November 5, 2014 – Can you believe we've made it to the final chapter? It's a long one. So much left to be resolved but I don't want to give any spoilers so I'll leave another note at the end.
Chapter 36.
Almost all the participants in the play that was Anne Darcy's life had reassembled in London. Lady Catherine was in residence at the de Bourgh townhouse. Jane and Charles Bingley had settled into their domestic situation and Mary had finally joined them. Sir John had opened his townhouse. Caroline Bingley had chosen to stay with her sister and Mr. Hurst. Georgiana was at Darcy House with her brother and sister, and the Fitzwilliam clan had gathered at Alton House. The rest of the Bennets had remained in Hertfordshire for the time being. Mrs. Bennet had learned she had another wedding to plan and not long to do it. Jane and Mrs. Gardiner would see to Mary's wedding clothes.
The first of the three events Anne had planned was a night at the theatre. She had limited the party to nine persons. Charles and Jane, Mary and Sir John, Mr. and Mrs. Hurst and Caroline Bingley. Jane knew that her husband's siblings had not yet been informed of the Bennet family secret and she had given Anne leave to choose when they would be told. So for that night, at Anne's request, Anne Darcy would remain a distant cousin to the new Mrs. Bingley. She did, however, insist that Jane wear the jewelry selected when her gown was ordered. It was a piece favored by the last Mrs. Darcy, Lady Catherine's sister.
Two carriages were required to deliver the party to Drury Lane. Jane, understandably, was very apprehensive; it was her first public appearance as Charles' wife. Anne was a bit chagrined knowing that tonight she would not be the center of attention in their group. She was used to being the woman with whom people wished to be seen, but she did not begrudge her sister the attention. Besides, Jane Bingley was stunning in the new gown Anne had gifted her. The added ornamentation of the necklace Anne had lent Jane for the evening completed the effect magnificently. Still, she knew herself well enough to know her vanity would be bruised.
Bingley grinned like a fool as he proudly led his wife through the throng and into the Darcy box. They would have many visitors during the intermissions.
Jane had been anxious on the way to the theatre, and by the time the performance was about to begin, she was somewhat unnerved.
"Why is everyone looking at us?" she whispered to Anne, who was seated beside her.
"To see you, of course. They want to get a look at the woman Bingley married. It also helps that you are as beautiful as a goddess. Men and women alike admire beauty when it is placed before them." Anne lightly patted Jane's arm. "Relax, soon enough you will become accustomed to such notice. I know I did."
"Is it always like this for you?"
"Not anymore, but when I came out, and when I married Fitzwilliam, I received much attention - too much, really."
"I had no idea," Jane said weakly.
"How could you? And after your ball, I will have the unwanted pleasure of the renewal of such pointed interest in me. Not that I am complaining; it is my choice. I doubt you will notice that much of a difference for yourself, but all in all it will die away from us soon enough. Frankly, I would rather be done with it all and left in peace."
Jane turned white as the color drained from her face.
"What have I done? Anne, I had no idea what my outburst has wrought." Anne could see how distressed her sister was becoming and knew she had to soothe the poor woman before others saw it too. She squeezed her sister's hand and spoke in a quiet voice.
"Jane, you must calm down. Stop berating yourself and instead," she motioned with her head towards the curtains, "enjoy the play. It has received glowing reviews."
Anne smiled encouragingly and then made a show of sitting up straighter and focusing on what was happening on the stage. Soon enough, her elder sister's attention was there as well.
The next evening was the family dinner at Darcy House. In addition to their guests from the previous evening, the Darcys were joined by Arthur and Helena de Bourgh, the Earl and Countess of Perryton, Colonel Andrew Fitzwilliam, Georgiana and Lady Catherine. The Viscount Newman, Martin Fitzwilliam, and his wife Matilda were also present for the first gathering of the Fitzwilliam family since Anne and Darcy's wedding.
Once again, Jane wore a gown ordered at Mrs. Langley's establishment. For this night, she wore a necklace that Lady Catherine immediately recognized as coming from the de Bourgh family vault. Mary was not left out either. She wore a locket Anne had suggested would be perfect with her gown. It was a necklace that had been given to Anne by her aunt and uncle Fitzwilliam and she had often worn it before she married.
The meaning would not be lost on the older adults. Anne was showing her acceptance in a very subtle yet tangible way. This was the night when her Bennet connections were acknowledged.
Earlier, before the rest of the guests had arrived, Jane had a private word with Anne.
"Are you sure you want to do this? Once Caroline knows, the secret will no longer be a secret," Jane worried.
"I appreciate your concern, but I will not turn back now - unless you can convince me that it is in the Bennets' best interest that the past is forgotten?"
Jane blushed. "We both know the connection will enhance our siblings' ability to marry well. Yet now, after last night, I finally comprehend the difficulties this will cause you, and the damage it will have on your reputation. It was very wrong of me to ask this of you."
"I told you, the choice was mine to make and I made it. Let this finally be the end of it."
Jane could see that it was futile to argue and relented; the evening would proceed according to Anne's plans.
When the words explaining Anne's true situation were at last spoken to the company, the different reactions were predictable. Lady Newman, four years ago the recipient of Anne's disdain and biting wit because her family made its fortune from trade, had a gleam in her eye. Matilda Fitzwilliam knew better than to attack Anne with the family present, but Anne was certain that lady would take great delight in seeing her brought down a notch or two in society. Martin and Andrew were stunned at the revelation. They had no idea that Anne was anything other than the younger cousin they had known all her life. Arthur and Helena had been told what was coming when they called after their arrival in Town, so they were not surprised, nor was the earl. Lady Perryton knew of the connection, of course, but was shocked that Anne was so foolish as tell anyone else – family included. Bingley's sisters were astounded. Mr. Hurst shrugged his shoulders and let his wife talk – she would say enough for both of them. Caroline recovered before Louisa Hurst.
"That means we are … sisters?!"
"Yes, through your brother's marriage to our dear Jane, we are sisters."
"Oh my! Sister to Mrs. Darcy! I had hoped for the possibility before Charles found Jane, but never in my wildest dreams… "
Anne smiled. She could see the various scenarios flitter through Caroline Bingley's mind. She and Fitzwilliam would help her make a good match, for Jane's sake as well as Caroline's. And for their own.
The presence of Mary and Jane precluded those who disagreed with Anne's decision from voicing their dissent. It mattered not, for the presence of Lady Newman, Caroline Bingley and Louisa Hurst ensured that the news would spread like wildfire through London. The ball held in honor of the Bingleys' wedding became the most sought after invitation in London. It would be a crush.
~~~/~~~
Anne visited the Bingley townhouse the day before the ball to deliver a very special package. It was the magnificent strand of pearls Jane had first seen at the modiste's.
"I wore these for my first ball after I came out," she explained to an awed Jane. "They have been in my father's family for a long time."
"I… this is too much! First the gowns, and then the loan of the necklaces – I never understood why you insisted I wear them until now. But you have nothing to atone for. I cannot wear them," Jane cried. Anne began to wonder if her normally reserved sister would always react so strongly when her emotions finally broke through her defenses. Then again, she had married Bingley and he certainly was a very modest fellow. They were well matched in that respect. She hoped the servants would not cheat them too much for it.
"Yes, you can. I insist. The gown was made to be worn with these pearls."
"I will find something else."
"NO! No, Jane." Anne searched for the words to convince Jane what it would mean to her to wear the pearls. She seemed to be doing that frequently with her elder sister.
"Let me tell you a little bit of the history of this necklace. The pearls were first worn by my father's – Sir Lewis's grandmother. They were purchased when she came out and all her sisters wore them as well, and then they were put into safekeeping until my father's mother came of age. She wore them, as did her sisters, and then once again they were saved for the next generation. Unfortunately, my father had no siblings and so they were put away until it was time for my debut in society. I wore them that night thinking my daughter would be the next to don them. I never imagined I had five sisters who would need them as well. You and Mary and Catherine came out before I found you, but you deserve to wear them somehow. This seems to be the best I can make of the situation. I will find an appropriate time for Mary and Catherine to have their turn, and see that Lydia and Anne wear them when they come out. But it must start with you."
"But I am not a de Bourgh daughter. You are."
"Yes, but I am also a Bennet, and you are my sister. There is nothing more symbolic than this to acknowledge to my adoptive family, to society and to my heart what we really are." Anne paused. "Jane, you asked me not to come to your wedding if I were ashamed to be a Bennet. Selfishly, I now ask the same of you. If you are not ashamed of me, wear the pearls to the ball. Accept me in front of society as I will you."
Jane could not speak, but she could nod and embrace Anne. They both wept a little, though Jane far more than Anne. However, Anne did not have time to indulge in a prolonged emotional display. Laughingly, she wiped away her tears, made her excuses and left for home. Time was running short and the ball was the next evening, ready or not.
~~~/~~~
Everything was as ready as it would be. Darcy House sparkled under the light of hundreds of lamps and candles. The silver, crystal and china were spotless, the floors swept and buffed. Even the doors between the main rooms had been removed to open the house to the many guests who would soon arrive. The food and drink were in place, loading the sideboards and many tabletops and counters in the kitchen, ready to be served when the time came. The musicians had arrived early and were ready for the dancing.
Even Mr. and Mrs. Bennet had come to London for the event. They had brought Catherine, the only one besides Mary old enough to attend. Anne had briefly mentioned a presentation at court for her sister Catherine, but that was a subject for another day.
In the time spent waiting for the first guests to arrive, Lady Catherine came to stand beside her daughter.
"I still think your revelation is insanity itself, but I will remain by your side as long as you wish."
Anne felt compassion for her mother and guilt for what was to come. "I know this is difficult, 'tis difficult for all of us, but mostly for you. I wish it were not necessary but it is. I appreciate your support when I know you believe I am making a mistake – and what people will think of you when the news gets out. The whirlwind of gossip that I am unleashing is very unfair to you, I know that, and I am sorry. If there were a better way, I would take it, but I cannot find one. Believe me, I have tried."
"I know you have."
"Mama, I will always be your daughter and I will always love you. Nothing anyone can say against us will destroy my devotion, or lessen my gratitude that you chose me."
Lady Catherine placed her hand on her daughter's cheek and then kissed the other. She smiled with what could only be called parental fondness for many moments. "My dearest girl," she said with trembling voice. Just then a commotion was heard in the hall. The first guest had arrived. "It is time," the older woman said as she dropped her hand. Together they turned to find their places. Darcy stood off to the side of the room. He had witnessed the exchange between his wife and her mother. So much had been said in words and actions. This would be a difficult night for both women and he was prodigiously proud of them.
Over the years, there would be many who claimed to be in attendance the night Anne Darcy revealed her adoption and presented her unknown family to the ton. Details of how she was taken from the Bennets and adopted as a foundling were not abundantly clear, but that was overshadowed by the news of the adoption itself. It even eclipsed the couple for whom the ball had been held. However, Mr. and Mrs. Bingley did not seem to mind at all.
In the days and weeks to follow, the adoption of Anne de Bourgh Darcy was the talk of the drawing rooms of London and beyond. Many suppositions, nearly all of them incorrect, were discussed.
In the face of such scrutiny, the family remained united in their support of Anne – and Lady Catherine. Eventually Anne was proven correct in that after the initial excitement died down, someone else took their place as the main topic of gossip. There would be those who never liked Anne and used her new circumstances as an excuse to look upon her with disfavor, but they would have treated her with the same disdain had the scandal never erupted. If the Darcys did receive fewer invitations to the most fashionable soirées, they were not bothered. They had friends enough without the intrigues of the insincere in the first circles.
The Darcys left Town halfway through the Season, and much earlier than expected. Anne invited her mother to Pemberley, but Lady Catherine declined. She was ready to return to her domain at Rosings. So instead, the Bennets were invited, along with Charles and Jane Bingley, Arthur and Helena de Bourgh and the newly married Sir John and Lady Whitby. They were a merry party and enjoyed a splendid summer in the cool Derbyshire hills. The idea that Anne had retreated to Derbyshire in shame was dispelled when she gave birth to a son on the 29th day of December 1812. The boy was christened Joseph Lewis George Darcy; Pemberley had its heir.
Those close to the family understood the significance of the first name. For like the character from the Bible, Joseph symbolized the peace Anne finally made with the past. What could be seen purely as a great wrong against her and her Bennet family had, in the end, turned out for the better of them all. Anne was given great wealth, had married a man she would never have met, who loved her with a great love. Her birth father had admitted that the loss of her had changed him and encouraged him to be a provider for the rest of his family that he would not have otherwise become, for he understood his disposition towards indolence. Who knew, Mr. Bennet might have given up on ever having a son after the birth of a fifth daughter. Longbourn might have been entailed to his cousin, Mr. Collins – what then would have become of the Bennets?
For all the bad that had happened, good had come of it.
~~~/~~~
Misfortune did, however, strike three months later. Lady Catherine had returned to Rosings two months after the birth of Joseph. Several weeks later a rider arrived at Pemberley with a note from Rosings dated three days prior; Lady Catherine was seriously ill. At first the malady was thought to be the ague, but then she began suffering from increasing abdominal pain. Mrs. Stuart was extremely concerned and begged Mr. and Mrs. Darcy to come attend Lady Catherine. Anne was distraught with the news.
With the first light of day streaking through the sky, the Darcy coach was on its way south. The roads were in horrible condition, even for that time of year, and the progress was agonizingly slow. Four hard days spent on the road brought them at last into Kent.
Anne ran inside her childhood home as soon as the carriage door opened. A sense of deep foreboding permeated Rosings and Anne felt it immediately. Breathlessly, she entered her mother's chambers. The odor of sickness made the contents of her stomach roll and she barely made it to a pot next to her mother's bed. When she finally stopped retching, she looked up to see her dying mother. Anne would never be able to erase that image from her memory. Lady Catherine lay gaunt, insensible to anyone and anything. A cup with remains of the last dose of laudanum sat on the bedside table. Anne could do naught but cry.
Eventually, Fitzwilliam found Anne clinging to her mother's hand.
"Come, refresh yourself," he spoke softly in her ear.
Ann shook her head. "I will not leave her."
Fitzwilliam gently persisted, "It will only be a few minutes. I will stay with her. Your maid has some water for you to clean your face and a new gown ready to wear. Go, and then come back."
Anne knew she should listen to her husband. He would stay at his post until she returned. Reluctantly she stood, afraid that if she let go of her mother's hand, Lady Catherine would cease living. Finally, Anne leaned over and kissed her, promising to return.
As expected, Anne was back in Lady Catherine's chambers less than 15 minutes later. She sat across the bed from her husband and clasped her mother's free hand.
"Thank you." Anne gave him a small smile.
"Do you feel better?" He was concerned for both women.
"Yes, but no." Anne looked her husband in the eye. "I will not leave her again until this is finished one way or …"
"I know."
"She stood by my side all last Season and I will return the favor," Anne vowed.
"She did it because she loves you," he reminded her, though she needed no reminder.
"I know, as I love her."
"She knows that too." Comprehending that he could do more elsewhere for Anne, he announced, "I will leave you to see to everything."
They never broke their gaze until he stood and left.
When he returned an hour later, Lady Catherine appeared no better.
They sat in silence as time slipped by.
"I am afraid to lose her," Anne said simply. Fitzwilliam walked around the bed and pulled up a chair next to his wife. He put his arms around her. She would not release her mother's hand. He understood.
In the early hours of the morning, Lady Catherine de Bourgh passed on from this world. Anne was there the entire time, holding her hand. Tears streaming down her face, she watched as her mother's breaths grew further apart until there were no more. Fitzwilliam stayed with his wife, lovingly helping her through the ordeal. When the new day dawned, the official mourning began.
~~~/~~~
The next few days passed in a haze for Anne. The body was prepared for viewing and the funeral planned. She did not do much herself, allowing the tasks to fall on her husband and her housekeeper. The Fitzwilliam clan, as well as the de Bourghs, came to pay their last respects. Her mother's friends and the residents of the neighborhood came by as well. Someone noted those who had called; Anne would find out later who had come. She and Fitzwilliam stayed for a week after the burial, but only a week. They would return again in the summer. It would be the first Easter in Kent Anne had ever missed.
On the way back to Pemberley and their children, the Darcys stopped for several days in Hertfordshire to visit the Bennets. Anne felt the oddity of being newly orphaned and visiting her two living parents. However, her Hertfordshire family provided a much-needed balm for her grieving soul. They were aware of what she had risked to acknowledge their relationship and loved her more for it. Mrs. Bennet especially was sensitive to her daughter's plight and did not try to take the place of Lady Catherine. Just Mrs. Bennet's presence, and the similarity of her appearance to Anne's own, was enough to bring some relief to the sense of loss. The family resemblance was comforting. Jane too was a caring attendant. The two sisters had become close since Jane's marriage and Anne found herself wishing the Bingleys lived nearer than a three-day's journey.
Finally, Anne and Fitzwilliam returned to Pemberley. Once there, it dawned on her that Derbyshire was now her home. Rosings was her childhood, but Pemberley was where she belonged. Little Elizabeth toddled out to greet her parents and Georgiana brought baby Joseph to his mother. Anne felt better just holding her son.
The days and weeks that followed were filled with grief for the loss of Lady Catherine, but as always happened, the pain became less pressing and slowly those left behind looked forward again.
Word was finally received from America; no trace had been found of the two servants. For Lord Perryton, his duty was over. The investigation was finished. He wrote to his nephew and niece with the news. It was another chapter of Anne's life that had come to a close.
Caroline Bingley finally married, though because of their deep mourning, the Darcys did not attend. During the previous season, with her close connection to Pemberley revealed, Miss Bingley managed to turn the head of a Yorkshire landowner. Peter Bagshaw found the daughter of a tradesman the perfect remedy for an acute shortage of cash. She was happy enough to trade her dowry for position of mistress of his ancient family's estate. Her entry into the gentry gained her the respectability she had long craved.
When Anne deemed Joseph old enough to travel, the carriages were ordered ready, the servants instructed to pack, and letters sent to Town and to Rosings to prepare for the arrival of the family.
Anne had no idea what to expect when they went into Kent. She smoothed the black fabric of her mourning dress as they made the familiar turn up the drive. Soon Rosings itself came into view and Anne felt… nothing as grave as she had dreaded. Rosings Park was just the same as it always had been. The gardeners had made no discernable alterations to the landscaping. The hedges still grew the way her mother preferred. Mrs. Stuart still came out to greet them. The only immediate difference was an absence of the command to attend her ladyship in the parlor, and her ladyship herself.
After she had washed and changed, Anne gathered up enough courage to visit her mother's chambers. They looked as they always had. If she had not known better, she would have sworn Lady Catherine was visiting friends and would return at any moment. The only thing missing from the room was that awful smell that Anne had encountered on the last visit. This alteration was welcome.
With no crisis to weather, Anne finally had time to see to the details she had overlooked before they last left. She saw the list of people who had come to offer their condolences. One of the names, she noted, was Mrs. Collins. Her cousin had taken a wife! She smiled. Mama must have been pleased.
Mrs. Stuart was an invaluable help; then again, Anne mused, when had Maggie ever not been invaluable?
When Stuart asked for a meeting with the master and mistress, Anne wondered what her old servant wanted. If it were at all in her power, she would grant it.
~~~/~~~
"Thank you for seeing me," Maggie began when the three were sequestered in the master's study.
"Not at all. What did you wish to discuss, Stuart?" Darcy answered. He was the master.
"Well, sir, as you can plainly see, I am not getting any younger and I was wondering if you had given any consideration to who would take my place as the next housekeeper?"
"You have been here so long, I cannot imagine anyone taking your place," Anne commented, clearly not happy with the idea of Maggie being gone.
"My wife and I have never considered it. Are you leaving us?" Darcy countered after his wife's comment.
"No, no. I have no intention of leaving right now. It is just that… with the passing of my old mistress, I have thought about all the changes that life brings, and it led me to think about my position here and what would happen when I pass away."
Darcy looked seriously at the woman in front of him. She looked healthy, and yet the same could have been said about his mother-in-law when she left Pemberley. "I suppose we would consider our housekeepers in Town, Mrs. Thomas from Darcy House and Mrs. Barker. Is there someone here you think might be more worthy?"
"No, not at this time. A few show promise, but they are a bit young for the position."
"You were very young, I believe, when you took over," Darcy observed. Stuart quickly recovered.
"That was different, as you know. May I make a suggestion?"
"Go right ahead." He was very interested in what she had to say.
"Might it be prudent to have Mrs. Thomas and Mrs. Barker come to Rosings so that they are familiar with the house, should anything happen to me?"
"You begin to frighten me, Stuart," Darcy said with a hesitant smile.
"I have no plans to die in my sleep, Mr. Darcy, but I do think it would be wise to prepare for the eventual change."
"Very well, Mrs. Darcy and I will discuss it and let you know if and when you will have a visitor."
"Thank you, sir." Her voice was hesitant.
"Is there something else?"
"Yes… I would like your permission, sometime after you leave, to take a few weeks to visit with my family in London. I have not seen my brothers and sister since my mother died."
Darcy looked to Anne and she gave him a look of consent. "After the house is closed, I see no reason why you cannot go. You will leave us directions for where you are staying, in case you are needed back at Rosings?"
"Of course." Maggie evidently was finished. Not waiting to be dismissed, she stood, curtseyed and said, "Thank you." Then she left.
The door closed and for many minutes neither Anne nor Darcy said a word.
"Why do I get the impression that Stuart was saying goodbye?" Anne finally asked.
"Because she was, I believe."
"She has spent a lifetime managing me and Mother, why should now be any different?" Anne reflected.
They discussed Maggie's suggestions for a successor; Mrs. Barker was the logical choice. The de Bourgh London residence was shut down and would remain so for the time being. It was very possible that they would solicit offers to purchase the extra house in Town. There was no other family to inhabit the place, unless Arthur and Helena wished to live there. Georgiana was too young to live alone, even with the excellent Mrs. Annesley as her companion.
A letter was dispatched the next morning and the following evening the Darcys had their response. Mrs. Barker would be pleased to journey to Rosings for a week spent with Mrs. Stuart.
Anne's supposition proved true when late that summer a letter arrived at Pemberley announcing the betrothal of Maggie Stuart and tendering her resignation as the housekeeper of Rosings Park.
When Anne finished reading the missive, she immediately went in search of her husband. She was crying when she fell into his arms.
"Maggie is leaving. She is to be married," she managed to stutter through her tears. Fitzwilliam tried the positive approach.
"Ah, so she found someone after all these years. Good for her."
When Anne calmed, she laid her head against her husband's broad chest. He stroked her back.
"I hope she will be happy," she said at last. "I shall miss her."
"As will I."
There was silence as Fitzwilliam comforted his wife.
"I remember a conversation we had once," Anne finally said. "I asked her why she never married. She said she had other things to occupy her time. Now that Mama is gone, and I have you, I suppose that she believes her work for the House of de Bourgh is finished."
"Then she has earned her retirement," he replied sagely, trying to help his wife accept Stuart's decision.
"Rosings will never be the same," she reflected.
"That was inevitable," Fitzwilliam pointed out.
"I know, but that does not mean I have to like it."
"No, but you must accept it. Be happy for her. She is for you, else she would not go."
For those of you who wondered, Lady Catherine died of a bowel blockage. It is a very painful way to go. And yes, she died without her secret being exposed. Had she lived longer, I think she would have eventually confessed. Now only Stuart remains…
Jane learned a lot about her sister when she went to London with her husband. I think had she been exposed to Anne's world before their confrontation that she would never have said what she said. However, Anne would have regretted it had the confrontation not taken place. They were able to manage how word got out and that made a huge difference in the scale of the scandal. A PR firm couldn't have handled it any better than Anne did. And Anne, like Darcy in canon, needed a trigger to take a good, long look at herself and discover those things in her character that needed amendment. Jane, like Elizabeth in canon, needed her world widened to understand how her small world (and wounded vanity/pride) prejudiced her toward her sister. I thought it was rather clever of me.
The remaining Epilogue is rather long, about the same length as one of the longer chapters in this story. There is some unfinished business yet to address.
See you Friday.