Chapter 23
Monday and Tuesday were spent similarly in peace at Longbourn. Nobody knew, nobody would imagine that was the silence before the storm. A carriage was approaching relentlessly for two days toward Longbourn and within it a righteous passenger.
...
Mrs. Phillips arrived with quick, impatient steps. Usually, the whole family would gather to listen to her news, except their father. For some reason nobody could guess, he was not much interested in what his sister-in-law had to say. She settled herself next to her sister; tea was served.
'Kitty, do the honours, please,' Jane said to her sister. She looked at her eldest sister, who nodded in encouragement.
'Yes, Kitty, why do you not pour the tea? Try to remember how everybody drinks their tea.' Her mother confirmed with a nod.
'Yes, Mother. She collected herself and tried to ignore everybody watching her movements; she poured the tea.
Once she tasted her tea and took a biscuit, Mrs. Phillips started to tell the news from Meryton. She was a talented speaker with great hand gestures and facial expressions. Her gossip had a story-like quality to it, and she told the stories as if reading them from a book. She also added her opinions, with which her sister enthusiastically always agreed. Her nieces loved listening to her. They did not often interfere; they let the sisters talk.
From the day before, Wickham's incident was the last thing to tell. Jane looked at Elizabeth. They totally forgot about him as they never saw him again. What a reminder! They were appalled.
'So when he learnt that,' Elizabeth's voice broke, 'Mr. Darcy left the neighbourhood, he felt it was safe to tell his sad story. What could he gain by it?'
'Sympathy?' Kitty speculated out loud.
'That is what Mr. Phillips said as well. That he was trying to get our sympathy.'
'That must be right, Kitty. Good thinking,' Jane praised her sister.
'So he would blacken somebody else's name to get some free food?' Elizabeth was disgusted.
'I would have not thought this of Mr. Wickham; he is so handsome.' Lydia spoke up with a sigh.
'This is a good lesson, girls, that not everybody is good just because they look it.'
'Aye, but how are we supposed to know whom to trust?' Lydia asked.
'Lydia, it is not easy. People can hide things. As you can see, this time, it did not take much time for his true colours to show.' Mrs. Bennet started to explain.
'It was a good thing that my husband was there. He was napping in one of the armchairs but woke up as I was talking to Mr. Wickham. I did not know what to make of his tale. He could have easily convinced me that he was a victim. Mr. Phillips explained it though. He knows these things, you know, as he is a solicitor.'
'It is important to be cautious of new people. Watch and observe. They can say one thing and do another. Flatterers are the most dangerous. Everybody likes to hear good things about themselves; that is how they operate. Watch out for those. I am speaking from experience. Do you remember, sister?' Mrs. Bennet shared her wisdom.
'Of course, I do.'
'What experience?' Kitty asked.
'Never mind that, child.'
'Being cautious is good advice. You can always ask any of us. We always do with Lizzy.' Jane added.
Lydia looked reflective. She did not like what she heard. It was too close to her experiences. Do all these officers just want to play games with her? Her breathing changed. She blushed.
'Kitty, shall we go out? I need some fresh air. Excuse me.' She left the room. These life lessons she was learning lately were rather inconvenient. At the same time, she felt that this was what growing up was like. She was a clever girl. It did not take her long to conclude that the world was, after all, not black and white, and its purpose was not to entertain her. These were humbling lessons. If she wanted to operate in the adult world, she needed to grow up. She straightened, took a deep breath outside, and felt better. 'Kitty, I have realized something…'
...
Mrs. Bennet invited her sister to stay for dinner as she looked at the time.
'Shall I send the carriage for Mr. Phillips?'
'Why, if it is no trouble, that would be nice. Could you also have them stop at our house and tell my housekeeper that we will not be home for the midday meal?'
'Is Liddy all right, do you think?' Jane asked Elizabeth quietly.
'We can check on her later. Let her digest things.'
'I want to use her newfound information from Mr. Bingley to maybe get her understand the importance of educating herself. We should think of something fun but useful for her.'
'Of course… What do you think about Mr. Wickham? After all he did, he would blacken his name. If he did not get the living, he was not worth it. Should we tell Mother and Aunt that he had hurt Mr. Darcy's family in a very dishonourable way?' Her sister thought for a while.
'Yes, I think we should. They would have more reason to act then.' Elizabeth nodded. She turned to the sisters.
'Mama, when we met Mr. Wickham, in fact, Aunt, it was when we all went to see you, with Mr. Darcy. When he saw Mr. Wickham, he became very angry while Mr. Wickham definitely paled. I saw it happen. Then Mr. Darcy got off his horse and put himself between him and myself. It was as if he wanted to protect me…'
'Oh, what a gentleman!' Mrs. Phillips exclaimed. Elizabeth smiled sadly.
'Yes, Aunt, he is. Then he tried to get me away from them, which I did not like, of course, so he told me then that they were not on speaking terms though he grew up with Mr. Wickham on their estate. He said that he had hurt his family. That he acted dishonourably.'
'Oh, sister, do you hear this?' Mrs. Bennet worried.
'Do you know what he did?' Elizabeth looked at Jane. She did not know what to say either.
'Yes, I think so. He did not say specifically.'
'She does not want to say. It must be bad.' Mrs. Phillips said with finality to her sister. Leave it to us, girls. Mr. Wickham will rue the day he tried to play on my sympathies.'
...
Just then they heard a commotion from outside. As they looked out the windows, they saw a huge carriage with four horses come through the gate. Four horses! Mrs. Bennet was about to faint. Only her curiosity kept her awake. They were all at the windows looking out. Who would come to see their family? They did not know anybody who would have a beautiful equipage like the one in front of them with four graceful white horses in front of it. Mrs. Hill was already outside with the footman, Richard, to accept whoever came. They were gaping at the sight as well. As Richard opened the carriage door and fixed the steps, an older woman appeared.
She looked around and frowned. She was immediately shown inside. Everybody in the room quickly found a non-conspicuous seat and occupation.
'Who could this be?' Asked Mrs. Bennet from no one in particular.
In a few seconds, Mrs. Hill announced the guest.
'Lady Catherine de Bourgh, madam.' She curtsied.
There was a silence of shock for a few seconds. Everybody turned the name around in their heads. Mr. Collins's patroness, they all concluded. What was she doing here? Her parson left on Saturday. He must have arrived the day after.
'Your Ladyship.' They all curtsied.
Her Ladyship looked a formidable woman. She was tall and was made taller by the overdecorated hat she wore. The huge feathers were still moving back and forth as she stood there taking in the Bennet family. Mrs. Bennet and Mrs. Phillips were momentarily awed by her person.
To all the salutations, the guest did not do more than a slight inclination of the head and sat down without saying a word. After an inconvenient silence, she spoke.
'This must be a most inconvenient sitting room for the evening, in summer; the windows are full west.'
Mrs. Bennet was somewhat still in shock, but not so much as to realize that this was not how one behaved as a guest of a house. Mrs. Bennet was about to assure her that they never sat there after dinner, but she decided to not reward such rude behaviour. She did not request an introduction to the lady of the house… This lady acted as if she were the queen… Her thoughts were interrupted by the very lady herself.
'Which one of you is Mrs. Bennet?' She addressed the two matrons in the room.
'I-I am, your Ladyship.'
'Uh, Mrs. Bennet, I have come to talk to one of your daughters, a Miss Elizabeth.' There was no need for her mother to point her out as Elizabeth gasped. Her Ladyship examined her person.
'Are you Miss Elizabeth? I would have thought you were some uncommon beauty.'
'I am sorry to disappoint, madam.' Elizabeth could not believe this woman. Who did she think she was? What is it with Mr. Darcy's family? Are they all angelic beauties that they can disparage others' looks so as-a-matter-of-factly? She felt a bit guilty to pull down Mr. Darcy to this woman's level, but at the moment she was angry at both. This woman came to see her while the other left her behind.
'Miss Elizabeth, there seemed to be a prettyish kind of a little wilderness on one side of your lawn. I should be glad to take a turn in it if you will favour me with your company.' Elizabeth looked at her mother. She did not understand either. She nodded to her. She did as requested. She was by then quite curious about what her Ladyship wanted from her. Lady Catherine de Bourgh did not make her wait. As soon as they reached the copse, she started.
'You can be at no loss, Miss Bennet, to understand the reason for my journey hither. Your own heart, your own conscience, must tell you why I come.
'Your Ladyship, this is the first time I see you in person. All I know is that you are the patroness of my distant cousin.'
'I am also aunt to Mr. Darcy.' Elizabeth's eyes snapped to her. 'There it is,' she said.
'Why are you here, madam?' Lady Catherine puffed herself up and said in an angry tone:
'Miss Elizabeth, you ought to know, that I am not to be trifled with. 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 two days ago.'
'And what is that?' She almost rolled her eyes.
'That you, Miss Elizabeth, after refusing to entertain a very advantageous marriage to my parson, you shamelessly accepted the attentions of my nephew.' Elizabeth just looked at the older woman. It took time for her to get the meaning of her statement.
'Your parson reported this to you?' She sharply nodded.
'Well, if you came here because of what Mr. Collins told you, you should not have bothered. You should have known that after being told to leave me alone, he would not be kind to me. I would have not thought I would become a shameless flirt in his eyes though.
'Do you deny that you with your arts and allurements have ensnared Mr. Darcy?' Elizabeth shut her eyes. This was not happening, she thought. This woman was out of her mind. She wanted to cry. As if Mr. Darcy could be ensnared. He was right now somewhere in the world fulfilling his duty to his name. Her heart ached. She winced.
'I demand an answer. What are your intentions with my nephew? And I want you to stop this whorish behaviour.'
As Elizabeth gasped in surprise at such a verbal attack, she saw her sister jump from the shrubbery and come forth.
'Who are you to call my sister a… such a word?!' Her Ladyship was taken aback at the sudden appearance of another Bennet girl. She was not prepared to be questioned.
Lydia quickly went to stand like Boudica ready to defend her sister from this woman. Nobody had the right to go there and accuse her sister of such behaviour.
'Lizzy, come away, you do not have to listen to this.' She spoke to her sister.
'It is all right, Liddy. Thank you. Go back to the house, I will be there shortly.' She hesitated then nodded. She did not acknowledge the older woman. She ran into the house.
'Mama, Papa!
'What is it, child?'
'An old lady has been arguing with Lizzy. She just called her a… a lady of the night.'
'Pardon?! What is she about? Go, tell your father.' With that, she hurried outside. Breathlessly she approached them.
'Lizzy, come here. Your Ladyship, what are you about?'
Lady Catherine did not appreciate being interrupted. She made it known by the thumping of her walking stick. Unfortunately, it was quite ineffective as on the soft lawn it lost its power.
'Your daughter, here,' she gestured to Elizabeth in disgust, 'has decided to leave her circle she was born into and try it on with a man from the first circles. She has seduced my nephew with the design of marrying him. I have come here to stop that. My nephew is promised to my daughter.'
'How dare you say such a thing?! My daughter is a lady and has been taught to act like one. She has not done as you say. If she had caught the eye of your nephew it was unconsciously done.'
'My report says otherwise.'
'And who is the source? Oh, Mr. Collins, no doubt. Well, that says a lot about you having such a man as your parson.'
'How impertinent!'
'I am in my own house, your Ladyship, I will be as impertinent as I like. You, on the other hand, have no right. You dare come here and call my sweet daughter a whore!'
'Thank you, Mother.' Elizabeth found her voice. She was grateful for her mother's interruption. She had no energy to defend herself against such hubris. Her mother patted her hand in comfort. She turned back to the Lady and continued.
'You have nothing to do with my daughter. If you have any disagreement, it is your nephew you need to speak to. Leave us.'
'Not so hasty. Mrs. Bennet, do you know who I am? I have not been accustomed to such language as this. I need a promise from your daughter not to enter into an engagement with my nephew. Honour, decorum, prudence, nay, interest, forbid it.' Mrs. Bennet looked at her guest for a few seconds.
'Whose interest, yours? Oh, you must be quite uncertain then about your nephew. Did you not just say he was promised to your daughter? Why in heaven's name would he then entertain thoughts of engaging himself elsewhere? In marrying your nephew, my daughter should not consider herself as quitting her sphere. Mr. Darcy is a gentleman; Elizabeth is a gentleman's daughter; so far they are equal.' The Lady gasped in shock.
'Indeed, let me be rightly understood. This match, to which your daughter has the presumption to aspire, can never take place. No, never. Mr. Darcy is engaged to my daughter.'
'You have said as much. Keep repeating it; it may help you to believe what you say. I suspect otherwise. We are not to be intimidated by your wholly unreasonable demand.' Mrs. Bennet countered.
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 was the favourite wish of his mother, as well as mine.'
'Is that it? Your Ladyship. Do you hear yourself? There is no engagement then. He is free to marry whomever he wants. If I know correctly he is his own man… That is why you are here.' She started to laugh. 'Come, Lizzy, you do not have to listen to her.' She sent a withering look to her Ladyship and led her daughter away from her.
Her husband stood a few steps away looking at his wife as if he had never seen her before. Such shock and admiration were shown on his face that Mrs. Bennet blushed. He put his protective arm around her daughter and his wife. He looked back at the stranger.
'I do not know who you are, but I want you off my property immediately. Nobody talks to my family like that.'
'Pardon? I have never been treated in such an infamous manner. I am most seriously displeased.' She kept speaking but only to herself, nobody was listening to her anymore.
...
Elizabeth, after a refreshing nap after dinner, was about to knock on her father's door when suddenly the door opened from the inside, and her mother appeared before her. Elizabeth just looked at her in surprise. She seemed to be a bit… dishevelled. She patted her hair as she came out of the room.
'Is it something important, Lizzy?' she asked breathlessly.
'No.'
'Then do not disturb your father just now. He is… tired.' And with that, she went passed her. Elizabeth gaped after her, her mind jumping to conclusions. Forgetting why she wanted to see her father, she suddenly put her hand over her mouth. She blushed beet red, looked around, and went to find Jane urgently.
…
Some lines are verbatim from Pride and Prejudice
