Page 22 of The Shades of Pemberley
“ S o this is Lambton. I might have expected Aunt Gardiner’s account to be embellished by fond nostalgia, but it appears as charming as she always said.”
The town outside Elizabeth’s window sat perched among a series of low hills that extended out from the peaks in the distance, its roads cobbled and lined with trees and the shops that made the lifeblood of the community.
In some ways, it did not differ from Meryton except for the locale, though Elizabeth noted the buildings appeared in better repair, the paint fresher as if repainted from time to time.
It was a prosperous place, she decided at once, and likely served larger estates than those surrounding Meryton.
At the very least, Pemberley was only five miles away, and from William’s comments over the years and his letters of the past weeks, it was a magnificent estate, indeed.
“It was a surprise to learn that Lambton is near Pemberley,” said Kitty, looking out the window as Elizabeth was doing. “I had no notion of the connection.”
Elizabeth regarded her younger sister with fondness.
It had been difficult to keep Kitty amused during the long hours of their journey, for there was not much to do in the carriage.
The girl was not much of a reader, attending to her studies in a slipshod manner at the best of times, more influenced by Lydia’s heedlessness than Elizabeth wished.
Oh, Kitty was a good girl to be certain, and their father and her elder sisters tempered Lydia’s activities, though Mrs. Bennet’s grasp of propriety meant she often encouraged them without thinking.
With little else to do, the girl had amused herself by watching the landscape through which they passed, with an occasional comment or exclamation of pleasure at what she saw, and if Elizabeth had interested her in some commentary from the books she brought to hold her attention, she had spent as much or more time speaking with her sister.
“Even I have heard of your aunt’s affinity for Lambton,” said Mrs. Darcy with a smile for them both. “Now that you are to be the mistress of a nearby estate, I suspect Mrs. Gardiner will clamor for an invitation.”
Elizabeth nodded. “We have already spoken of it in our letters. Though Uncle’s schedule is yet uncertain, I hope they may travel north in the summer, or perhaps for Christmas.”
“It would be agreeable to gather the whole family together for the season,” agreed Mrs. Darcy.
“Do you know where the inn is situated?” asked Kitty.
“I suspect we will discover it soon, Kitty, for we are almost there.”
As Mrs. Darcy had suggested, the carriage soon slowed and halted in front of a large building standing on a corner, only one or two streets into the town.
Beyond the courtyard of the inn, the street sloped upward, leading into a semicircle around the side of the hill, and if Elizabeth moved her head a little to the side, she could see the spire of the town’s church rising from the top of the hill.
Though her purpose was to see Pemberley and reunite with William—Elizabeth was bursting with impatience—she suspected she would have ample time to explore the town while they stayed there.
The innkeeper was a friendly sort of fellow, welcoming them and seeing to their effects with an efficiency born of experience.
Soon, the ladies entered their rooms to wash the dust of the road from their faces and assisted each other with their gowns.
At Longbourn, there were five ladies and insufficient funds, so the ladies all made do with a single maid to assist them in the mornings, and while Mrs. Darcy had a ladies’ maid, she had left her at Netherfield, telling her the three ladies could manage by themselves for the week they were to be in Derbyshire.
Thus, after assisting each other with their toilette and donning new gowns, they repaired to the suite’s sitting-room to await William’s appearance—Mrs. Darcy had sent a note to Pemberley the moment they arrived.
It proved inspired, for they only waited for a few moments before William arrived.
The sight of him, sporting a boyish grin that lit up his face the moment he entered, caused Elizabeth’s heart to flip inside her breast. While she had always known he was a handsome man, these past weeks of separation had caused her to forget in his absence, if that was even possible.
Though the same man he had always been, Elizabeth fancied she could see a slight change in his bearing, as if he were growing into the position he had assumed.
This might be a matter of concern, for Elizabeth had no good opinion of those who occupied such lofty heights, but the soft smile he had always reserved for her set her heart on fire and pushed any such concerns away as preposterous.
“Elizabeth,” said William, breathing her name like a caress. He approached and caught her hand as if he never intended to let go. “How pleased I am to welcome you to Derbyshire.”
“I CAN SEE THAT THIS girl of yours knows nothing of propriety.” Lady Catherine sniffed with utter disdain. “A young, unmarried girl writing a letter to a man not related to her is a serious breach of all that is proper. I am attentive to all such things.”
Trust Lady Catherine to ruin what was a moment of sublime happiness, the letter he had waited weeks to receive, to say nothing of her insistence on referring to Elizabeth as that girl , a bit of derision that was beginning to annoy him beyond all measure.
Though Darcy knew he should ignore her and her bitter words, he could not prevent his response.
“While this is from my mother,” said Darcy, “Elizabeth and I have exchanged letters since I left Hertfordshire.”
This direct challenge to her ladyship produced a glare. “Then you have as little sense in matters of propriety as this girl you claim as your affianced. Such behavior will not serve you in London and provides further evidence you would do well to set her aside.”
“Lady Catherine,” growled Darcy, pushed beyond endurance, “I take issue with your constant reference to my fiancée as ‘that girl.’ As we have been engaged for more than a year, it is acceptable to exchange letters. Her father knows of our exchanges and has no concerns. Your understanding of propriety is flawed.”
Lady Catherine’s nostrils flared at this set down, but Darcy was not about to allow her to regain the upper hand.
“Please remember ‘that girl’ is Miss Elizabeth Bennet and my betrothed—I will not tolerate further disparagement of her in my hearing.
If you do not appreciate her, I invite you to recall that you are not connected to her or me and that you are welcome to leave Pemberley at any time of your choosing.
Should you persist in this abhorrent behavior, I will have no choice but to send you on your way.
“Before you rant about your sister’s previous role as mistress of this estate,” said Darcy, speaking over her protests, “recall that she is not the mistress any longer, and her son is no longer the master. I am the master of Pemberley and will keep my own counsel about who will stay here. If you do not moderate your behavior, you will find out how implacable I can be.”
Then, in an action calculated to offend, Darcy turned away and addressed Georgiana and Fitzwilliam, the latter of whom was glaring at his aunt.
“I shall leave for Lambton at once to collect my family . I hope that you will welcome them to Pemberley as they deserve; I would not have them receive only derision and arrogance.”
“As I have told you many times, Darcy,” said Fitzwilliam, his glare still fixed on Lady Catherine, “I am eager to make their acquaintance. Please return as quickly as you may, for we shall do all we can to make them welcome.”
“I am no less impatient to make your lady’s acquaintance,” added Georgiana, a bit of defiance for Lady Catherine that he was certain would infuriate her.
Darcy nodded, but before he departed, he shot one more glance of warning at the unwanted interloper before he made his way from the room.
The sound of voices rising at his going told him that Fitzwilliam was taking his aunt to task for her poor behavior.
Darcy hoped it would provoke her to moderate her language; if it did not, he would see how offended she became after he threw her from the estate.
The sight of Elizabeth rising when he entered was like water to a parched man—no liquor could be so intoxicating as her sheer presence, no ambrosia sweeter.
Though mindful of his mother and Kitty, Darcy had eyes for no one else, could not rest until he had her slender hand in his, fitting there as if designed for the purpose.
“Elizabeth. How pleased I am to welcome you to Derbyshire.”
“As are we all to be here, William,” replied Elizabeth, the edge of laughter in her tone, though infused with a hint of breathless desire that Darcy felt roiling in his heart.
“I hope your journey was not tiring,” said Darcy, unaware of the banal nature of his comment, barely aware of having spoken at all.
Appearing delighted, Elizabeth nodded with her usual levity. “It was tolerable. If you were not the man you are, I might reconsider the necessity of moving to the north and enduring that journey every time we wish to see our family.”
“Shall Kitty and I leave you to your reunion?” came the voice of his mother, her diversion the equal of Elizabeth’s. Kitty, Darcy noted, giggled into her hand, though their reunion fired her romantic disposition.
“That will not be necessary,” said Darcy, greeting first his mother, then his future sister with the affection borne of separation. “I hope you have not ordered an evening repast, for I intend to invite you to Pemberley for dinner tonight.”
“That is a surprise,” drawled his mother while Elizabeth nodded her eager acceptance. “It seems I anticipated you, William, for I suspected we would not sup at the inn tonight.”