’s cousin, particularly when the poor girl had so few opportunities to escape her mother’s domineering presence.

“We would, of course, be honoured to include Anne in our household for the Season,” Elizabeth found herself saying, surprising even herself with the sincerity in her voice.

Whatever her feelings about Lady Catherine, she had no quarrel with Anne, who had always seemed more a victim of her mother’s ambitions than a participant in them.

Lady Catherine’s gaze snapped to Elizabeth, assessing her for signs of insincerity.

“You will need to ensure she is not overtaxed. Anne’s constitution is delicate; she cannot be expected to attend every frivolous assembly or rout.

Mrs. Jenkinson knows her requirements and will advise you accordingly. ”

“We shall take every care for Anne’s comfort and wellbeing,” Darcy assured her. “When do you propose she should join us?”

“Immediately,” Lady Catherine replied, with a dismissive wave of her hand. “There is no sense in delaying. Indeed, they are already here.”