Lady Catherine scowled at her breakfast. Her daughter was home, unharmed as she had ordered. She had been scared, but not overly so. Yet, her daughter was now betrothed to Colonel Fitzwilliam. That was not how this was meant to go. She had specifically told them, either Lord Barlow or Darcy, not Colonel Fitzwilliam.
She had first recommended Mrs. Younge for her niece, hoping to place someone with loyalties to her within the Darcy Household. Yet, Darcy had not followed her orders. He asked her to justify why Mrs. Younge was so much better than Mrs. Annesley. Mrs. Annesley had previously been employed by one of his acquaintances, only being released from employment due to the marriage of the young lady. Darcy knew Mrs. Annesley and trusted her. He knew nothing of Mrs. Younge and her references were all very obscure gentlemen from distant areas. Of course they were, for Lady Catherine had made up the references herself.
That plan having failed, she hired Mrs. Younge for her own daughter, as Mrs. Younge did not keep Anne's confidences like that Mrs. Jenkinson did. 'Mrs. Jenkinson,' Lady Catherine thought, 'How could she disobey me so?' That lady had disobeyed Lady Catherine by taking Anne's letters with her to post in Huntsford instead of placing them on the salver where Lady Catherine might first read them. She had not always given Anne as much tonic as Lady Catherine ordered, saying that Anne was well that day and did not seem to need the tonic that only tired her. She thought Lady Catherine was much too controlling of Anne and encouraged Anne to assert her right as mistress. Then there was the issue with the Commons. Mrs. Jenkinson had agreed with the gentlemen that they must not be enclosed, and Anne had listened to her over Lady Catherine. Anne likely would have not allowed her to fire Mrs. Jenkinson, so Lady Catherine had ensured that the lady would never return.
A similar circumstance occurred when Lady Catherine tried to place a groom at Pemberley, Mrs. Younge's brother. She knew enough to have the man use a different name, lest one of her family members would suspect that Mr. Frank Younge was related to Mrs. Younge, for the lady had been stupid enough to mention her brother and his name in the hearing of other servants. It did not matter that Lady Catherine had never told her not to, nor had Lady Catherine known that she would eventually hire the man. The material point was that Mr. Frank Younge would be connected to Mrs. Younge immediately. Mr. Fred Minerva, however, seemed completely unconnected to the companion. Yet, Darcy did not take her recommendation there either. Thus, Lady Catherine hired him in the stable, assuming that if Anne managed to slip away without her companion, she could not get far without a horse.
Finally, on the third attempt did Lady Catherine realise that she must not recommend her spy to Darcy. She must simply allow the man to apply for the open position at Darcy House and give him the most impeccable references. Her plan had finally succeeded, and her man found employment within Darcy House.
She had thought first to engineer a compromise. It would have worked, but Darcy's valet –Mr. Witting—was too loyal and intelligent. He had somehow figured out her plan and stopped it. She had not thought it possible for a man of his darker complexion and scarce education to outwit her, but he had done so. After one of the maids heard her plan, the valet slept in Darcy's bed while Darcy went to a guest room for the night. Upon forcing Anne into the room, they found Mr. Witting in the bed. She had hurried Anne back to her room without even waking the man, and only the next day did she learn what had occurred.
Realising that she would have to plan more than a simple compromise, she gathered her three conspirators together when Darcy visited in the spring. They had created several plans, each contingent on who they would have best access to. They thought to cause a scandal for Georgiana that she might hold over Darcy's head to force him to offer for Anne, but Mrs. Annesley was far too careful with her charge. Then they realised that they must make Anne a victim, so Darcy might feel that it was his duty to protect her. It must seem that Lady Catherine had no role to play in the drama.
She had planned to ensure that Darcy found Anne, for the 'kidnappers' would have seemed to be sloppy and would allow Darcy to follow them back to the hiding place after the money drop, retrieving both the money and Anne. Instead, they had found her early. More than that, Darcy was not even about when they found her! He was apparently in Hertfordshire according to Lord Matlock, pursuing an altogether unworthy country nobody.
Lady Catherine pondered what she might do now. Anne was engaged to Colonel Fitzwilliam. It would be disastrous if that marriage took place. Colonel Fitzwilliam had never followed Lady Catherine's directions as the others did. He was far too used to people following his orders without delay as the leader of a regiment.
Lady Catherine called for her carriage. She would see this put to rights.
"Will you tell me of Pemberley?" asked Elizabeth as she took a turn about Netherfield's ballroom with Darcy.
"It has 126 rooms, 50 of which are open to the public. It's been in my family for ten generations. The grounds are ten miles around," Darcy said, listing facts about his home.
"No, you goose," said Elizabeth, "I want to know more than what might be read in any guidebook to the area. What makes your home special? Special to you, I mean? Which of the many rooms is your favourite? Where do you go when you want quiet? Tell me about your favourite paths through the grounds."
"Well," said Darcy, his face screwing up in thought, "I suppose my home is special to me because it is my home. I have memories there, of Wickham and I fencing in the ballroom, of meeting Georgie for the first time, of being scolded by the housekeeper for running through the drawing room. Just memories. I suppose it is much the same for you with Longbourn."
"I suppose it is," agreed Elizabeth, squeezing his arm gently, "but ladies are taught from a young age that we will someday leave our home, so I suppose I have not fostered the same level of attachment to it."
"I hope you will grow attached to Pemberley and Darcy House," said Darcy.
"I already adore Darcy House," said she, "How could anyone not adore it when the library is bigger than the entire main floor of Longbourn."
"Pemberley has three libraries," said Darcy with a grin.
"Three?" Elizabeth very nearly squealed, drawing attention from the maids who were attending them. She sheepishly waved them back to their mending work.
"Three. The smallest is for the oldest books in the collection. The books are mostly kept in locked cabinets as they are so old that a well-intentioned maid could easily ruin a priceless edition. The room is very dark unless it is in use, so the books will not deteriorate further."
"That sounds interesting," said Elizabeth with a grin, "Perhaps we might find books of long-held family mysteries or a hidden map among the stacks."
"Unfortunately, there is nothing so interesting as that," said Darcy, "only old tomes from hundreds of years ago."
"And what of the other two libraries?"
"The next is the family library. It is in the family wing. This is where one might go to find a novel or a book of Wordsworth's poetry. Most of the books have duplicates in the main library, but the family library is more conveniently located."
"How lovely!" said Elizabeth.
"I believe so. It also keeps books that are more personal, such as those given me by my parents as gifts, away from the hands of those who may not see such a recent edition as something to take care of."
"Is it also your study, as my father's library is his?" asked Elizabeth.
"No," said Darcy, "The Master's study and the Mistress's study adjoin and are across the corridor from the family library."
"That is pleasant," said Elizabeth, squeezing Darcy's arm lightly.
"I fear both the Mistress's study and the Mistress's chambers are rather outdated," said Darcy, "for they have not been redone since my mother and father were first wed nearly five and thirty years ago."
"Then you shall simply have to allow your wife to redecorate when it comes time," teased Elizabeth.
"I certainly will," said Darcy, "For I cannot imagine that you would like the dark colours my mother preferred. You are rather too bright and cheerful for that."
"You would be right," said Elizabeth, "Although I like some darker colours, I would not have an entire room papered in a dark colour. A light colour for the walls, as well as light-coloured wood for furnishings. The upholstery perhaps could be darker, for then it shall hide stains."
"Very practical," said Darcy, with a grin, for it seemed to him that Elizabeth accepted the inevitability that they would marry.
"And the main library?" asked Elizabeth.
"The main library is my favourite room in the house. It is larger than the ballroom and dining room together. It has thousands of books spanning every subject and genre you could think of. I know not how to describe it properly, for one must see it to do it justice."
"Has it many comfortable chairs where one might read before a fire?" asked Elizabeth.
"Indeed," said Darcy, "There are two fireplaces, one on each end of the library. Before each fire is a collection of comfortable sofas and chairs. My father used to gather us all in the evening to the library and we would sit together, eating biscuits and drinking warm milk, while he read aloud to us from a book. When we were very young, it was usually children's rhymes or the bible, but when we got older, he would read Shakespeare or adventure tales."
"That is a very sweet domestic picture, Darcy," said Elizabeth.
"I hope for much the same when we wed," said he.
"I do as well, for your reading voice is very soothing. I may fall asleep though, which would lessen my enjoyment."
"Then I will simply have to read to you while you lay in bed," said Darcy.
Elizabeth blushed and looked away embarrassed. Darcy did as well, for he had not meant to make an allusion to what intimacy such a scene would imply.
"I apologise," said he, "I did not mean…"
"I am well, Darcy," said Elizabeth, "I know you meant nothing by it. Tell me of your favourite places on the grounds."
"That is very difficult, Miss Elizabeth," said Darcy, relieved that she had not taken offense and had changed the subject, "There are too many. I love to fish in the streams and walk along the trails. The formal gardens are small, as I prefer nature to play the primary roll in beautifying the land. Yet, my mother had a very lovely rose garden within the formal gardens that has remarkable roses of all different varieties. Georgiana had taken over the care of it now that she is older. She had become quite adept at cross breeding the plants to create lovely blooms."
"I did not know that Georgiana gardened," said Elizabeth.
"Oh yes," said Darcy, "she often comes in from outdoor in the spring covered in dirt as she helps the gardeners. I tried to tell her some years ago that she need not actually do the work herself. She could just tell the men what to do. She refused, saying she preferred to do it herself. I saw no harm in it, so she continues."
"Much the same way that you clear woods alongside the workers," teased Elizabeth.
"I suppose. I do think it rather silly that ladies and gentlemen are not allowed to sully their hands with hard work. I think it is good for people to feel the ache of sore muscles after a job well done. It helps them to appreciate those who are in their service."
"I quite agree, Darcy," said Elizabeth, "Is there a home farm or is it all tenant lands?"
"There is a small home farm," said Darcy, "It only produces enough for the household. I do not sell the produce. The home farm used to be larger, but then I had to hire men to farm it. I make less by having let it to tenants, but the people feel more pride in it when it is their farm, instead of the manor's."
"How many tenants do you have?" asked Elizabeth.
"Over two hundred at Pemberley," said Darcy, "With another hundred between the other estates." Elizabeth gasped, for she had not expected so many. Her father had about fifty tenants at any given time, and their estate was one of the larger ones in the area.
"But how do you care for them all? Is it not difficult to ensure they all have what they need?"
"It is," said Darcy, "but I have many men in my employ who I trust to take care of things. I often have a dozen letters of business to answer a day, ensuring that all the tenants and my men know what is to be done."
"Eliza!" came Charlotte Lucas's voice, interrupting their conversation.
"Yes, Charlotte?" asked Elizabeth, confused as to why her friend had come.
"Mr. Collins has finally written. Since Miss de Bourgh is now found, he is to return to Hertfordshire and we may wed as soon as he returns," said Charlotte.
"I am very happy for you," said Elizabeth, attempting the force herself to believe her words.
"He is travelling hither with Lady Catherine and her daughter. They should arrive today," said Charlotte, "and he writes that Lady Catherine wishes to speak to you and to Mr. Darcy, for she believes that you lured him away from her daughter and that it is your fault that her daughter must wed Colonel Fitzwilliam instead of Mr. Darcy."
"What is the matter with Miss de Bourgh wedding Colonel Fitzwilliam? He is the son of an earl, after all," said Elizabeth.
"He has no fortune, Eliza," said Charlotte, "She is most displeased."
"I have no notion how this is Miss Elizabeth's fault," said Darcy, "I was never going to marry my cousin."
"Perhaps not, but this is not about what was going to happen. It is about what Lady Catherine believes would have happened."
"Miss Elizabeth", said Darcy, "I fear that there will be unpleasantness upon my aunt's arrival. I must beg leave to invite myself to dine with your family tonight, for I do not wish you to face her alone."
"You are always welcome at our table, Darcy," said Elizabeth, "I will send a note with a maid to Longbourn."