Chapter10
When Lady Matlock returned home she related to Georgiana what had happened and her niece immediately dissolved into tears. She was terrified of her Aunt Catherine and could only imagine how Kitty must feel being subjected to her fury. Georgiana's reaction served to confirm her own fears and Lady Matlock dispatched a note to her husband whom she knew was meeting with several of his colleagues concerning a new bill that was soon to be introduced into the House of Lords. When he received the note the Earl quickly gave his excuses to the other men and left; his wife had never before sent him such a summons and he knew that only something quite dire would cause her to do so. When she informed him of what had transpired the news troubled him even more than it did his wife, for he was the one who had sent his sister the letter that had so cruelly been displayed to Catherine. Knowing his niece now as he did he was deeply concerned that this was something even she could not forgive and he feared that Darcy would respond to her distress even more strongly. Lady Catherine had not shared the rest of her conversation with Catherine with his wife but she had been with her quite some time and he could only begin to conger up all the other insults that she had been subjected to. He ordered that his carriage be summoned again and left the house with a grim expression on his face and murder in his eyes. Neither his wife nor Georgiana asked him where he was going; they were absolutely certain that his carriage had been directed to drive with all haste to his sister's London townhouse. She was no longer in residence, which, given her brother's state of mind, was fortunate for her. She had departed for Kent immediately after her confrontation with Darcy's wife. The Matlocks spent an anxious evening and when the morning came they were still undecided concerning what needed to be done to attempt to rectify the situation.
During this time Darcy had finally been able to calm his wife enough to hear what his aunt had said to her. He found that the thing that had upset her the most was the news that before their wedding he had been engaged to another woman and he had never even told her about it. That was easy enough for him to refute and her recent exposure to Lady Catherine was all that was necessary to convince her that once that lady's mind was made up there would be very little that could deter her. If Lady Catherine decided Darcy would marry her daughter she would move heaven and earth to make it so and absolutely no one could gainsay her. Kitty trusted her husband implicitly and if he said that the only engagement that had ever been entered into with his cousin had been in his aunt's mind she believed him. There was one other concern though that she kept coming back to and that was a curiosity about Anne's appearance. She was imagining a young woman who looked like Georgiana and nothing he could say could convince her otherwise. And then Darcy, in a moment of inspiration, told her that Anne looked exactly like a younger version of her mother and all Kitty's worries and jealousy were put to rest. They were then able to discuss other details of the confrontation and Darcy had a difficult time suppressing the rage he felt when he heard the names his wife had been called. Most of them Kitty had never heard before and so she was unaware of how insulting they were but Darcy was familiar with them and furious. One name she had been called was 'strumpet' but apparently in her anger Lady Catherine had originally called her a 'trumpet' and when Kitty related this to her husband they were both able to laugh and calm down considerably.
It was ironic, but the one thing the Matlocks were focusing on was the letter the Earl had sent to his sister, and that was something that Kitty thought so little of that she mentioned it only in passing to her husband. She already knew of the letters written by both the Earl and Richard that had been sent to Pemberley before their wedding; Darcy had told her about them at Folkestone. When Lady Matlock's letter arrived stating how much she hoped they could return for the holidays Kitty commented on how very surprised she was by how kind and accepting the entire Matlock family had been to her. She knew they must have initially been opposed to the marriage and she could certainly understand why that would be so. Darcy had then told her of the letters he had received; his motivation was to show her how very much their attitude had changed toward her. The contents of those letters pleased Kitty more than they distressed her; she had felt that as the Matlocks got to know her they had come to care for her despite their initial disapproval, and now she had proof of it.
By the time the supper hour arrived Darcy was relieved to see that Kitty had obviously ceased to be concerned by his aunt's visit. They read for a bit after the meal and then played a game of chess before they retired for the night. Catherine fell asleep immediately but Darcy was kept awake by his uncertainty concerning how he should respond to what had happened. His first impulse was to send his aunt a letter severing relations with her and explaining exactly how he felt about having his wife treated in such an infamous manner. But, knowing his aunt as he did, it would probably please her to know that she had succeeded in upsetting not just one, but two Darcys. He resolved to simply let it be for the time being but any attempts she made in the future to communicate with them would be rebuffed. By her unconscionable actions she had show him quite explicitly how little she actually cared for him and he would not give her the satisfaction of receiving a response from him.
It was shortly after midnight when Kitty had a cramp so intense that it caused her to cry out. Mrs. Downton was alerted, a footman was dispatched to fetch Dr. Rushton, and before long the house was ablaze with candlelight and most of the servants were awake and anxious to help in any way they could. Mrs. Downton and Sarah tried to convince Darcy to leave the bedchamber but he refused to budge until his wife told him she wanted him to go. Her grip on his hand was actually painful and by the time Dr. Rushton arrived Darcy was determined to stay with her regardless of who urged him to leave. Catherine was in pain and terrified that what was happening could only have one outcome. In the early hours of the morning the prognosis the doctor had given earlier in the week proved to be correct, and Kitty lost the child that she had so hopefully carried for such a short time. When she finally feel asleep just after six in the morning Dr. Rushton firmly took Darcy's arm, led him to the breakfast room, and ordered him to eat and then sleep until he returned at noon to check on Catherine.
Darcy's staff heard the doctor's directives to him and it was not long before he was sitting at the table with a cup of coffee and a steaming plate of his favorite morning foods in front of him. He felt absolutely numb and was just staring down at the plate when his cousin Richard entered the room and cheerfully bid him a good morning. Richard had been residing in his army barracks and training new infantry recruits for the last fortnight and was now on leave and on his way to Hertfordshire to visit Elizabeth Bennet. He made this trip as often as his official duties would allow and he always stopped by Darcy House before he began his journey to collect any letters or parcels that Catherine wanted transported to her family. When Darcy didn't respond to his greeting the colonel took a closer look at him and whatever he saw on his cousin's face drew him immediately to his side.
"Good God, Darcy, what has happened?"
There was a long pause as Darcy tried to find the words to soften what he had to say. He finally gave up the attempt and stated the facts bluntly. "Kitty miscarried a baby in the middle of the night."
There was silence as Richard absorbed this and attempted to hide his dismay. "I am so very, very sorry, for both you and Catherine. I didn't even know she was with child; did my parents know this? I've been on base for the last two weeks and haven't seen them but surely they would have sent me a note if they had known."
"No one knew. She was just a little under three months along and we thought it best to wait a bit."
"How is Catherine? I assume the doctor has been here."
"He just left. She was…..quite upset…and he finally had to administer laudanum to calm her. She's sleeping now and I think she must be out of any immediate danger. He never would have left otherwise."
"You need to rest also. I will leave you just as soon as I've seen you eat something and then you must go to your room to sleep. May I come for tea at around four o'clock? You both will have had time to rest by then and hopefully things will be a bit better."
Darcy nodded; he really didn't feel he could talk about this now but when he did feel like discussing it he knew his cousin was the one person he would feel comfortable confiding in.
"Darcy, I wish I had known. I wish you had contacted me; I would have come immediately. It must have been terrible for you waiting and wondering what was going on inside her room."
"I didn't have to wonder. I was in the room with her."
At this Richard understood even more than he had before what an ordeal his cousin had undergone. Darcy's face had a grey tinge and there were dark circles under his red-rimmed eyes. The colonel had had ample opportunity on the battlefield to know when a man was on the verge of collapse and his cousin had arrived at just that state. He sprang into action then and with a mixture of bullying and cajoling he got Darcy to eat as much breakfast as he could. He then led him up the stairs, shoved him back on his bed, removed his shoes, and draped a coverlet over him. By the time Richard had drawn the drapes Darcy was sound asleep. Before he left the house he spoke to Mrs. Downton to let her know that Darcy was sleeping in his room, that he himself would return at around four o'clock, and that until that time he would be with the Matlocks and would want to be informed immediately if there was any change in Catherine's condition.
It was with a heavy heart that Richard turned his horse in the direction of his parent's home. There was no possibility that he could travel to Hertfordshire now; his cousin had not been affected this deeply since his father had died five years earlier. If there was even the slightest chance that his presence could comfort Darcy at this time he would want to be nearby to support him. There was also the question of his parents; word would reach Matlock House soon of what had happened and he didn't want them informed of it by a servant. They would most likely be devastated by the news. Catherine's initial acceptance by the Matlock family had been motivated primarily to support Darcy in what they knew must be difficult circumstances but the affectionate regard they had come to feel for her was now based on her merit alone.
When he was admitted into the breakfast room at his family's home the anxious faces that greeted him made him fear that they had been informed of what had occurred.
"I can see that you already know what happened during the night. I have just come from seeing Darcy but he was so exhausted that he didn't tell me much."
It was the Earl who asked the question that the others were also wondering. "During the night? We know nothing of what happened during the night."
"Oh, I thought you knew. I thought that was why you all look so unhappy." He looked with apprehension at his mother and Georgiana and didn't want to continue but felt he must. They would hear of it soon enough and perhaps it would be easier for them if they learned of it from him. "Catherine lost a baby that she had carried for about three months. When I arrived the doctor had just left her and she was sleeping."
With this news both Georgiana and his mother began crying and the Earl was obviously shocked.
"Did Darcy mention anything to you about what had caused this? Did he seem angry?"
"Angry? Good heavens, father, you cannot possibly believe that Darcy would be angry with Catherine for this!"
"No, no, of course not. Not with Catherine. But you didn't answer my question. Did he seem at all angry?"
"No, not angry. Exhausted, sad, worried about Catherine, but not angry. Why would he be angry?"
Lord Matlock was pacing back and forth across the room and spoke to his son through clenched teeth. "Lady Catherine visited Darcy House yesterday when Darcy was from home. Mrs. Downton quickly summoned both Darcy and your mother; apparently your aunt was so incensed speaking to Catherine that the entire house could hear her. Your mother arrived just as she was leaving and was shown a letter that had been read to Catherine. Last fall your aunt had been badgering me incessantly about how it was my duty as head of this family to do something to prevent Darcy's marriage. I wrote her a letter attempting to silence her by giving an account of what I had done, what we had done. I told her of my express to Darcy recommending that he bribe the Bennets in order to extricate himself from this alliance and if that wasn't successful to consider an annulment soon after their wedding. My letter to her then mentioned the fact that you had also written to him with the same advice. And that, Richard, is why I thought Darcy would be angry, and he certainly has every right to be so."
Richard was on his feet and began pacing the room right next to his father. "This cannot be a coincidence - Lady Catherine's visit and what that letter contained and what happened last night. This is in every way horrible; how in the world can we ever make reparation for this? But Darcy wasn't angry, not in the least, but then again he was so distraught that perhaps he hasn't made the connection yet."
"I imagine he has made it by now. I must speak to him; hopefully I will be given enough time to apologize before he throws me out of the house."
"Not yet, father, not yet. He is sleeping and couldn't receive you. I told him I would be returning for tea at four o'clock. I will return here afterward to let you know how things stand."
"I will be going with you to see him. But for now I have a letter to send to Rosings. If anyone needs me I will be in my study."
The Earl's letter to his sister was brief and to the point:
Catherine,
For years I have forgiven your arrogance and your selfishness but this I cannot forgive. Catherine Darcy lost their first child just hours after you left her yesterday.
No one in the Matlock or Darcy family will recognize you from this day on, neither privately nor publically.
Edward Fitzwilliam
The Earl made arrangements to have his missive sent express and told the doorman he would be in his study and not to be disturbed by anyone except immediate family. He knew he should go to his wife to comfort her but for the first time in their marriage he felt unequal to the task. His own perturbation of mind was so acute that he knew it would only add to her distress. And so he worried, and paced, and worried some more. By the time he and his son departed for Darcy House he had mentally prepared himself for whatever his nephew might accuse him of and he was more than willing to concede that whatever it was it was justified.
Darcy joined them shortly after they were shown to the sitting room and to the surprise of both Matlocks, he seemed to be pleased to see them.
"Uncle, I had expected Richard but not you. It's kind of you to come; I assume you heard from Richard what happened. Catherine will also be pleased when I inform her of your visit."
For a few minutes neither of the men could think of anything to say; this cordial greeting was certainly not what they had expected. It was Richard who finally broke the awkward silence.
"How is Catherine now, Darcy? Has the doctor been here to check on her?"
"He just left and some of the things he spoke to us about did much to improve her spirits, and mine as well."
"Oh?"
"After he left us at dawn this morning he went home to review his medical notes. Since he began his practice he has treated six other women with similar symptoms to the ones Kitty had this past week and with the same unfortunate results. When reviewing his notes he found that what he thought he remembered of these cases was indeed true; every single one of these women was later able to give birth to healthy children. I hadn't realized that part of the reason Catherine was so upset was that she felt she could have somehow prevented this. The doctor would have none of it though; he said he has read enough medical journals to know that these things just happen and that there is nothing anyone can do to prevent it. This information, and the fact that his other patients had gone on to have healthy children, did much to raise Catherine's spirits. After he left she was able to eat a substantial breakfast, bathe, and she is now sleeping once again."
Some of the rigidity in Lord Matlock's posture seemed to dissipate when he heard this but he continued his questioning. "Dr. Rushton said this then….that there was nothing that precipitated this? That there was nothing that could have been done to prevent it? He actually said that these things just happen?"
Darcy thoughtfully regarded his uncle and his cousin. There was an uncharacteristic tension emanating from them both and their faces were pale and anxious. He was not surprised by their sympathy for what he and Catherine had endured but his instincts told him that there was another factor behind their questions that he was unaware of. His uncle in particular seemed very determined to know every detail concerning what had happened. Darcy watched their faces carefully as he explained why Dr. Rushton had been summoned twice in the past week and why the doctor had told him that there was very little possibility that Catherine could successfully carry this baby to term. There was absolute silence when he completed his explanation and he could tell that both his uncle and Richard were deep in thought. What Darcy had told them was so contrary to what they had expected to hear that at first they couldn't respond at all. Finally the Earl had to know for an absolute certainty that his sister's visit had not adversely affected Catherine.
"Did you mention your Aunt Catherine's visit to the doctor?"
"No. I never thought to do so. What does that have to do with what happened?" When neither man answered him but were obviously still concerned Darcy realized what had precipitated their anxiety. "You thought my aunt's visit was what caused this? That old harridan has much to answer for but she is innocent of this. Catherine was understandably shocked to be spoken to in such a way and I had a most unpleasant time explaining how I could have even considered marrying her when I was already engaged to my cousin Anne. Once I was able to give the lie to that little fantasy she calmed down considerably."
"Did she mention the letter I had written to Lady Catherine? Surely the contents of that letter must have upset her greatly."
"She already knew what both of you had advised me to do when you learned of our engagement. She's known for months; in fact when I told her of it her only reaction was happiness that she had been so lovingly accepted into a family that had originally been opposed to the match." Darcy then realized what was behind the anxiety and the questions that his relatives were asking. He had originally thought they were concerned about what had happened the previous night; he now saw that their distress was based on something much more serious. "Uncle, Richard, I can see now why you have questioned me so closely but what you have feared is absolutely groundless. Catherine would have lost this baby regardless of Lady Catherine's visit. And if you have imagined that the letter you wrote upset my wife, that assumption is groundless also. Kitty scarcely mentioned it to me; she was more concerned with finding out the meaning of some of the names my aunt called her."
"Are you planning on writing to your aunt? I sent her an express this morning that would undoubtedly make anything you have to say redundant. I informed her that she will no long be recognized, privately or publically, by anyone in the Matlock or Darcy family."
"Well, uncle, there certainly is nothing I could add to that so I won't even attempt it. From today forward any letters she sends here will be returned to her unopened and my servants will be instructed to never admit her to the house. If she forces her way in, as she did yesterday, they will be given orders to physically restrain her and escort her out the door and onto the front steps."
Lord Matlock and Richard departed for home soon after hearing Darcy's assurances. They knew that Darcy wanted to return to his wife in order to be there when she awoke and they were both anxious to relate to Lady Matlock and Georgiana all that they had heard. Darcy and Kitty had experienced two traumas in the past twenty four hours, Lady Catherine's visit and the loss of their first child, and the only comfort that the four inhabitants of Matlock House could derive from what had happened was the fact that the incidences were unrelated.
For the next several days Darcy seldom left Kitty's bedside. Dr. Rushton had explained that she would continue to be very weak and tire easily and that it would be weeks before she was back to the state of health that she had enjoyed before this happened. The doctor called every day and was encouraged to see that as each day passed she became stronger and her spirits seemed to improve. She had little appetite but dutifully ate as much as she could of the food that was placed before her. Darcy had a small desk moved into her room so that he could continue to conduct his estate business without leaving her. She had only one request to make of him and it was one that he was more than happy to grant her. Neither of them could bear the thought of returning to the busy social life that they had previously enjoyed and Kitty asked him if he would take her to Pemberley. She was still too ill for them to even contemplate the journey at the present time but the doctor was consulted and it was decided that they would depart as soon as he felt Kitty was strong enough to travel. Each day Georgiana and her aunt sent a bouquet of flowers from the Matlock conservatory with an affectionate message for her. The footman who brought the flowers also delivered a note to Darcy every day asking if he felt Kitty was well enough to receive them for a short visit. Darcy's response for five days was always the same, "Thank you, but not yet. Soon, I hope." After six days of waiting the ladies received the response that they had hoped for, "Yes, she is feeling better and would very much like to see you." The knocker on the front door was down but Darcy had given instructions that his aunt and sister would be calling and that they were to be admitted. When he heard voices in the hall he left Kitty's side to greet them and escort them to her bedside. He was shocked to see that Anne de Bourg was with them and was even more surprised when he learned why this was so.
When Lady Catherine returned to Rosings in the late afternoon after her confrontation with Kitty she triumphantly related to her daughter Anne all that had transpired. She had not expected a response from her daughter and there was none. Anne had long ago given up any attempt to communicate with her mother and had learned to retreat in silence from the monologues that were the norm between them. Her mother's domineering personality had overwhelmed her daughter since she was a small child and Anne had found that simply ignoring her was the most effective way of dealing with her. She had been finding it increasingly difficult to do so since her cousin's wedding; her mother had been so angry that not a day went by without her referring to it. Anne had wanted to marry her cousin Darcy and her motivation was simple; if she married Darcy she would be removed from her mother's smothering presence to live at Pemberley. But Anne, unlike her mother, had never seen any indication that Darcy was inclined to marry her and she harbored no bitterness toward him or his bride. Both her mother and Mr. Collins had alleged that Darcy had been trapped by an avaricious family into marrying a young girl who had neither dowry, nor connections nor family. However, even if Darcy's new wife was all the things they accused her of being, she was appalled by her mother's recitation of the viciousness that had been shown her. Afraid she would be unable to hold her tongue if she heard any more, Anne said that she felt unwell and retreated to her room.
The next afternoon Anne and her mother were having tea when an express rider arrived with Lord Matlock's letter. Anne was watching her mother as she gasped and her eyes widened in shock. When questioned about what the letter contained Lady Catherine didn't respond and Anne crossed the room to read it herself. When she read its contents her anger was such that she confronted her mother with a fury that made it evident that she was every bit her mother's daughter.
"I will be leaving here at sunrise to go to the Matlocks. If they will not have me, and that certainly would be understandable considering whose daughter I am, I will open up the London townhouse and reside there. But I will never again live under the same roof with you. What you have done is beyond despicable and I will not rest until the Matlocks and the Darcys know that I had no part of it."
She left a stunned Lady Catherine in the sitting room and proceeding up the stairs to instruct her maid and Mrs. Jenkinson to begin packing for the trip to London the following morning. Her mother twice attempted to speak to her but Anne refused to allow her admittance to her chambers. Late the next morning she arrived at Matlock House just as the ladies were preparing to visit Catherine and Anne quickly explained her alienation from her mother and purpose in coming to London. She insisted on accompanying them to see the Darcys; she was prepared to hear that Catherine would not admit her but Anne hoped that Darcy would agree to see her so that she could make her apologies to him. Lady Matlock reluctantly agreed that Anne could accompany them. She could certainly understand why Darcy would refuse to acknowledge anyone who bore the de Bourg name, but her instincts told her that Darcy was kind enough to not hold the daughter culpable for the deeds of the mother. Her intuition proved to be correct and when Georgiana and Lady Matlock ascended the stairs to visit with his wife Darcy led his cousin into his study to hear what she so anxiously wanted to say to him. She was unable to contain her tears when she assured him that she had had no prior knowledge of what her mother intended when she left for London, was deeply saddened by the loss of their child, and she had refused from that day on to live with her mother as a result of what had transpired. Darcy could have no doubt of her sincerity and felt that his wife's generous nature would readily acquit Anne of any complicity with her mother's actions. He wanted to be certain that this was so before he introduced her though, and he had Anne wait in the hall outside Kitty's room until his wife assured him that she would feel comfortable receiving her. He soon found that he was correct concerning Kitty's forgiving nature and a much relieved Anne was introduced and received with every courtesy.
The ladies refused the offer of tea and insisted on leaving a short time after they arrived. Anne had never seen Kitty before and so she could have no concept of how altered she appeared, but Georgiana and Lady Matlock were immediately aware of it and found it difficult to conceal their concern. Catherine's face was drawn and totally devoid of colour and although she was obviously happy to see them after just a short time had passed they could see that she was tiring. So they made their departure with encouraging smiles and promises to return soon to visit her again but as soon as the door was closed behind them they were unable to maintain their happy facades. Darcy was waiting to escort them to the front door, saw their solemn faces, and tried to reassure them that Kitty's health improved with each day that passed.
"I can see that now you understand why I could not permit a visit sooner than this. She was adamant that I not alarm anyone in the family; in fact, the Bennet family knows nothing about this and she has no intention of ever telling them. Dr. Rushton has warned me that her recovery will be slow and that it may take weeks before she is completely herself again. She wants to go to Pemberley and I'm convinced that would help her to heal more than anything else that we could do. We will need to wait until she is well enough to travel but every day she seems a bit stronger so we are hopeful it will not be too long before we can depart for the north."
The ladies embraced him and offered words of encouragement but as soon as they entered the carriage Georgiana and Lady Matlock broke down in tears. They had had no idea that Kitty was so ill and had been unprepared to see such telling evidence of it. Darcy also seemed thinner and there were dark circles under his eyes which they knew were evidence of his inability to sleep. When they returned home the Earl and Richard were both waiting for them and were dismayed to see their tearful faces. Richard had visited Darcy every day for the last five days and his cousin had given no indication that his wife's condition was so serious. The information that the Darcys hoped to go to Pemberley as soon as possible set the Earl to thinking. A short time later he went to the mews behind his house to consult with his head coachman. The answers he received to his questions were encouraging and before many days had passed he was able to show his nephew an illustration that Darcy's head coachman and his own had aided him in drawing. It showed the interior of Darcy's largest travelling carriage; abutting one of the doors there was a platform that spanned the area between the forward facing and rear facing seats to serve as a bed that was over five feet in length. The Earl felt, as did Darcy, that Pemberley was the ideal place for Catherine to heal and that perhaps they could depart sooner than they could have otherwise if they knew she would be able to travel in such comfort. So sure was the Earl that this was a viable option that he had even consulted a well-respected London carpenter who had assured him that it would only take several days to complete such a project and he would be willing to build it himself. As the Earl had suspected, Darcy was absolutely delighted with this plan and made arrangements for his carriage to be delivered to the carpenter's premises without delay. The exact measurements of the proposed bed were ascertained and Mrs. Downton was given the task of having a thick mattress prepared that would fit into the space. A mere three days later the carriage was returned, the mattress was completed, and Dr. Rushton inspected the completed travelling bed. He was impressed with it and thought that it was an ideal way for Kitty to travel the hundred miles to Pemberley. He agreed that she would probably be able to depart sooner than he had anticipated because he now knew that she would be able to lie down and rest any time during the journey if she felt fatigued. Kitty was so excited when she heard of it that she would not rest until Darcy wrapped her carefully in several quilts and carried her outside to view the newly outfitted carriage.
The relationship between Catherine and Darcy had taken on a new intimacy that was directly due to their shared sorrow. At first they had both attempted to hide their distress in order to spare the other any additional pain. That strategy fell apart when Darcy awoke in the middle of the night and found his wife attempting to stifle the sounds of her sobs in her pillow. He pulled her tightly into his arms and the tears that fell on his chest and soaked his nightshirt opened the way for them to finally talk about the tragedy that had befallen them. They spoke until the watery light of dawn began to shine through the curtains of their room and Kitty's tears were not the only ones that were shed. Darcy had always been a man with the means and iron determination to control his world and the people who inhabited it. He was, fortunately, the kind of man who had never abused this power and he used the money and influence he had been blessed with to benefit those around him, particularly those he cared for. What had happened the past week had left him with a stunned feeling of impotence to make right something that was so painful to his wife. He had thought that not mentioning what had happened would spare her the sorrow of being reminded of it, but during the quiet hours of the morning as he held her and they were finally able to give voice to their grief he realized there could be no barriers to the honesty of their feelings if they were to truly comfort each other.
Darcy was surprised one day to discover that he was not the only inhabitant of Darcy House who sought to bring solace to his wife. He was returning to Kitty's room after a meeting with his secretary when he encountered Mrs. Downton about to enter his wife's room carrying a tray containing some very strange objects. When he questioned her she patiently explained each of his wife's gifts and who had sent it. The hand-knit bedroom slippers were from Sarah's mother who had lately received a package of medicinal tea from Catherine after her daughter mentioned that she was suffering from a cold. The clay figurine, which vaguely resembled a horse, had been painstakingly fashioned by the two sons of one of the coachmen who had been the happy recipients of more than one plate of cookies from their mistress. The sprig of fresh cedar was to be added to one of Lady Matlock's bouquets and was from the kitchen maid who had burned her hand on a kettle. When Kitty heard of it she prepared an aloe salve from one of her plants which she herself applied to the maid's hand before carefully wrapping it in linen bandages. The butter cookies were still hot from the oven and had been sent by the cook because she knew they were her mistress's particular favorite. The paper package of ginger-nuts was from the doorman who had seen his mistress enter the house one day with a similar bag in her hands and she had told him how much she liked them. In most homes servants were encourage to be all but invisible to their masters but Mrs. Darcy knew all of their names and was invariable kind to them. Kitty had never mentioned any of these small acts of kindness to her husband. Darcy had thought he knew what pride was when he had recently escorted his pretty young bride to a social outing and saw how she was met with universal approval but that pride was nothing to what he felt when he saw the humble objects on Mrs. Downton's tray.
Darcy followed his housekeeper into the room and sat by the window where he could clearly see the delight with which each little gift and card was received by his wife. She and Mrs. Downton both laughed when they beheld the little oddly-shaped horse and Darcy realized that this was the happiest he had seen his wife in days. He was once again forcibly reminded that she was unlike any woman he had ever met. When he had realized in the fall that they must marry he felt that he would need to teach her many things to help her conform to the standards of the life he led and he had believed that she was unlikely to ever live up to his expectations. How differently things had evolved since then, for it was Catherine who had become the teacher and he himself the learner. He recalled the day that they had been standing on the banks of the Thames and he had been so focused on the panorama of London while she had seen the tiny boat that was slowly making its way out to sea. Her view of life seemed so much richer than his own and her compassion for all she met made his former complacency in his treatment of others seem paltry by comparison. He had once heard the expression that someone 'couldn't see the forest for the trees' and realized how apt it was to describe the limitations of his own perceptions. And as he watched the smile on his wife's face as she inhaled the sweet fragrance of the cedar sprig from the kitchen maid he realized that it was more than just the trees or the forest that Kitty was viewing, much more. Her unique perception of the world around her made her keenly sensitive to the minutiae of life that he had been unaware of, and it seemed to him that she was not merely seeing the trees and the forest but also the leaves on each individual tree.