Author's note: haha, I'm glad so many of you enjoyed the last chapter so much! I appreciate the kind comments, and I really appreciate when people point out my mistakes! (like using the wrong name or the wrong time of day).
Now I just hope you won't hate me for the turn that this chapter takes. When I sat down to write it, this was NOT how I thought it was going to go. But Anne just took over the keyboard.
Chapter 26Shortly after the wedding, Mr. Darcy travelled to Derbyshire, and Mrs. and Mrs. Bingley went to London. With no greater events than these in the Longbourn family, and otherwise diversified by little beyond the walks to Meryton, sometimes dirty and sometimes cold, did January and February pass away.
Viscount Oakley spent most of those days at Longbourn, as there was no mistress to host Jane at Netherfield. He would bring his sons with every visit, and they were rapidly become a close family. Lizzy had exerted herself to speak to the servants and had not heard one negative piece of information about Oakley from those who were beneath him. As she also saw him discipline his children, which was necessary by the mere fact that young children are still learning how to not misbehave, she had sketched his character to be one of comfortable fairness. In short, Lizzy approved of his match with Jane.
Colonel Fitzwilliam called at Longbourn with his brother when his duties would permit him. On the days he did not call, the Forsters would visit in his place, as the two colonels shared their duties. Lizzy was much pleased to see her youngest sister's lively behavior tempered with some small amount of maturity.
March was to take Lizzy to Hunsford. She had not at first thought very seriously of going thither; but Mary, she soon found, was depending on the plan and she gradually learned to consider it herself with greater pleasure as well as greater certainty. The only pain was in leaving her father, who would certainly miss her, and who, when it came to the point, so little liked her going, that he told her to write to him, and almost promised to answer her letter.
At last March arrived, and Lizzy began her travels. Originally, Kitty and Mr. Bennet were to accompany her. However, Kitty expressed a desire to stay at home (probably due to Colonel Fitzwilliam's regular calls, but she would not admit that). Jane, too, rejected the notion of travel in order to stay near her suitor and his children. Oakley explained that he would gladly visit Rosings so they could be in close proximity, but his aunt Lady Catherine abhorred the noise of small children, and he would not subject his sons to such chastisements from her ladyship until the boys had grown a bit more.
Mrs. Bennet insisted on staying to help Jane with her courtship. "For how else will she induce the viscount to propose without my assistance in telling her what she ought to do?" she defended.
It was therefore agreed that Mr. Bennet would send a manservant to travel with Lizzy, as he didn't trust his wife to not cause difficulties if he were away for weeks on end.
Thus Lizzy headed towards Kent, with a stop in London at the Gardiners along the way. It was a journey of only twenty-four miles, and they began it so early as to be in Gracechurch Street by noon. Upon their arrival, she saw her young cousins with their faces eagerly pressed against the nursery window, looking out for their favorite cousin. All was joy and kindness. The day passed most pleasantly away; the morning in bustle and shopping, and the evening at one of the theatres.
The Gardiners issued again their invitation to take Lizzy to the north in the summer. "We have not determined how far it shall carry us," said Mrs. Gardiner, "but, perhaps, to the Lakes. I am sorry, however, that you will miss out on the opportunity to see Jane's courtship progress."
No scheme could have been more agreeable to Lizzy, and her acceptance of the invitation was most ready and grateful. "Oh, my dear, dear aunt," she rapturously cried, "what delight! what felicity! What are young men to rocks and mountains? No, I have come to know Lord Oakley as much as I can, and I am content to leave him to Jane."
Every object in the next day's journey was new and interesting to Elizabeth; and her spirits were in a state of enjoyment. When they left the high road for the lane to Hunsford, she was continously in search of the Parsonage, and every turning expected to bring it in view. The palings of Rosings Park was their boundary on one side. Lizzy smiled at the recollection of all that she had heard of its inhabitants.
At length the Parsonage was discernible. The garden sloping to the road, the house standing in it, the green pales, and the laurel hedge, everything declared they were arriving. Mr. Collins and Mary appeared at the door, hand in hand, and the carriage stopped at the small gate which led by a short gravel walk to the house. In a moment she was out of the chaise, rejoicing at the sight of each her beloved sister. Mrs. Collins welcomed Lizzy with the liveliest pleasure, and Lizzy herself was more and more satisfied with coming when she found herself so affectionately received.
She saw instantly that her cousin's manners were somewhat altered by his marriage; his formal civility was just what it had been, and he detained her some minutes at the gate to hear and satisfy his enquiries after all her family. They were then, with no other delay than his pointing out the neatness of the entrance, taken into the house; and as soon as they were in the parlor, he began to welcome them a second time, but when Mrs. Collins laid her hand on his arm, he fell silent and gave her a smile.
Mary rang for tea, and the two sisters began a conversation about how life was for her in Hunsford. Although she and Mary had corresponded regularly, there was always something novel to share in person as opposed to in a letter.
Mary's first letters to Lizzy had been received with a good deal of eagerness; there could not but be curiosity to know how she would speak of her new home, how she would like Lady Catherine, and how happy she would dare pronounce herself to be; though, when the letters were read, Lizzy felt that Mary had expressed herself on every point exactly as she might have foreseen. She had written cheerfully, seemed surrounded with comforts, and mentioned nothing which she could not praise. The house, furniture, neighborhood, and roads, were all to her taste, and Lady Catherine's behavior was most friendly and obliging. It was Mr. Collins's picture of Hunsford and Rosings rationally softened; and Lizzy perceived that she must wait for her own visit there to know the rest.
Now that she was reunited with her sister, she was eager to see for herself how Mary got on with Lady Catherine. "Lady Catherine is a very respectable, sensible woman indeed," added Mary said, "and a most attentive neighbor. I have learned much from her instructions on how to run my household."
"Surely you do not need much instruction?" Lizzy queried in astonishment. "You are the daughter of a gentleman, after all, and Longbourn is a larger household than this parsonage with more servants. No offense intended, of course, Mr. Collins."
Mr. Collins assured her that no offense was received. "And please call me William. We are much closer family members now than we were before!" he said with a beaming smile.
Lizzy was much comforted by his ease and kindness. She gave him leave to call her Elizabeth or Lizzy, whichever he preferred.
"But as to your question, it is because Hunsford is smaller that I appreciate Lady Catherine's insights. She took an active interest in how the last vicar's wife ran the household, and she has shared many of those learnings with me," Mary explained.
The tea things arrived, putting a pause on the conversation. After the maid left, Mary continued. "We have a large household at Longbourn, so the quantities of the cuts of meat and other items are very different. The first week I almost allowed an entire roast to become an inedible because I had ordered too much. The following week, I ordered too little, and we ate nothing but biscuits and potatoes for a few days."
Mary laughed at herself, and Lizzy joined in. Mr. Collins patted his wife's hand fondly. "With fewer servants, the routines and chores allotment are very different as well. I can no longer have all of the washing completed in one day and also have rooms dusted. In Longbourn, these chores were done by separate servants, but not here."
Lizzy nodded her understanding. "I am looking forward to meeting the lady," she told her sister. "I have heard much of her from Georgiana and Mr. Darcy."
At this, Mr. Collins shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Ahem, well…." he began somewhat awkwardly.
Mary interrupted, "Allow me to explain the situation, my dear."
Mr. Collins nodded at his wife in relief.
"You see," Mary began, "Lady Catherine is unaware of your friendship with her niece and nephews."
Lizzy raised her eyebrows in surprised. "Indeed?" she said questioningly.
Mary grimaced slightly. "It is only that Lady Catherine likes to keep the distinction of rank preserved. While she has had very useful advice, she also has very strong opinions."
"I am afraid I do not quite follow," Lizzy responded in confusion.
"Lady Catherine wants Mr. Darcy to marry her daughter," Mr. Collins blurted out.
Lizzy let out a sharp bark of laughter. "She does not know that he is courting me?" she asked incredulously.
Mary shook her head. "No, although Miss de Bourgh is aware of it. She has specifically asked us to not inform her mother until Darcy is able to come here in person himself."
Lizzy's eyes widened slightly. "Do you know when he will be coming? For he has said nothing to me in his letters."
Mary hesitated slightly, then said, "Miss de Bourgh may have more information than I have. I did not want to pry; it was clear she was uncomfortable speaking of it to us."
Lizzy's curiosity was almost unbearable. "What kind of girl is Miss de Bourgh? When can I expect to meet her?"
"I do not know her well," Mary admitted. "She has called on us a time or two as she drives by in her phaeton. William," she said, turning to her husband, "how would you describe her ladyship's daughter?"
"Oh, she is a rose in the flower garden of England!" Mr. Collins cried. At Mary's raised eyebrow, he moderated his voice and said, "When I first came to Hunsford, she stopped several times to ensure that I had everything I needed to take care of the parish. At times, the tenants and villagers are in need. Lady Catherine does not always condescend to give aid, but Miss de Bourgh will always follow with help of some kind."
"She is quite a little creature," Mary said, "thin and small. At first, I thought her appearance to be sickly and cross. It was only after the first several visits that I was able to recognize that her expressions stems from pain and not emotion."
Mr. Collins nodded his agreement with exaggerated movements. "I know not what ails her, but she has her own physician who provides her with treatments multiple times per week."
"The poor thing," Lizzy said with feeling. "How difficult that must be."
"I believe she will want to call on you, Lizzy, and speak with you herself about Mr. Darcy," Mary informed her.
"I would be more than happy to make her acquaintance," Lizzy said with sincerity.
The evening was spent chiefly in talking over Hertfordshire news, and telling again what had already been written; and when it closed, Elizabeth, in the solitude of her chamber, had to meditate upon Mary's degree of contentment, to understand her address in guiding, and composure in bearing with, her husband, and to acknowledge that it was all done very well.
About the middle of the next day, as she was in her room getting ready for a walk, a sudden noise below seemed to speak the whole house in confusion; and, after listening a moment, she heard somebody running up the stairs in a violent hurry and calling loudly after her. She opened the door and met the maid of all work in the landing place, who, breathless with agitation, cried out—
"Oh, Miss Bennet! Pray make haste and come into the dining-room, for there is such a sight to be seen! I will not tell you what it is. Make haste, and come down this moment."
Lizzy ran down into the dining-room, which fronted the lane, in quest of this wonder. It was there through the window that she saw two ladies stopping in a low phaeton at the garden gate.
"And is this all?" cried Lizzy. "I expected at least that the pigs were got into the garden, and here is nothing but Lady Catherine and her daughter."
"No, miss!" said serving girl, quite shocked at the mistake, "it is not Lady Catherine. The old lady is Mrs. Jenkinson, who lives with them; the other is Miss de Bourgh!"
Mary turned to the house and upon seeing her sister in the window, waved her down to join them. Lizzy quickly donned her shoes and bonnet, grabbing a cloak to wake with her as the wind was quite fierce.
As Lizzy approached the phaeton, she could see that up close, Miss de Bourgh did indeed have a mien that rivaled Darcy's when he was at his most uncomfortable. In that respect, the family resemblance was quiet striking, as was their coloring of dark hair and eyes. Miss de Bourgh, however, was clearly much shorter than her tall cousin; her head only came up to the shoulder of her companion's.
Mary performed the introductions. "Miss Bennet," Miss de Bourgh said in a quiet, strained voice. "I have been looking forward to making your acquaintance. Would it be too much trouble to invite you to ride with me for a bit?"
Lizzy and Mary looked at each other, surprised. Hesitantly, Lizzy said, "I thank you for the honor, Miss de Bourgh. I have only just arrived; could we perhaps make arrangements for tomorrow?"
Miss de Bourgh glanced at her companion, who shook her head in refusal. "I am afraid I have a treatment with my doctor tomorrow," she explained, her voice even more strained. "They often leave me weak for several days afterwards. Today is the best of health that I have had in quiet some time."
Lizzy looked at her sister, who nodded her approval. "In that case, I would be more than happy to accompany you now."
Miss de Bourgh looked relieved, and Lizzy climbed into the phaeton to settle herself next to Mrs. Jenkinson. It was a bit of a tight fit, but as neither of the three ladies was very large, it was manageable. Miss de Bourgh flicked the reins with an expert move of her wrist, and the phaeton began to move away.
"Do no worry," Mrs. Jenkinson called back to Mary, "I will look after both young ladies."
Mary nodded and waved, while Lizzy let out a small giggle.
"What do you find so amusing?" Miss de Bourgh asked curiously.
"Oh, only that my younger sister is now my chaperone. I have always looked out for my sisters, and now society says that she must look out for me!" Lizzy exclaimed with a smile on her face.
Miss de Bourgh gave a slight smile, although her eyes remained creased, "It is interesting, is not, how being in the married state suddenly gives the illusion that one is respectable. Our society allows women very few freedoms if they are unwed, and even less so if they marry someone without care."
Lizzy pondered on that statement as they crossed a small bridge and turned into a park that was lined with trees. Here, Miss de Bourgh stopped the phaeton and continued speaking.
"It is on this subject, Miss Bennet, that I wish to speak with you."
"You wish to speak to me about marriage?" Lizzy asked bewilderedly. She glanced slightly as Mrs. Jenkinson, who smiled at her encouragingly.
Observing the look, Miss de Bourgh said in a reassuring tone, "Mrs. Jenkinson is not only my companion, but my dearest friend. She keeps all my secrets, which is vital in my home. My mother likes to have control of things. Although I have reached my majority, I do not have the strength to resist."
Miss de Bourgh let out a series of small coughs. Quickly, Mrs. Jenkinson fetched a water canister and gave it to her mistress. Upon regaining her breath, Miss de Bourgh pressed on.
"Miss Bennet, I do not have much energy or time for pleasantries. My mother is known for her candor, but I believe I will best her in that today. May I call you Elizabeth?"
"Or Lizzy, if you prefer."
Anne nodded. "Lizzy, then, and I am Anne. This is Ruth. Lizzy, as you can clearly tell, I am unwell. It is not fatal; indeed, I will most likely live for many years yet. However, my life is quite dull due to the strength of my mother's personality and my own frailties. She wishes me to marry my cousin Darcy, as she knows he is a good man and would care for me. However, he needs an heir, which I would most likely not survive, although my poor mother refuses to accept that. I also have very little desire to go to Pemberley, and he would not be happy at Rosings. While it is an extremely eligible match where wealth is concerned, it would make the two of us more miserable than we already are."
Lizzy startled somewhat at this description of Darcy. Anne, noticing her new friend's reaction, hastened to assure her. "Since he has met you, Darcy has been happier than I have seen him in years. Probably since the death of his father. I know he is courting you, but we are keeping that a secret from my mother until such time as you have accepted his hand. Her complaints about the situation would make my life unbearable, and I know she would do all she could to persuade you to reject his suit."
"She would not have much success, I'm afraid," Lizzy said kindly. "I am only resolved to act in that manner, which will, in my own opinion, constitute my happiness, without reference to her, or to any person so wholly unconnected with me."
At this, Anne smiled in satisfaction. It was her first emotion Lizzy had seen that somewhat eased the tension around her eyes and brow. "I am delighted to hear it. I know, Lizzy, that it may be uncomfortable for you, and your sister and her husband, to keep something from their patroness. I ask, however, for my sake, to please not reveal your relationship with my cousin. Simply acknowledge you became acquainted with him through his sister, and that your families were friendly to one another while they were in the neighborhood."
"I see no problems in doing so," Lizzy assured her.
"The next request I have of you may seem a bit unorthodox," Anne said, glancing at Mrs. Jenkinson, who smiled at her and patted Anne's hand, which was still resting on the reins, in a reassuring manner.
Anne opened her mouth to continue speaking, but she was interrupted by another coughing fit. It subsided, only to begin again when she tried once more to continue the conversation.
"Allow me, Anne, to explain," Mrs. Jenkinson said kindly.
Anne nodded, and Lizzy turned her attention to the companion.
"Anne needs the address of Mr. Wickham, to open a correspondence with him," she said.
"What?" exclaimed Lizzy in astonishment. "Are you quite certain that is something you wish to do? Are you…? Do you know…." she stammered, unsure of what to reveal.
"Yes, Anne is aware of his behavior towards her cousin in Ramsgate," said Mrs. Jenkinson.
"Then you are aware of his deceitful nature!" cried Lizzy. "What reason could you possibly have for wishing to communicate with the scoundrel?"
"I wish to marry him," Anne said simply.
Lizzy stared at her, dumbfounded. After several speechless moments, she finally croaked, "Why?"
"I must marry. It is the only way that I can have some control over my life. I wish to marry someone who has a pleasing countenance and can be amiable and kind if he chooses, and his success with Georgiana shows that he is quite capable of making himself agreeable if it suits his interested," Anne clarified.
She then took several slow breaths in an attempt to avoid another coughing fit. She waved her hand at Mrs. Jenkinson to continue.
"You see, Miss Bennet – Lizzy," the elderly woman explained, "Anne has almost no freedoms. She must marry someone who has strength enough to stand at Anne's side against her mother. George Wickham is intelligent, charming, and selfish. Once married, Lady Catherine will be forced to move to the dower house, as declared in Sir Lewis's will."
"But what is to keep Mr. Wickham from taking advantage of you?" Lizzy said, concern lacing her voice. "If you cannot stand up to your mother, who by all accounts loves you, then how can you protect yourself against a husband who cares nothing for you?"
"With money," Anne said.
"Anne has been corresponding with some of the most prestigious lawyers in London to draw up a marriage contract that would bind Mr. Wickham completely," Mrs. Jenkinson expounded. "He would receive an allowance to do with what he wished. In turn, he would be required to remain at Rosings 10 months each year to keep her company. He would have absolutely no access or power other than to carry out her wishes. Myself, Mr. Darcy, and Colonel Fitzwilliam would have full power over Anne for the remainder of her life. The house would be staffed by those loyal to her, and the housekeeper, butler, and myself would send weekly reports on her wellbeing to her cousins."
Lizzy's mind was spinning with all of this information. Finally she asked, "At the risk of sounding indelicate, what would prevent Mr. Wickham from taking over if he outlives you? You have a responsibility to your tenants, and from what I understand about his vices, he would soon run Rosings into the ground."
"My child would inherit," Anne said simply.
Lizzy looked at her friend, confused. "Forgive me if I misunderstood, but I thought you were too ill to carry a child?"
Anne smiled and said, "That is the genius of my plan. I will allow Mr. Wickham to take a mistress. She would reside in our home as a second companion of sorts. I do not doubt that he will have urges; all men do. However, part of the conditions for his allowance is that he remain faithful to this woman. I will not allow him to take advantage of any maids or shopkeepers' daughters. When this woman has children, I pass them off as my own, adopting them in secret through my lawyers."
"And once a child is born?" Lizzy asked. "If you pass before your heir reaches their majority, how could you prevent Mr. Wickham from using his powers as the father to take control of their inheritance?"
"Darcy and Fitzwilliam will be named guardians in my will."
Lizzy sat back against the bench of the phaeton, her mind awhirl with all of the information that had been shared with her. "It seems you have given this quite a good deal of thought," she said.
"I have been making plans for this since I was sixteen years old," Anne informed her. "I have very little to do with my time; I spend most of it in bed, recovering from treatments. I do not want to be alone for my entire life. Once I reached my majority, I hired my own lawyers with Darcy's help. He is fully aware of my plans."
"He knows that you wish to wed Mr. Wickham?" Lizzy asked in amazement.
Anne and Mrs. Jenkinson glanced at one another uneasily.
"Well, he does not know who the man is," Anne said slowly. "However, he knows that whomever is chosen will be a charming fortune hunter."
"Why on earth would you choose a man who has brought such pain to your cousins?" Lizzy asked in dismay.
"That is the only part of the situation that still has me concerned," Anne admitted. "However, it was Georgiana's experience with him that showed me he would be the best choice I could make."
"I'm sorry, but I do not understand."
"You see, all throughout his courtship with Georgiana, he treated her with kindness," Anne defended. "He did not assault her, kidnap her, or even mistreat her. She was compromised with a few kisses, but no more than that, even though he had ample opportunity to do so."
Lizzy nodded slowly. "I can see how that would make him more desirable than a stranger."
"Precisely," Anne said.
The three women sat in silence for a few minutes. The ponies, which had been lazily nibbling on the grass, began to shift around, eager to be moving again. The slight shaking of the phaeton pulled the ladies from their thoughts, and Anne moved them into a slow trot.
"I will give you the direction for Mr. Wickham on one condition," Lizzy said. "You must write to Georgiana and gain her permission first before you communicate with him. I will not be party to anything that would cause my friend pain."
Anne sat thoughtfully for a few minutes, then agreed. "I believe that is a fair offer. I will write to her tomorrow before the doctor comes and send it express."
Lizzy nodded her approval. "I will also be writing to her; I would like to see her assurances for myself."
"Perhaps, instead, I recommend she come with Darcy for Easter?" Anne suggested. "We could all speak together then."
"Darcy is coming here?" Lizzy asked in surprise.
"Anne, you weren't supposed to tell her!" Mrs. Jenkinson admonished with a smile. "He wanted to surprise her!"
Anne looked sheepishly away. "In my haste to arrange things for myself, I completely forgot."
Lizzy laughed. "Well, it was definitely a surprise! Not to worry, I will not give it away. I will act properly excited and surprised to see him."
Then she sobered and said, "I think you should still write to Georgiana about your plan, in general terms, so that she is not taken by surprise all at once when she gets here."
Anne nodded. "We have a deal, then?"
"Yes," Lizzy said.
As they approached the parsonage, Anne said, "Will you please keep this from Mr. and Mrs. Collins? It is not that I don't trust them," she rushed to say as she saw Lizzy's expression, "but only I want to keep this between as few people as possible. I also do not want them to feel torn between myself and my mother. It would be unfair to ask them to keep something of this magnitude from their patroness when it concerns her daughter."
Seeing the wisdom in this, Lizzy quickly promised that she would keep it to herself. As she descended from the phaeton, she saw Mary coming out to greet her. Turning back to her new friends, she said, "I will simply tell them you and I were speaking of Mr. Darcy."
Anne smiled in relief and gratitude. Although her eyes still seemed pained, they also shined with a hope that had not been present before.
"Thank you, Lizzy, from the bottom of my heart."