(yes, I know none of the characters beling to me...please review! I originally did this for a book report,but since I got a good grade on it...I thought I'd upload it.)
The Dreaded Meeting.
"What have we in the mail today? A letter from your Lydia again, asking for more favors?" Darcy asked as Elizabeth walked by with the letters, and set the small stack on the table and drew up a chair next to him and his desk.
"No." She looked at him and hesitated before sitting down, handing him the opened letter, "However, Lady Catherine has expressed her wishes to come dine with us at our earliest convenience. She hasn't talked to us since the engagement was announced; except to only send you a cruel, harsh letter advising against our marriage, saying she'd never speak to you again. Why'd she talk now that we're married?"
Darcy nodded severely and cried out, "If she aims to only reprimand our marriage all the more, I won't have it! I knew this day was going to come, but certainly not so soon." Putting down his pen he reached into the drawer of his desk and got out another sheet of paper to start and write a reply with. "I do hope she doesn't bring my cousin, I'm not sure how much her heart was set on the affair our mothers had arranged but I don't want to see her so frail and brokenhearted. I love her dearly, but I could never marry her."
Elizabeth nodded in agreement, "We weren't especially on the best of terms with each other when she came to Longbourn either…I'm certain she hasn't forgotten our quarrel."
"Georgiana will be with us at least. My Aunt does seem to dote on her quite often; it might calm her down significantly with my sister here to distract her." Darcy suggested, dipping his pen in ink. "Perhaps a fortnight would be best? Georgiana is should be back from the Bingley's by then."
Elizabeth nodded; things were going along smoothly until she had to interrupt the flow of things. The matter now at hand would stay in the back of Lizzy's thoughts for a long time. How could she even attempt to cordially receive the woman who was so persistent on not seeing them married? She and Darcy were happy as can be with the way things had turned out for them; couldn't his aunt see that the only thing that matters is love, and not the class hierarchy and status of families?
"How should I start?" Darcy asked looking at her.
"Something cordial," Lizzy suggested, "Not casual, but not, so formal either. Dearest Aunt Catherine, It is nice to see you still hold us in your thoughts on such an occasion. We would accept you on our behalf to have you in a fortnight at best…"
A fortnight had passed to the day of Lady Catherine's expected arrival, Georgiana was very eager to see her Aunt again, but Lizzy was not. Elizabeth and Georgiana sat on the settee in the front hall waiting for Lady Catherine's carriage to arrive. "Trust me Lizzy," Georgiana said comfortingly, "I'm sure our Aunt will be very pleased with you when she sees how happy you and my brother are."
"Of that I cannot be so sure. She was so dead set against our union she came all the way Longbourn to make me refuse him if the rumor was made out to be true…" she said and returned to look out the window to hear the horses cantering up the long gravel path to the front of the house, it took a few moments more before the carriage as a whole came into view. One of the servants came to open the door for them as Lady Catherine de Bourgh stepped out, and after her, her daughter Anne de Bourgh.
"Oh! Delightful! She brought Anne with her! I love talking to her, I wonder if her mom forced her to come along." She thought curiously. "Now that I realize it, it will be awkward for her now won't it Lizzy?"
Lizzy just nodded and sat up along with Georgiana and straightened out light blue cotton dress adorned with a dark blue ribbon and a small, circular brooch in the center of the bust line of her dress, even though this house was her domain now, and she knew nothing not even Lady Catherine could change it… she was still nervous. She sighed with relief as Darcy showed up at her side just as Lady Catherine and Ann walked in. "Ah Georgiana, how lovely to see you again my dear!" She smiled and as Lizzy and Georgiana curtsied to her and Darcy bowed. "Darcy. Elizabeth." She added nodding curtly, with a hint of a sour expression etched in the lines of her face.
Darcy half-smiled back as another servant came into the hallway, "Dinner is served." She said before curtsying and walking out of the hallway.
"Why is dinner served so early here? When we leave should we go back hungry?" Lady Catherine grumbled as she followed the group to the dinning room.
Darcy took his seat at the head of the table with Elizabeth on his right and Georgiana on the left. "Was you trip here pleasant?" he asked his Aunt, "When you do leave and feel you might get hungry I am sure I can have something brought to you for the road."
"Rather pleasant enough and no…that won't be necessary. I do say I'm surprised, you have new China since I last visited here. I rather liked the old set better." She objected.
"It was a lovely gift from my wife's Aunt. Besides' shouldn't it be the food that's on the plate that matters, and not the plate itself?" he objected.
Lady Catherine didn't reply to the comment made by her nephew but turned to Georgina instead "How's the pianoforte coming along? Do you practice daily like I had suggested to you?"
"Yes, often twice when I'm in the mood." She smiled trying to keep the air around the party light and joyful as a whole. "I shall play for you in the Parlor when we are finished with dinner."
"I would like that very much!" she replied smiling, "Elizabeth you should follow her example and practice daily as well twice would even be better." She said with the hint of major contempt in her voice. "Unless of course, you could have improved since you last played for me."
"I practice daily." Elizabeth replied as the food was brought in.
"I often watch Lizzy and Georgiana play duets together, they both have improved a great deal…" Mr. Darcy added trying to keep his Aunt's view of his wife in a pleasant light.
His Aunt just nodded briefly and began to eat, after what seemed and eternity of deafening silence only to be interrupted by the small talk between Anne and Georgiana her Aunt finally spoke up. "How long has it been since you've had a visitor among yourselves?"
"At least a month or two." Elizabeth replied looking up at her.
"Just as I thought." She replied sighing heavily.
"What pray, tell? What's on your mind? I'm sure I'd just love to hear it." Elizabeth asked, "What are you thinking?" she asked getting irritated. The whole time room was silent she had been glancing up at her with a frown on her face, glaring at her. She was absolutely cordial to Darcy's sister but to neither Darcy nor herself.
"I'm thinking this is rubbish, and I'm wasting my time here." She started, "After all this long time I cannot see what Fitzwilliam sees in you! He wrote to me in the past that he often had plenty of visitors, and now that he's married to you, it's an embarrassment! None! His friends dislike you for your birth and ill breeding, so they won't call on him!"
"Mother…" Anne said softly.
"No! Don't interrupt me, I'm speaking on your behalf, you had every right to marry this man, this should be my daughter's place, not some…beggar! You disgraced him and his name! Our name!"
"Your ladyship I command you to stop at once, I will not be talked to in this way!" Elizabeth cried out.
"She hasn't soiled our name!" Darcy interrupted. "We've had plenty of visitors since we've been joined in marriage! The Bingley's, her family, Colonel Fitzwilliam, Mr. Collins and his wife…"
"People who knew her before you were married!" she cried out.
"Mother, please!" Anne cried out desperately "Stop shouting."
"What are you talking about? This Elizabeth ruined every chance you had with him!" she cried pointing at her.
"Mom…I'm fine with it, really, I don't care." Anne said weakly.
"See! She's fine with this union! Can't you just accept us? Otherwise get out and leave us alone." Darcy said coldly, "I didn't let you call on us in order to berate me or my wife. Either apologize or my servants will escort you out."
"You think I came over here to insult you? I came here with every intention of respecting your less-than-favoring choice but the way he holds herself, acting like…nothings changed! Still the same woman who doesn't know how to hold her tongue and she can't even respect me." She said distastefully. "Elizabeth asked what was on my mind and I told her."
Darcy stood up, "Mrs. Reynolds!"
Soon Mrs. Reynolds came scurrying in whipping her hands on her apron. "Yes Master?" she asked out of breath,"I came as fast my foot could carry me."
"Escort Lady Chatherine de Bourgh out of here, is Miss de Bourgh wishes to stay as I know she won't be any harm to the party's happiness, she may. But Lady Catherine is leaving."
"You'll have me kicked out, whilst you let my daughter stay? It'll only break her frail heart to see you two so happy!" she cried as Mrs. Reynolds helped her up.
"As she had stated, she feels fine and doesn't really care." Elizabeth had stated butting her biscuit casually.
"I'm not leaving without my daughter!"
"I'll go with her." Anne said softly and rose from her chair, "I thank you for having us the little while that you did." She said and coughed lightly.
As soon as they were gone Elizabeth sighed tiredly "I hope we don't get any more letters from her soon. I think we'll think twice next time before letting her call upon us."
Darcy nodded, "She can't undo our marriage, I am completely—", he turned from her to catch Georgiana's gaze, she was pale and seemed in a trance; looking down at her food like she was, and it looked like she had scarcely eaten a bite, but then again, none of them a chance to eat much of their second course. "Are you alright?"
She nodded suddenly looking up, "Yes Fitzwilliam, I guess Elizabeth was right, it was the dreaded meeting she had intended it to be."