Chapter 46

Lady Catherine, arriving at Longbourn, with all due haste, found herself being escorted into a very inconvenient sitting room after issuing orders to be taken to Miss Bennet at once. She was announced to six women who saw fit to gawk at her, as Lady Lucas and Miss Lucas had come to call, finding the eldest Bennet sisters absent, though Charlotte could not rightly argue against their escape.

"Do you know who I am?" Lady Catherine demanded after she was announced, sparing not a moment to see to civilities.

"I believe, madam, that you are the patroness of my husband's heir, a Mr. Collins, who resides at Huntsford," replied Mrs. Bennet, more than a little intimidated, awed by the presence of a peer in her drawing-room, but thinking herself very important indeed to have such a visitor and likely due to Mr. Collins. If only her second daughter had seen sense and married him, forgetting Mr. Darcy's proposal for but a moment, becoming as vexed as she was when her daughter had refused her first proposal.

"Then you know that I am not to be trifled with. I suppose these are your daughters." Lydia and Kitty giggled, earning them a stern stare from Lady Catherine, cold enough that it bought even their silence. Lady Catherine, for her part, eyed what she perceived as ill-mannered hoydens, wondering which of their arts her nephew had succumbed to. Heaven and earth, to have one of these women as Mistress of Pemberley, taking her sister's position in life, it would not, could not be endured.

"All except my two eldest, madam, they are lately in London, to my left is Lydia, followed by…" Lady Catherine interrupted, striking the floor with her walking stick. "I demand to know where she is at once! She is to marry my parson, what have you to say to that?"

Lydia and Kitty broke out in giggles again, upon reference to Mr. Collins's proposals. Lady Catherine turned to them, and with all the authority natural to her temperament and station, decreed, after banging her walking stick yet again, "Have your governess brought to me at once."

"La, we have no governess," sang Lydia, Kitty though became immediately subdued, eyes wide. Kitty, however, recognized that for the first time, she was witnessing someone who took authority. Though having never witnessed the behavior in her own parents, she had enough good sense not to defy the Lady in front of her.

"Upon witnessing your conduct, I would insist your mother dismiss her at once, had it not been already seen to. I can now only censure her for allowing your governess to go unchecked, for such a time, that faulty manners were allowed to take root. I will see to your next governess, your animal spirits shall be corrected at once."

"Oh la, what a bore, we never had a governess and do not wish one. I know all I must to catch a husband," declared Lydia, entirely dismissive of Lady Catherine.

"Never had a governess? Five daughters and no governess, the youngest allowed to run wild? You will account for yourself madam," she demanded of Mrs. Bennet as she turned to her.

"My youngest is rather lively, your ladyship, and second in beauty only to Jane. Let it not be said that she has no spirit."

"Mrs. Bennet, I shall send you a governess and you shall employ her. Your youngest shall be corrected before they come out, I shall see to their curriculum myself."

"La, I am already out. I have no patience for anything but dancing and officers, they are driven mad for a chance to dance with me," declared Lydia, thinking it all nonsense. Kitty remained silent, feeling fear and apprehension.

"The youngest, out before the oldest are married? It can not be! Upon my word, I've never heard of such a thing, not even amongst the vulgar set, even the tradespeople have more decorum. You are to return to the nursery at once, and that one with you," she said, nodding at Kitty.

"No I shall not, I shall dance all night long and have a husband before any of my sisters." Lydia insisted, looking at her in open defiance.

"You will remove yourself from my presence at once, young lady, though I hesitate to call you such, vulgar thing that you are. It is no wonder none of your elder daughters are married madam," she said glaring at Mrs. Bennet. Returning her stare to Lydia, she decreed, "For who would take on such a sister. You should have put her in a reform school if you wished your other daughter's prospects to increase."

"My other daughter is lately engaged, though I understand why you would not yet hear of it. The gentleman at Netherfield, a Mr.," began Mrs. Bennet, only to be interrupted.

Her ladyship's eyes bulged, recalling her purpose. "We have come to the point! She has taken him in! Where is she?! I demand an answer!" cried Lady Catherine, pounding her walking stick on the floor once again, lending gravity and authority to her words.

"My eldest Jane is in London, but..."

"Mrs. Bennet, I am not to be trifled with. You well know I am here for Elizabeth. I demand her address at once, and I shall have it. Now, what have you to say?"

"Elizabeth is my second eldest. I have tried to reason with her but she shall not hear me, and her father supports her. They care nothing for my nerves, neither one of them. Nothing at all. Two proposals in two days and she has refused both of them! What is to become of her? I wash my hands of her, for I cannot bring her to reason, and..." Mrs. Bennet was again interrupted by Lady Catherine.

"She shall be brought to reason, I shall see to it myself. She will be made to marry my parson. She shall be instructed on decency and decorum. If she is at all like her sisters she is not fit to marry a parson, yet I shall endure it to keep her from my sphere. She has seen the last of my nephew, of that you can be sure. I take no leave of you madam, I am most seriously displeased. You will note her direction at once. I will see a governess is sent to you, as it is apparent you are not fit to see to your own affairs, being a mother of such daughters," huffed the great Lady.

Mrs. Bennet raced to appease Lady Catherine, hoping her second eldest could be worked upon. Perhaps if she could not be made to marry Mr. Collins, she would determine to marry Mr. Darcy out of spite, for Elizabeth always did the opposite thing than she was prevailed upon to do.

After witnessing Lady Catherine's temperament, Charlotte better understood Mr. Collins's obsequious and fawning nature, and now doubted he could at all be worked upon at all while in the employ of such a patroness. She now began to view it as a lucky escape that he left Hertfordshire before she could turn his attention her way.

I've been working on the story as much as I'm able. I have a bunch of half-written chapters, though not yet in order. I'm hoping that I'll be able to fininish them up and fill in the missing chapters soon, then post them close together like I did before.