Anne's marriage and Lady Catherine's reaction...enjoy!
Chapter 29
The ride to Longbourn seemed endless, but at last Lizzy arrived at Longbourn. She met her sister Jane with tears in her eyes, and if others interpreted the tears to be those of joy at her sister's fortunately alliance, Lizzy was content to allow them to think so.
Jane looked well; in fact, Lizzy would go so far as to say that Jane seemed to be even more beautiful than she had been before. It was clear in the way that she spoke about her betrothal that Jane was close to falling in love with Viscount Oakley, if she wasn't already.
As the girls readied themselves for bed, Lizzy revealed everything that had occurred in Kent, from her first meeting with Anne to the letter she read as she rode home to Longbourn. She wept as she described the shame and regret she felt at leaving things the way she had with Darcy, but she had seen no other way. Had she chosen to not leave, she would be missing out on the final weeks of living with her eldest sister before she became a wife and mother. Darcy had left before she could speak with him, but she understood the necessity of him travelling and resolving things with Anne before Lady Catherine could discover the plans.
"All I can hope, Jane, is that he will come to your wedding and will be willing to speak with me."
"Could you not write him a letter?"
"Where would I address it? By the time any letter could catch up with him, it would be when he had already returned to Rosings. We cannot allow Lady Catherine to know of our courtship until Anne is safely married to Mr. Reid."
Jane looked at her sister tenderly. "Then I will ask Oakley to write to him, confirming his attendance for the wedding. It is still four weeks away; that is plenty of time for Anne to be married and Lady Catherine to be safely settled in the dower house."
"It will be a long four weeks," Lizzy said miserably.
"Then I will need to keep your mind occupied with discussions of lace and ribbons for the wedding!" Jane said with a laugh.
Darcy sighed in relief as the carriage arrived at Rosings. His travelling companions, Mr. Reid and Miss Amelia Johnson, looked at him curiously. "It has been a long two weeks since I was last here," he explained.
They both smiled at his words, having witnessed first-hand how grueling the process had been.
Darcy had made good time to London. He was able to quickly secure the papers and the special license for the wedding, then travelled on to Derbyshire to speak with the prospective groom. Mr. Reid had been extremely surprised by the request, but he was eager to be of assistance. The young man had longed to make a difference in the world by helping others, but he had been limited as a curate to a young vicar. Now, as master of a profitable estate, he would have resources at his disposal to ease the plight of his fellow man.
Mr. Reid's cheerful nature had put Darcy at ease regarding his cousin's welfare for the remaining years of her life, however long it may be. Mr. Reid had little concern over the fact that Miss de Bourgh may linger for many years, as he had determined he would be unable to afford a wife or children for at least a decade more. He was more than happy to raise another child as his own, as his primary concern was for the welfare of those who were dependent upon the estate. His father had instilled good principles in each of his sons, and he was determined to pass those on to another generation.
The conversation with Miss Johnson had been more difficult to have. To Darcy's surprise, the young woman was quite timid. Before he had met with Cartwright's former governess, Mrs. Reynolds explained the brutality she had experienced at the hands of her charge's father. Her compromise was assured not consensual, and she had been fearful of men ever since the experience. It had taken Stevens several hours to coax the young lady into the cart he had procured to take her from Cartwright's estate to Pemberley. Only the kitchen maid's repeated assurances that Stevens was a good man could move the young woman from the nursery. Stevens's heart still clenched at the memory of young Master Cartwright's tears when she left.
Darcy's fists clenched tightly as he remembered the first time he met Miss Johnson and saw the bruises on her face, an ugly combination of old and fresh alike. She could barely speak in his presence, and only the gentle coaxing of Mrs. Reynolds could move her to nod in agreement when the plan was laid out to her.
Miss Johnson's injuries and timid nature meant a delay of two days at Pemberley until the doctor gave his approval for her to be moved without harm to herself or the babe that she carried. There was another further delay of two days to allow for slower travel to not harm the woman. When the carriage axel broke and the roads flooded due to rain halfway through their journey, they were obliged to stay at an inn three nights longer than they anticipated for the rain to stop and the mud to dry.
Thus, Darcy and his travelling companions arrived at Rosings an entire week later than he anticipated. Due to all of the setbacks, Darcy had not received any correspondence during the entire journey. He eagerly anticipated meeting his sister to inquire as to how Lizzy had responded to his letter.
Darcy descended from the carriage and was met by a relieved Bingley and Georgiana. They had received the daily missives he had sent to update them on his delays, so they were not anxious over his safety. They were, however, on edge from all the secrecy and having to distract Lady Catherine over his continued absence without revealing the truth.
Mr. Reid and Miss Johnson were shown to their rooms. Darcy refreshed himself, then stealthily made his way to Anne's rooms to meet Georgiana and Bingley. Once there, he conferenced with Anne, Mrs. Jenkinson, and the Bingleys on how to make the wedding progress as smoothly as possible.
At first, Anne expressed little desire to meet Mr. Reid before the ceremony, which was to be held the next day in secrecy. Mrs. Jenkinson, however, persuaded the heiress that she might feel a little more at ease. Mr. Reid was therefore summoned to the chambers immediately.
It was clear from the moment he entered the room that the poor groom was nervous. Introductions were made, and Mr. Reid took a seat on the empty chair next to his intended. After several false starts of awkward conversation, he and Mr. Bingley began a lengthy conversation about the residents near Pemberley and their current situations. The conversation never veered into gossip, which relieved Anne to no small degree, as she felt a disingenuous man would be quick to denigrate or overly praise his fellow man. Mr. Reid, however, spoke matter-of-factly about the common acquaintances he had with Mr. Bingley.
Georgiana and Mrs. Jenkinson worked deliberately to include Anne in the conversation, and before the young woman knew it, over two hours had passed in comfortable conversation. By the end, Anne and Mr. Reid were both extremely satisfied with the decision that they made and had every hope of their future comfort.
When prevailed upon to also invite Miss Johnson, Darcy reluctantly voiced his doubts. The young woman had, after all, been through quite a trauma and was no doubt resting. Due to the unusual circumstances, Mr. Reid and Miss Johnson had both been placed in rooms in the family wing, but away from the sharp eye of Lady Catherine.
Mrs. Jenkinson would never reveal that she had placed a few drops of laudanum in her ladyship's tea that morning to ensure she would be unaware of the day's events. A similar scheme was concocted for her nightcap, so the woman would have no knowledge of anything unusual until long after the wedding ceremony had been completed.
Knowing that Miss Johnson was near, Anne asked if she might go to the woman's rooms. Georgiana and Miss Jenkinson accompanied her. The gentlemen did never learn what occurred in that room for the hour the ladies spent there, but Bingley held his wife tightly that night as she cried into his arms.
While the conversation was distressing for Anne and Georgiana, it did much to alleviate the fear that had permeated Miss Johnson's soul. Anne had promised her that she would always have a home at Rosings as the governess of the child she would bear, who would be adopted by Anne and Mr. Reid (who would take the name de Bourgh upon the marriage in order to continue the family name).
At last, Anne, Mr. Reid, and Miss Johnson retired for the evening. Dinner trays were brought to their rooms, as they were seeking to avoid Lady Catherine's notice. In her still-drugged state, her ladyship was uncharacteristically silent at dinner. As the meal completed, she excused herself for the night and rang for a maid to bring her an early nightcap, which put her to sleep until late the next afternoon, thanks to Mrs. Jenkinson.
As soon as Lady Catherine had retired, Darcy turned towards Georgiana and said, "How is Lizzy? Did you give her my letter? I plan on speaking with her when I call on Mr. Collins tomorrow morning to present the special license and ask him to perform the ceremony."
"He doesn't know, yet?" Bingley asked in astonishment.
"No, I did not want him to accidentally let anything slip to Lady Catherine," Darcy explained. "Tomorrow, however, Anne will become the mistress of Rosings Park. I cannot foresee him refusing to conduct the wedding. If he demurs, however, the next parsonage is only a few miles away; the man there is most agreeable, if memory serves me."
He then turned back to his sister and said, "Has she said anything about the letter? Has she inquired after me?"
Georgiana hesitated, then said, "The day after you left, she received a letter from her sister, Jane. Oakley finally proposed, and Jane wrote to beg Lizzy's help in managing their mother while they made wedding preparations. I was only able to slip your letter into her hand as she bid her farewells. I am not certain if she even read the letter, although I cannot imagine why she would not."
Darcy's shoulders fell in sorrow. "I had so much time on my hands during this journey. Each delay was an agonizing torture. I owe her my sincerest apologies for misjudging her."
"Don't be so hard on yourself, old man," Bingley said. "You each have been through your own life's experiences that cause you to assume the worst in others. And when your heart is engaged, it is easy to assume they will hurt you."
Nodding morosely, Darcy said, "There is nothing to be done for it. I wish to ride after her as soon as may be, but I must remain here for several days to oversee the transition. After that, may I accompany you to Netherfield?"
"Of course!" Georgiana exclaimed. "Between Oakley's wedding and the baby, I intend to have you as my guest for some months longer."
"I will need to go to Pemberley for the harvest, but I should return before the start of your confinement," he assured her.
"For now, then, let us get Anne married off, and Oakley. Then you can focus on Miss Bennet!" Bingley said. "You'll have several weeks between his wedding and the harvest. That should give you plenty of time to resolve things with her."
"Do you think they can be resolved?" Darcy asked. "I have injured her quite deeply."
"Time heals all wounds," Bingley reassured. "The two of you have strong, deep emotions that tend to erupt when pushed too far. However, all of your letters and conversations have also forged a friendship. I believe that to me powerful than injuries of a moment. If it were not for Anne's situation, it would have been much easier to resolve this."
With that hopeful note, the three retired to their rooms, eager to finally see Anne settled.
The morning that Mr. Reid took Miss de Bourgh's name in matrimony could not have been more perfect if it had been ordered to be so. The brilliant sunrise was accompanied by the sweet scent of fragrance and a light breeze that balanced well with the surprisingly cloudless sky.
Mr. Collins was more than willing to perform the ceremony; when he heard the news that Miss de Bourgh was to marry a man of the cloth who would treat her kindly, he and his wife were overjoyed. As silly as he was, Mr. Collins was not unaware of the sorrow in the young lady's eyes, but he and Mrs. Collins had felt powerless to help. Helping in this small way did much to alleviate their unnecessary guilt.
Happy was the moment that Anne de Bourgh signed the register, no longer a maiden under her mother's power. Her face was alit in a smile that was brighter than anyone had seen on her. The difficulty of making it to the ceremony, however, was quickly displayed when she swooned slightly as they exited the church and made their way to the carriage.
Upon returning to Rosings, Mr. and Mrs. de Bourgh retired to their chambers immediately, so as to prevent any claims that Lady Catherine may have about the legitimacy of the marriage and its consummation. Other than the couple themselves, and perhaps Mrs. Jenkinson, no one knows if the small amount of blood on the sheet were the result of a true marriage coupling or the prick of a finger. However, the peace and contentment on Anne's face several hours later when they came down for dinner was enough to reassure the party that no matter what did, or did not, occur, Anne was being treated very well by her new husband.
As the newlywed couple entered the drawing room where they were to gather before dinner, as the party did every evening, they were met by an irritable and somewhat dazed Lady Catherine, who was feeling minor withdrawal effects from the two doses of laudanum from the previous day. She blinked twice at the man alongside her daughter.
"Anne, release that man at once!" she demanded in a piercing voice.
Wincing slightly, Anne said, "Mother, please do not speak so loudly at my husband. It hurts my ears."
"Your husband?" The piercing voice increased in intensity and volume on the last word, causing everyone in the room to wince.
"Yes, Mother," said Anne in a calm, matter-of-fact tone. "May I present Mr. Peter Reid de Bourgh. We were married this morning by special license in a beautiful ceremony conducted by Mr. Collins."
She sat down at the settee, smoothed her skirts, and awaited for Lady Catherine's response with no more stress than she would wait for a maid to bring her tea.
Lady Catherine stared at her daughter. Her mouth opened several times, but no sound was emitted. She looked wildly around the room and fixed her eyes on Darcy, who was trying hard not to smile at her bewilderment. "But you are engaged to Fitzwilliam!"
"No, she is not," he said with a firm voice. "I was privileged to give my cousin away to Mr. Reid – excuse me, Mr. de Bourgh now, this morning."
"No! I forbid it!" declared the woman, rising to her feet with a speed that belied her advanced years. "Anne, you may not marry this…. this…. rakish fortune hunter who clearly belongs in the stables than the drawing room!"
"Why would I marry him again, Mother? Did you not hear me? We were married this morning."
"Nonsense, Anne! I would have known about the wedding of my own daughter taking place! You have clearly lost your senses. Darcy, send for the doctor."
When Darcy refused to move, she turned towards the door and called for the butler. Turning back to her daughter she said, "Even if you were married this morning, it is still the same day. If we act quickly, we can squelch any gossip and have the marriage annulled."
For the first time, Mr. Reid spoke and said, "I'm afraid to inform you that an examination of Anne's bedsheets will reveal that option to be quite impossible."
At these words, Lady Catherine's entire countenance turned purple with rage. "How dare you?" she hissed, moving towards him.
The door opened and the butler entered. Lady Catherine repeated her demands for the doctor. Ignoring the irate woman, he instead and looked towards Anne, who shook her head and dismissed him. Lady Catherine's face became apoplectic, and Darcy began to wonder if the doctor would be necessary after all.
Georgiana stifled a giggle, and Lady Catherine whirled around to face her niece. "You! I blame you for this madness! Your arts and allurements towards a man of inferior breeding have turned my daughter in a harlot!"
Anne and Georgiana gasped in shock as Lady Catherine began spewing invectives at both girls that one would have been heard being shouted by two fishwives fighting over the same man and not in the drawing room of the daughter of an earl.
"Now see here!" yelled Bingley in indignation, just as Mr. Reid stood and cried, "I beg your pardon!"
Moving forward, Darcy reached his aunt before the other two gentlemen. He grasped her shoulders and began to shake her gently. "Come now, Aunt Catherine!" he pleaded. When she continued to gush her vile hatred, he gently slapped her face.
The shock of his action caused the room to fall deathly silent. Lady Catherine looked at him in dismay, then collapsed on the floor hysterical sobs.
Darcy motioned for Bingley to ring the bell, and the butler and housekeeper entered immediately, having been ordered by Anne to wait outside the door for the duration of the conversation. Two footmen were quickly summoned, who carried the wailing matron to her rooms, followed by Darcy. Another footman was dispatched to call for the doctor, while the housekeeper and Darcy gave his aunt another dose of laudanum. Within minutes, the woman was sound asleep in her chambers.
He quickly returned to the drawing room, where he found both men comforting their respective wives. Mrs. Jenkinson was also present, placing cool cloths on Anne's forehead. After a few minutes, Darcy asked, "Do you think my uncle will be surprised to learn that his sister was switched at birth with fishwife's daughter?"
His heart sank slightly as everyone stared at him in silence, then Anne began to laugh hysterically. It was the first time she had laughed genuinely in years, and a warmth filled Darcy's chest.
"Oh, Darcy, thank you," she said, reaching out a hand to him.
He crossed the room and kissed it gently. "What say you to eating in your rooms this evening? I can have Cook send up a few trays."
"No," said Anne in a firm voice. "This is my wedding dinner, replacing a traditional wedding breakfast. Cook has prepared all of my favorite foods, and I want to celebrate."
"And I will join you," Georgiana said determined, wiping her face with Bingley's handkerchief.
The party went into the dining room and enjoyed a merry evening of delicious foods and good wine. Cook surprised everyone with a beautiful wedding cake that Georgiana had commissioned her to make for the occasion.
At the end of the festivities, Darcy looked at his sister, his cousin, and their husbands. "I want you all to know," he said in a husky voice, "that our mother would have been very proud of both her girls. She looked on you as quite another daughter, Anne, and I have no doubt that she would have supported you in the choices you have made to secure your happiness."
Tears filled their eyes, and Georgiana said, "You have looked after our happiness for so long. It is time for you to find your own."
"I will. I intend to grovel at her feet until she forgives me. I promise."