Lady Catherine DeBourgh cut quite an imposing figure no matter where she happened to be. If she smiled at all it, would only be because she had the upper hand in whatever situation she found herself in. And most assuredly, she knew she had the upper hand with Miss Elizabeth Bennet. As the girl walked into the Collin's parlor, Lady Catherine broke the silence and got right to the point.
"Miss Bennet, you can be at no loss as to why I am here".
"I'm afraid, your ladyship, that I cannot account for it at all".
"Miss Bennet, do you really believe you can pretend innocence in light of what has transpired today"?
Lady Catherine's lip curled upward into a sneer, a look Miss Bennet noted to herself, made Darcy's aunt resemble a rabid dog.
"When I allowed Mrs. Collins to invite you to Rosings, I was assured that you were a person of utmost character, but now have come to believe otherwise" Now tell me, is it true"? Lady Catherine asked, waiting for an answer.
"That I am a person of utmost character or otherwise"?
"Miss Bennet, I knew from our first meeting that I did not care for your openness. You give your opinion too freely for one just barely out. And your upbringing-- no governess, no learning to play or to draw; it has all been too much". Lady Catherine stared at her, a grim look gracing her age worn face.
"And now it has come to my attention, that you have met with a gentleman, if he can be so called; without a chaperon and allowed him liberties. What answer have you for that? Do you deny it"?
"Your ladyship possesses a frankness that I do not." was all Elizabeth would say, knowing now why Charlotte had look so worried.
"Miss Bennet", Lady Catherine's face was becoming red with impatience and anger, "You were seen today by a very trustworthy person (and at this Mr. Collin's face fairly beamed) and they saw you with this man. I cannot even utter all that was witnessed, except to say, that it was shameful. I daresay your father will be very interested"!
"My father, what has he to do with this?" Elizabeth asked, her indignation rising. That Lady Catherine would involve her family, especially in light of the fact that the occurrence of which she spoke had been at her nephew's bidding was almost too much for her to bear.
"As soon as I was made aware of this... this immoral situation, I promptly wrote to your father to come retrieve you at once. I will not have Rosings thusly polluted with your kind." Lady Catherine spat out.
"Cousin Elizabeth, if I may be of help, perhaps this man will make things right for you, will marry you". Mr. Collins interjected, attempting to smile. But that his cousin had so humiliated him in her refusal of his marriage proposal, he rather hoped the opposite.
Lady Catherine glared at him for a moment, and then, as if the idea had been hers alone, suddenly came to be in agreement with her parson.
"Yes Miss Bennet, perhaps that will be your saving grace. Who is this man? Surely he will make an honest woman out of you." she said, through tight lips that couldn't quite be convinced to make a smile.
Elizabeth debated telling them the truth, but did not, certainly not to save Mr. Darcy, not even to save herself, it was only her fierce determination, and some might say, misguided stubbornness to keep matters belonging to her private, that kept her from uttering the name of the man in question.
"Miss Bennet, I demand you tell me the identity of this man. He has defiled you, and you must marry him." Lady Catherine, angry at Elizabeth's silence, fairly yelled , "it will not do for you to protect him, I will find out. I have ways of finding out everything."
Elizabeth stood her ground, looking Mrs. Debourgh straight in the eye, "I will not."
"You must, and you will, Miss Bennet", Lady Catherine's demands got louder still, "you will tell me who this man is that you allowed to kiss you"! Mr. Collins had not imparted this bit of business to his wife and now, upon hearing such a tale, she looked at Lizzy, who would not return her gaze. She looked back at her husband, who was clearly (for reasons she had yet to understand) enjoying this moment. Finally she looked at Lady Catherine, a woman she'd had to put up with for the sake of her marrriage; and for the sake of her home and wondered if either was worth having if it meant watching her best friend be treated like a harlot.
No one heard Mr. Darcy enter, every eye was so trained on the two participants of the heated conversation that they did not see him either, so much more the surprise when he answered his aunt's question and all eyes turned to him,
"It was me, Aunt. I kissed Miss Bennet."
