Author's Note:
Hi, guys! Thank you for your reviews! I hope you're well and healthy! I had a little technical problem last chapter. I posted chapter 12 again, instead of chapter 15 (because my Doc Manager messed them up!) but I changed it like a minute after, so most of you never noticed (I think and hope).
And about Lizzy's behaviour, well, she will soon tell you why she acted like she did ;)
I enjoyed writing this chapter! Lady Catherine's here, guys! I know that she seems ridiculous and childish and that was my goal. I mean, it's like Darcy said, she is just as ridiculous as Mrs. Bennet, but higher born, and I wanted to show that. You already know some of her conversation with Elizabeth, but I hope you enjoy it!
Stay safe and healthy!
Jen
"What do I tell Elizabeth?"
Mr. Darcy looked at his son and waited again for his nod to reply:
"Tell her we shall be there for the gathering."
16.
The first days of October brought an unexpected visitor to Darcy House. Lady Anne and Mr. Darcy were working quietly in his study when they heard a commotion at the entrance.
"I demand to see my nephew!"
A minute later, Williams knocked on the door and at being told to enter, he announced:
"Lady Catherine de Bourgh."
The couple stood up and walked to receive her.
"Catherine!" Lady Anne said, "What a surprise! What has you in such a state?"
"What has me in—Oh! You shall know everything, Anne! Such malicious gossip should be dealt with immediately!"
"Whatever do you mean?" Mr. Darcy asked.
"You may stay, Darcy, for it involves our whole family, in a way."
Mr. Darcy was amused by being allowed to stay in his own study, but knew it was not the time to point it out.
"Where is Fitzwilliam?" she continued, agitated.
"He is gone on business," Lady Anne replied. "He shall not return for some time."
Mr. Darcy looked at her and raised an eyebrow, knowing Fitzwilliam was not to be away long, but when his wife shook her head slightly, he realised she was protecting their son who was in no state to be dealing with Lady Catherine's antics now.
"Oh, well, then. If I cannot speak to him first, I shall speak to him on my way back from Hertfordshire."
"Hertfordshire?!" Lady Anne asked. "Whatever you shall be doing there?"
"Speaking to that insolent girl who wishes to trap Fitzwilliam into marriage!"
Lady Anne and Mr. Darcy exchanged a look before asking at the same time:
"Who?"
"Miss Elizabeth Bennet, of course! I met the chit in April when she was visiting Mrs. Collins at the parsonage, and though I found her impertinent and too headstrong for her own good, I thought she had more honour and sense than to sink so low spreading such hurtful rumours!"
"You believe Miss Bennet is spreading rumours?" Mr. Darcy asked. "Of what kind?"
"I heard that Fitzwilliam and she are to be married! This must be a horrible falsehood invented by her!"
"I do not think she would do that, Catherine," her sister argued. "We met her in July and she did not seem capable of such a thing."
"So you met her! What about Georgiana?"
"They actually became friends," Mr. Darcy replied.
"Oh, it is worse that I thought! Do you not realise she is trying to integrate herself with your family! How she, by chance, it would seem, appears everywhere Fitzwilliam is! I tell you, she wants to marry him!"
"Catherine, why don't you return to Rosings and we shall speak to Fitzwilliam?"
"Return to Rosings?! Absolutely not! I shall go to Hertfordshire and speak to that country chit. If you do not protect your son, I shall!" She stood up and left the study, walking straight to the door.
"Wait!" Mr. Darcy said. "Lady Catherine, this is not sound."
"I shall not be stopped. You may come with me, for as his parents you have the right to confront her, but I shall go either now or tomorrow. I shall not be stopped." She repeated.
They knew they might be able to stop her now, but she was right in that she could try tomorrow or the day after that. There was truly no way to stop her and absolutely no way to reason with her.
"Very well, we shall go with you," Lady Anne agreed.
"With one condition."
"What, Catherine?" Lady Anne sighed.
"I will have my say before you do and you will not interfere. Afterwards, you may speak to her yourselves, if you want."
"You want us to stand silent while you—" Mr. Darcy asked.
"George, will you speak with me for a minute? Catherine, we will go with you. Please, wait until we prepare for the road."
"Very well, I shall be waiting."
"What is it, Anne? You cannot possibly expect us to promise to stand silent while she insults Miss Bennet? Fitzwilliam would be furious!"
"Listen, my love. Catherine will say what she needs to say whether we want it or not. This way, we can also make her promise that afterwards, we shall speak to Miss Bennet alone, and then we will tell her what we think about her and apologise for whatever ridiculous thing my sister says."
"There is some merit in what you say, but if Miss Bennet sees us standing next to your sister silently, she will think we agree with everything Lady Catherine is saying."
"She may, but it will allow us to observe her and maybe determine where her heart really is. Afterwards, we will apologise and give our own opinion."
"We will also be able to see how she fares when pressured and insulted. If she does marry Fitzwilliam, she will need to stand her ground and not allow anyone to disparage Mrs. Darcy."
"Exactly," Lady Anne smiled, happy that her husband was about to agree with her. "And I believe she can take Catherine's onslaught."
Mr. Darcy chuckled and kissed his wife on the lips before saying:
"Very well, my love. You shall have it your way."
Once they were ready, they met Lady Catherine in the carriage and Lady Anne hurried to say:
"We will allow you to speak to Miss Bennet uninterrupted, if you will allow us to speak to her in private once you are done," she said. When Lady Catherine seemed to doubt, she added: "There are a few things she needs to hear from his own parents."
Lady Catherine smiled, thinking Mr. Darcy and Lady Anne were in perfect agreement with her.
"Very well, I give you my word. You shall speak to her privately, and I shall do so uninterrupted."
Their journey seemed to never end as they passed the miles in almost complete silence. Lady Catherine was still seething and Mr. Darcy and Lady Anne were worried about their son. Finally, they could see they were at the entrance of a estate, when Lady Catherine knocked on the roof of the carriage with her stick to make it stop. When the carriage did so, she descended, followed by two confused Darcys.
"Catherine, what is the meaning of this?" Anne asked. "We are still some way from the house."
Lady Anne turned to point at said house and she and Mr. Darcy saw that it was a pretty medium sized estate, well maintained and surrounded by plants; one of which seemed to be hugging the house as it covered the stone, reaching up to the second floor windows as strings of ivy fell beautifully on the sides. The park was large and decorated very naturally, as if nature had done all of the work and had been allowed the liberty to do as it pleased. Although they knew this was not so; there was clearly a green thumb in the family and one that valued nature over ostentatious gardens.
"I shall not enter that cottage she calls estate!" Lady Catherine sneered. "We shall walk and ask one of the gardeners to pull the girl out."
As ridiculous as this idea was, Mr. Darcy and Lady Anne shrugged and walked towards the house. They did not need to call a gardener, for when they were halfway there, they encountered a gentleman walking towards the house. That he was a gentleman there was no doubt. He was dressed as one, with long dark grey trousers, high black boots, a dark grey vest, a black coat, a perfectly tied cravat, and he was even carrying a walking stick and wearing a hat. He was about their age, and he had an intelligent look about him. He looked at them with a sparkle in his eye as he approached them.
"Good morning, sir, ladies," he bowed. "Is there anything I can help you with?"
"Who are you?" Lady Catherine demanded, rudely.
Lady Anne and Mr. Darcy blushed in shame, but remained silent.
"Why! I am Mr. Thomas Bennet of Longbourn, at your service," he bowed again. "This is my estate. Are you looking for someone here?"
"Mr. Bennet. I thought it may be you. I am Lady Catherine de Bourgh." Lady Catherine said, but did not curtsy.
"Oh, yes. I have heard about you from my cousin, Mr. Collins. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
"I demand to speak to your daughter."
The Darcys could not believe the lack of breeding their own sister was showing! Mr. Bennet, however, almost smiled in amusement, and they saw a glint in his eyes again that reminded them of his daughter.
"You shall have to be more specific than that, Your Ladyship," he smiled. "I have five daughters."
"Miss Elizabeth Bennet, of course."
"I see," he said. "Does my Lizzy know you will be seeing her to-day?"
"She does not know, but it is of no consequence! I will speak to her to-day."
"Why don't you, and your friends, come inside for some refreshments? I am sure Lizzy..."
"No! I will see her here."
"Here? On the park?"
"Yes."
Mr. Bennet did not seem amused anymore. He looked at Lady Anne and Mr. Darcy, without knowing who they were, before returning his worried eyes to the only lady whose name he knew.
"I will tell Lizzy you are here, and if she wishes to see you, she will come. If she does not, I will not force her, and I will ask you to leave my property."
"How do you—"
"This is her home, Lady Catherine," he interrupted her. "I will not have my daughter be importuned in her own home. I am sure you would take the same care of your own daughter." Lady Catherine remained silent, but pressed her lips together. "I will tell her you are here. Do not worry, Lizzy is too much of a lady to deny seeing you," he could not help but say.
He bowed again and walked to the house. Right on his word, and on his assessment of his daughter, they saw Elizabeth walking towards them some minutes later. She was wearing a long sleeved white morning dress with small yellow flowers on them. She wore no spencer or bonnet and her skin seemed flushed in the sun. Her hair and eyes also looked clearer in the sunlight, and she gave now, more than ever, every appearance of good health, youth, and strength.
"Lady Catherine," she curtsied when she reached them. "Mr. Darcy, Lady Anne," she smiled now. "'Tis a pleasure to receive you at Longbourn."
"I know it is, Miss Bennet," Lady Catherine spit out.
Elizabeth looked confused as she said: "Would you come inside for refreshments?"
"We will not. I will speak to you here."
"Very well, Your Ladyship," Elizabeth replied and held her hands in front of her.
"You can be at no loss, Miss Bennet, to understand the reason of my journey hither. Your own heart, your own conscience, must tell you why I come."
Elizabeth looked with unaffected astonishment.
"Indeed, you are mistaken, madam; I have not been at all able to account for the honour of seeing you here."
"Miss Bennet," replied her ladyship, in an angry tone, "you ought to know that I am not to be trifled with. But however insincere you may choose to be, you shall not find me so. My character has ever been celebrated for its sincerity and frankness; and in a cause of such moment as this, I shall certainly not depart from it. A report of a most alarming nature reached me three days ago. I was told, that not only your sister was on the point of being most advantageously married, but that you, that Miss Elizabeth Bennet would, in all likelihood, be soon afterwards united to my nephew, my own nephew, Mr. Darcy."
Elizabeth looked surprised for a moment before she composed herself. Still, Lady Catherine continued:
"I know it must be a scandalous falsehood, though I would not injure him so much as to suppose the truth of it possible, I instantly resolved on setting off for this place, that I might make my sentiments known to you."
"If you believed it impossible to be true," said Elizabeth, colouring with astonishment and disdain, "I wonder you took the trouble of coming so far. What could Your Ladyship propose by it?"
"At once to insist upon having such a report universally contradicted."
"Your coming to Longbourn, to see me and my family," said Elizabeth coolly, "will be rather a confirmation of it; if, indeed, such a report is in existence."
"If! do you then pretend to be ignorant of it? Has it not been industriously circulated by yourselves? Do you not know that such a report is spread abroad?"
"I never heard that it was."
"And can you likewise declare that there is no foundation for it?"
The answer to this question interested Lady Anne and Mr. Darcy even more than it did Lady Catherine.
"I do not pretend to possess equal frankness with Your Ladyship. You may ask questions which I shall not choose to answer."
"This is not to be borne! Miss Bennet, I insist on being satisfied. Has he, has my nephew, made you an offer of marriage?"
"Your Ladyship has declared it to be impossible."
"It ought to be so; it must be so while he retains the use of his reason. But your arts and allurements, a few curves, and a low neckline may, in a moment of infatuation, have made him forget what he owes to himself and to all his family. I know women like you! You may have drawn him in."
There was only one person's face in that park that was not red with embarrassment and that was Lady Catherine's. Every other face was flushed in shame and indignation.
"If I have I shall be the last person to confess it."
"Miss Bennet, do you know who I am? I have not been accustomed to such language as this. I am almost the nearest relation he has in the world, and I am entitled to know all his dearest concerns."
"But you are not entitled to know mine; nor will such behaviour as this ever induce me to be explicit."
"Let me be rightly understood. This match, to which you have the presumption to aspire, can never take place. No, never! Mr. Darcy is engaged to my daughter. Now, what have you to say?"
Lady Anne almost wanted to roll her eyes at that moment.
"Only this: if he is so, you can have no reason to suppose he will make an offer to me."
Lady Catherine hesitated for a moment, and then replied:
"The engagement between them is of a peculiar kind. From their infancy, they have been intended for each other. It is the favourite wish of his mother, as well as of hers. While in their cradles we planned the union; and now, at the moment when the wishes of both sisters would be accomplished, in their marriage, to be prevented by a young woman of inferior birth, of no importance in the world, and wholly unallied to the family! Do you pay no regard to the wishes of his friends? To his tacit engagement with Miss De Bourgh? Are you lost to every feeling of propriety and delicacy? Have you not heard me say that from his earliest hours he was destined for his cousin?"
"Yes; and I have heard it before. But what is that to me? If there is no other objection to my marrying your nephew, I shall certainly not be kept from it by knowing that his mother and aunt wish him to marry Miss De Bourgh. You both did as much as you could in planning the marriage. Its completion depended on others. If Mr. Darcy is neither by honour nor inclination confined to his cousin, why is not he to make another choice? And if I am that choice, why may not I accept him if it is my wish?"
"Because honour, decorum, prudence, nay interest, forbid it. Yes, Miss Bennet, interest; for do not expect to be noticed by his family or friends, if you wilfully act against the inclinations of all. You will be censured, slighted, and despised by everyone connected with him. Your alliance will be a disgrace; your name will never even be mentioned by any of us."
For some minutes now, Elizabeth had forgotten that Mr. Darcy and Lady Anne were still standing behind Lady Catherine. Such was her anger and indignation against Lady Catherine's malicious words that she said:
"These are heavy misfortunes, indeed. But the wife of Mr. Darcy must have such extraordinary sources of happiness necessarily attached to her situation, that she could, upon the whole, have no cause to repine."
The Darcys were startled by this and so very hopeful for Fitzwilliam that they did their best to remember Elizabeth's every word. Lady Catherine, of course, thought the 'sources of happiness' were the Darcy money, estate, and connections, but the Darcys knew that those had not tempted Elizabeth before.
"Obstinate, headstrong girl!"
"That is the core of the issue, Lady Catherine, I am not a girl, and I shall not be treated as one! Not even my own father speaks to me like this, do you think I will allow you to speak to me so?"
"I am ashamed of you! Is this your gratitude for my attentions to you last spring? Is nothing due to me on that score? You are to understand, Miss Bennet, that I came here with the determined resolution of carrying my purpose; nor will I be dissuaded from it. I have not been used to submit to any person's whims. I have not been in the habit of brooking disappointment."
"That will make Your Ladyship's situation at present more pitiable; but it will have no effect on me."
"I will not be interrupted! Hear me in silence. My daughter and my nephew are formed for each other. They are descended, on the maternal side, from the same noble line; and, on the father's, from respectable, honourable, and ancient, though untitled, families. Their fortune on both sides is splendid. They are destined for each other by the voice of every member of their respective houses; and what is to divide them?—the upstart pretensions of a young woman without family, connections, or fortune! Is this to be endured? But it must not, shall not be! If you were sensible of your own good, you would not wish to quit the sphere in which you have been brought up."
"In marrying your nephew, I should not consider myself as quitting that sphere. He is a gentleman; I am a gentleman's daughter; so far we are equal."
"True. You are a gentleman's daughter. But what was your mother? Who are your uncles and aunts? Do not imagine me ignorant of their condition."
"Whatever my connections may be," said Elizabeth, "if your nephew does not object to them, they can be nothing to you."
"Tell me, once for all, are you engaged to him?"
Though Elizabeth would not, for the mere purpose of obliging Lady Catherine, have answered this question, she could not but say, after a moment's deliberation:
"I am not."
Lady Catherine seemed pleased.
"And will you promise me never to enter into such an engagement?"
"I will make no promise of the kind."
"Miss Bennet, I am shocked and astonished. I expected to find a more reasonable young woman. But do not deceive yourself into a belief that I will ever recede. I shall not go away till you have given me the assurance I require."
"And I certainly never shall give it. I am not be to intimidated into anything so wholly unreasonable. Your Ladyship wants Mr. Darcy to marry your daughter; but would my giving you the wished-for promise make their marriage at all more probable? Supposing him to be attached to me, would my refusing to accept his hand make him wish to bestow it on his cousin? Allow me to say, Lady Catherine, that the arguments with which you have supported this extraordinary application have been as frivolous as the application was ill-judged," she said with much feeling.
The Darcys were utterly impressed by her courage and her strength of character. This argument did only raise her in their respect and estimation, and they were more convinced than ever before that she was perfect for Fitzwilliam. She was kind, lively, and loving while remaining brave and bold. She would not bend to anyone's will. Still, she was not finished:
"You have widely mistaken my character, if you think I can be worked on by such persuasions as these. I always delight in overthrowing these kind of schemes and cheating a person of their premeditated contempt. I refuse to be bullied into submission. How far your nephew might approve of your interference in his affairs, I cannot tell; but you have certainly no right to concern yourself in mine. I must beg, therefore, to be importuned no further on the subject," she said fearlessly.
"Not so hasty, if you please. I have by no means done. To all the objections I have already urged I have still another to add. I am no stranger to the particulars of your youngest sister's infamous elopement. I know it all; that the young man's marrying her was a patched-up business, at the expense of your father and uncle. And is such a girl to be my nephew's sister? Is her husband, who is the son of his father's late steward, to be his brother? Heaven and earth!—of what are you thinking? Are the shades of Pemberley to be thus polluted?"
"You can have nothing further to say," she resentfully answered. "You have insulted me in every possible method. I must beg to return to the house."
"Am I to be treated with such incivility!"
"Incivility?" Elizabeth asked. "You came to Longbourn uninvited, accosted its master—to whom you had not been introduced—then you pull me away from the security of my family in order to belittle and insult me, hoping to find, I suppose, a scared and shy little girl whom you could abuse and intimidate into following whatever ridiculous scheme you had for her. You, madam, have broken so many rules of propriety that I have lost count and you dare to call me uncivil?" she demanded with courage.
"You have no regard, then," Lady Catherine said, ignoring Elizabeth's accusations, "for the honour and credit of my nephew! Unfeeling, selfish girl! Do you not consider that a connection with you must disgrace him in the eyes of everybody?"
"Lady Catherine, I have nothing further to say. You know my sentiments."
"You are then resolved to have him?"
"I have said no such thing. I am only resolved to act in that manner which will, in my own opinion, constitute my own happiness, without reference to you, or to any person so wholly unconnected with me."
"It is well. You refuse, then, to oblige me. You refuse to obey the claims of duty, honour, and gratitude. You are determined to ruin him in the opinion of all his friends, and make him the contempt of the world."
"Neither duty, nor honour, nor gratitude," replied Elizabeth, "has any possible claim on me, in the present instance. No principle of either would be violated by my marriage with Mr. Darcy. And with regard to the resentment of his family, or the indignation of the world, if the former were excited by his marrying me, it would not give me one moment's concern—and the world in general would have too much sense to join in the scorn."
"And this is your real opinion! This is your final resolve! Very well, then. I did not wish it to come to this, but I see no other way. Will 3,000 do?"
"Excuse me?" Elizabeth asked.
"You heard me, Miss Bennet, £3,000 in exchange for you to cut all communication with any Darcys, Georgiana included."
Elizabeth stood astonished for some seconds before she regained some of her composure.
"I understand that by rejecting Mr. Collins," Lady Catherine continued, "you were saving yourself for something better. It does not necessarily have to be my nephew. There are other rich and eligible bachelors. Another £3,000 to your dowry will help you achieve that."
"You are right about something, Lady Catherine. By rejecting Mr. Collins, I was saving myself for something better, but I do not believe your definition of better is the same as mine. I did not reject Mr. Collins because he is a parson. I could not care less about my future husband's profession as long as it is a respectable one that allows us to have food, clothes, and a roof over our heads, and hopefully, children. I rejected Mr. Collins because he could not have made me happy or I, him. I did not respect nor love him and I could not see myself loving him in the future. As long as I can have love and respect, I would marry a gentleman or a tradesman."
"Tradesman!" Lady Catherine gasped.
"Yes, Lady Catherine. I see I have stunned you, but my aunt is perfectly happy with my uncle and that is all I require. I do not place social standing as high in my list of priorities as you do, clearly."
"But you are hard-pressed to achieve such a marriage, or any at all, with your current dowry," Lady Catherine argued and on seeing Elizabeth's face harden, she added. "Very well, £5,000."
Elizabeth, who had by then forgotten of her outrageous offer, was incensed to hear it again.
"Good day, Your Ladyship," she curtsied and turned to leave.
"£7,000 and that is my final offer. It is quite a fortune, Miss Bennet!"
Elizabeth turned around and for a moment, Lady Catherine thought she had convinced her.
"I was wrong, Lady Catherine. You have now insulted me in every possible method. You can offer me £50,000 if you wish, and you will receive the same answer. My integrity cannot and will not be bought. I offered Georgiana my friendship with one thing in mind: to help a kind and shy girl who I thought could use a friend her age and to whom I have grown very fond of because our correspondence. I gave it freely and unconditionally as I would like to think friendship should always be given, and I will not retract it unless Georgiana herself, or her parents, demand it. As for Mr. Darcy, he is a grown man who will make his own decisions, and you know very well that I, as a lady, have no power over who proposes to me. I can only accept or reject any offer I receive and I will retain my right to do so. The only permission I need ask is my father's, certainly not yours."
"Very well, I shall now know how to act," Lady Catherine threatened. "Do not imagine, Miss Bennet, that your ambition will ever be gratified. I came to try you. I hoped to find you reasonable; but depend upon it I will carry my point."
"We will stay to speak with Miss Bennet ourselves, Lady Catherine," Mr. Darcy reminded her.
"Why don't you go to the inn and take some refreshments?" Lady Anne suggested. "We shall join you there soon."
"I take no leave of you, Miss Bennet," Lady Catherine said. "I send no compliments to your mother. You deserve no such attention. I am most seriously displeased," she said and walked as fast as she could, carried by her anger, back to the carriage.
Lady Anne and Mr. Darcy waited for the carriage to start driving away, before they turned back to Miss Bennet who still looked upset, but seemed to be regaining her composure.
"Oh, my dear," Lady Anne said softly, taking Elizabeth's hands in hers. "I am so terribly sorry for the way Catherine has treated you."
Elizabeth appeared both surprised and incredibly relieved to be able to let her guard down as she looked from Mr. Darcy to Lady Anne.
"I... I thought you agreed with her, since you did not say anything."
"Not at all," Mr. Darcy said. "She promised she would leave us to speak to you alone only if she was allowed to speak uninterrupted."
"And we wanted some time alone with you to try to repair the damage," Lady Anne explained.
"There is no damage to repair," Elizabeth smiled, still uneasy, but more relaxed that she had been in the last half hour. "I cannot blame you for someone else's behaviour."
"Still, it felt so horrible to stand there and hear such malicious words from my own sister's mouth!" Lady Anne exclaimed. "Do allow me to apologise in the name of every Darcy, at least."
"Truly, there is nothing to forgive," Elizabeth squeezed the older woman's hands in a gesture of friendship. "Then, you will allow me to maintain my friendship with Georgiana?"
"Of course! We never had any objection!" Mr. Darcy told her.
Elizabeth sighed and smiled. "Then, I shall be happy once again. Please, would you come in for tea or coffee? Mrs. Hills, our housekeeper, makes the best cakes in Hertfordshire!"
Lady Anne laughed as she laced her arm through Elizabeth's.
"And what about Derbyshire?"
"You shall have to decide for yourselves," Elizabeth smiled and they all walked inside.
I do not own any Pride and Prejudice properties, nor do I make any money from the writing of this story.
Characters and situations, created by Jane Austen, are taken from Pride and Prejudice and from the Pride and Prejudice (1995) adaptation created by Simon Langton and distributed by BBC.
This story is released under the GPL/CC BY: verbatim copying and distribution of this entire work are permitted worldwide, without royalty, in any medium, provided attribution is preserved.
