Page 21 of The Shades of Pemberley
The snort of disdain spoke with eloquence as to Fitzwilliam’s feelings on the subject. “Should Georgiana go to Rosings as she wishes, she will return quieter than a mouse, intimidated by everything. On that point, Darcy and I were always in complete agreement.”
“Then what do you suggest?” asked Darcy. “Perhaps your father would take a hand?”
“He might, but I do not wish to interrupt Georgiana’s life any more than I must. As she is to meet your lady, I want to see how she gets on with her before deciding.”
The inference surprised Darcy. “Do you suggest she stay with me?”
Fitzwilliam turned to regard him. “You spoke of your willingness to keep Georgiana at Pemberley. Would you also agree to take her to the south with you should she get on with your fiancée?”
“Without reservation,” replied Darcy at once.
“Then I suspect that may be the best place for her.” Fitzwilliam shook his head.
“I cannot allow my aunt any authority over her, but I cannot see to her needs myself. You are a single man, yet you will be married not long after you return to Hertfordshire, and I suspect Georgiana will find it agreeable to be acquainted with your lady. As I recall, did you not say she has sisters?”
“Four sisters,” agreed Darcy.
“Even better. With you, she will be amply cared for and among ladies her age. My father wrote to me yesterday to inform me that there is a clause in my uncle’s will that allows him to appoint a new guardian should one of us pass away or otherwise cannot care for her.
You cannot take the place of the brother who is now gone, but you are a cousin, though to a more distant degree than I am myself. It seems a perfect solution.”
“I am willing,” said Darcy. “If Miss Darcy wishes it, I am pleased to take on her care.”
“Thank you, Darcy,” said Fitzwilliam. “We shall wait until Georgiana meets your fiancée, but if it all goes well, I shall approach my father and ask him to investigate the possibility of you taking my cousin’s place as Georgiana’s guardian.”
Darcy nodded, but a thought occurred to him. “Will that not displease your aunt?”
“Without a doubt. Rather than arguing, I shall allow my father to deal with her.”
“That is for the best,” laughed Darcy. “The less one is required to argue with Lady Catherine, the greater the chances of keeping one’s sanity intact.”
“I see you already understand my aunt,” quipped Fitzwilliam.
“That takes no great understanding. Lady Catherine is entirely objectionable.”
“That she is, Darcy. That she is.”
WORD OF ELIZABETH’S plans arrived two days later in a letter written in his mother’s elegant hand.
That Kitty would also accompany his mother and her elder sister was welcome, for the girl was a good sort, though a little livelier than she ought to be.
Where Elizabeth’s liveliness was charming, tempered with the restraint of a well-bred woman, Kitty and Lydia were liable to breach propriety when not watched with care.
When Darcy considered the matter, he suspected Georgiana and Kitty would get on well, for Georgiana would moderate Kitty’s high spirits while Kitty would provoke Georgiana to more openness.
An additional benefit was how Kitty and Georgiana could keep each other company while Darcy focused on his fiancée.
The question was how he should present it when in Lady Catherine’s company.
The lady had no right to declare who could visit Pemberley, but Darcy was not na?ve enough to assume she would accept the notion without commenting on it.
Rather, he expected she would deplore Elizabeth’s visit altogether, not that it would cause him a moment’s concern if she did.
Darcy received the letter on Friday, and as Elizabeth was to arrive the following Wednesday, he waited a few days before informing Lady Catherine.
While this bought him a few days of respite from her diatribes on the subject, the following Monday, he knew he needed to communicate the upcoming visit.
“I have an announcement to make,” said Darcy when they gathered in the breakfast room that morning.
As he expected, Lady Catherine eyed him with suspicion, though she said nothing.
Fitzwilliam, to whom Darcy had already confided the news, sat back in his chair, curious to know how his aunt would react.
Even Georgiana, who knew something of Elizabeth and her family and knew of the proposed visit, appeared to anticipate what he would say.
“We are to have guests, though they will stay in Lambton rather than at Pemberley.”
“What is this?” demanded Lady Catherine. “Members of your family, I suppose?”
“My mother is the only living member of my family,” replied Darcy with a nod. “Yes, she is to be one of the party, but my fiancée, Miss Elizabeth Bennet, and her sister, Miss Catherine, will also join us.”
“Oh, that is excellent news!” exclaimed Georgiana, for once forgetting her aunt’s presence. “I have longed to make your lady’s acquaintance, Cousin, and I am eager to meet her sister too!”
While Darcy acknowledged Georgiana’s enthusiasm with a nod, his attention was on Lady Catherine, who did not appear pleased at all.
It was not possible to expect a lady of such celebrated frankness as Lady Catherine to remain silent on the subject—Darcy suspected there was nothing in this world that could prevent her from making her opinion known.
“You have invited a girl from your neighborhood to visit Pemberley?” Lady Catherine sounded aghast at the notion.
“No, Lady Catherine,” replied Darcy, allowing no hint of his annoyance to stain his voice, “I have invited a young lady , the woman who is to be my wife, to visit her future home in the company of my mother and one of her sisters.”
“That is highly improper!”
“What can be improper about her staying in Lambton and visiting Pemberley during the day?” asked Fitzwilliam. “I think it is a marvelous idea that Miss Bennet visits now before her wedding. After all, Pemberley must be a vast difference from Darcy’s estate in Hertfordshire.”
“It is,” agreed Darcy, noting Lady Catherine’s reddening face, a sure sign of a pending explosion.
“What sort of a girl is she?” demanded Lady Catherine, forestalling the eruption for the moment.
“She is an excellent woman ,” replied Darcy, unwilling to allow Lady Catherine to demean Elizabeth by using the diminutive.
“Elizabeth is the second of five daughters raised on the neighboring estate. We have been engaged this past year—the only reason we are not married now is because my presence was required in Derbyshire.”
“And her parents? What standing do they boast in society?”
“Mr. Bennet is a gentleman, which is all that I require,” said Darcy, his patience fraying.
“What circles does he inhabit?” Lady Catherine sniffed with disdain. “I have never heard the name ‘Bennet,’ so I cannot imagine he is at all prominent.”
“The estate is called Longbourn, and Mr. Bennet has inherited it from a long line of his forebears. The estate is not large, but it is prosperous. Mr. Bennet has no presence in town, as society does not agree with him, but their standing in the neighborhood is impeccable. I have known since she was seventeen that I wished to have Miss Elizabeth as a wife.”
“It is so romantic,” sighed Georgiana. “It is a story of true devotion, a situation I hope to find for myself someday.”
Fitzwilliam and Darcy were both diverted by Georgiana’s sudden descent into her romantic ideals, though Darcy did not disagree in the slightest. Lady Catherine appeared ready to berate the girl if her glare was any sign, but her comment, when she delivered it, spoke to her usual authority but seemed like something akin to an afterthought.
“Do not be silly, Georgiana. When you marry, you will unite with the appropriate man who will increase our family’s position in society.”
That Fitzwilliam did not agree was obvious, but he did not comment, sensing it would only provoke an argument.
As Fitzwilliam was, at present, the only one in a position to say anything about Georgiana’s future husband and Lady Catherine had no power to dictate anything, Darcy did not disagree with his assessment.
Having dispensed—as she thought of it—with Georgiana’s ideals, Lady Catherine turned a gimlet eye on Darcy.
“That is a surprise and not a welcome one, Darcy.”
“Oh?” asked Darcy, wishing he could shake his head at her insistence. “I cannot say why it is unwelcome, for it is my business and has nothing to do with anyone else.”
Lady Catherine’s expression spoke of exaggerated patience.
“Do you not suppose matters have changed? You are now the proprietor of a large estate and can claim a connection to an earl. Men in such positions as you now inhabit cannot marry girls such as this fiancée of yours, for it is unthinkable. A more prominent lady would be better—it would allow you to establish yourself in the first circles.”
“First, Lady Catherine,” replied Darcy, now displeased, “I am engaged to the woman I love, so your point is moot. As I have already told you, the only reason we are not married at this very moment was the tragedy that brought me to Pemberley.”
“That is no impediment,” interrupted Lady Catherine as if his engagement was of no consequence. “Given the position you now hold, it is not impossible to extricate yourself.”
“Yes, Lady Catherine, it is impossible,” retorted Darcy. “I have no notion how higher society behaves, but it is catastrophic to a man’s reputation to break an engagement; even if I had any inclination to do so, I would not.
“It will not cause me a jot of concern if high society laughs at me for my convictions, not that I consider them foolish enough to do so. Elizabeth is a capable young woman, one who will behave with distinction when I have the good fortune to introduce her to society as my wife.”
Lady Catherine was already shaking her head. “No one needs to know that you broke your engagement, and the opinions of those in your previous neighborhood are of no consequence.”
“They are of consequence to me ,” shot Darcy.
“No, no, this will not do,” insisted Lady Catherine. “You have no recourse but to put this woman aside in favor of a more appropriate match.”
“Lady Catherine,” snarled Darcy, not caring about the anger he was displaying, “I shall not listen to you for another moment. Kindly recall that you are no relation of mine and can have nothing to say on the subject of my future—even if you were a relation, I would allow no such interference into my affairs. My engagement is none of your concern. Please desist, or I shall require you to return to your home at once.”
“You will not remove me from my sister’s home!” shrilled Lady Catherine.
“In case you have not yet noticed,” interjected Fitzwilliam, “Lady Anne Darcy is no longer the mistress of Pemberley, nor is her son. It is highly improper for you to suggest that Darcy break his engagement, Lady Catherine. You will be silent at once, or I shall assist Darcy in removing you from the house. It is early in the day, so you can still complete a third of the journey to Rosings if you leave now.”
This threat ended Lady Catherine’s complaints, though Darcy suspected her protests were not at an end.
“When is your fiancée to arrive, William?” asked Georgiana, a transparent attempt to move past the unpleasantness of the past few moments.”
“Longbourn is four hours north of London,” replied Darcy, still eyeing Lady Catherine with contempt. “They will have departed by now, so I expect them by midafternoon on Wednesday.”
“Given your separation,” said Fitzwilliam, “I suppose you will wish to greet Miss Bennet at once.”
“You are not incorrect, for I long to be in her company again. My mother will send me a letter when they arrive at the inn. I shall go to Lambton and return with them for dinner.”
That Lady Catherine was displeased, the lady did not bother to hide from anyone in the room.
For a change, she said nothing, which was welcome to Darcy.
After enduring her constant comments, criticisms, and harangues, Darcy did not suppose he would miss the sound of her voice if he never heard it again.
“Then we shall welcome them,” said Fitzwilliam. “I am eager to make her acquaintance, for I suspect she is a worthy lady.”
It was not in Lady Catherine’s nature to allow the comment to pass without response, but she contented herself with a derisive snort.
She remained quiet while they stayed in the breakfast room, but she redoubled her efforts to criticize the moment they were out of it.
More than once that day, Fitzwilliam reprimanded her for her harsh statements, particularly those she leveled at Georgiana, who fled the room in tears.
Darcy did not know what to make of her, nor did he understand the level of conceit one must possess to meddle to that extent in the affairs of others who were, after all, not connected to her.
“I cannot understand it myself,” replied Fitzwilliam when Darcy asked him about it later that day.
“That Lady Catherine is senseless is a fact that is not unknown to anyone in the family. Yet even I, who suspect nothing less than the worst from her, did not expect her to order you to break your engagement.”
“Should she speak of it again, I swear I will remove her from the estate,” averred Darcy.
“You will have my support,” agreed Fitzwilliam. “There is no reason for you to tolerate her excesses. It may be best to remove her before Miss Bennet arrives; am I correct in apprehending that she will not hesitate to defend herself?”
“Elizabeth is no timid miss. She will find diversion in Lady Catherine’s authoritative ways and her ridiculous behavior, but she will not endure her if she oversteps.”
Fitzwilliam shook his head with disgust. “Lady Catherine will surpass our expectations—there is no question of that.”
Darcy considered the situation, then shook his head.
“Were I not convinced of Elizabeth’s quality, I might consider sending Lady Catherine away.
As it is, I know Elizabeth will not wilt.
Barring Lady Catherine from Pemberley will only create more problems, so I shall refrain for now.
Should she give me a reason, I will not hesitate. ”
“Very well. My father knows that Lady Catherine is here and making trouble. I shall inform him of the upcoming visit and Lady Catherine’s views. With any luck, he will be at liberty to visit Pemberley and put her in her place.”
With their plans set, Darcy dropped the subject.
Perhaps Lady Catherine would become so offended by Darcy’s intention to marry an unsuitable woman that she would depart without Darcy commanding her absence.
While Darcy did not ascribe such sense to Lady Catherine, he could not help but hope for that outcome.