Elizabeth had to admit as she walked toward the west drawing room where Lady Catherine waited that she was nervous. She had heard much of Lady Catherine's character from her good friend Charlotte Collins but she could not understand how she could be of service to the woman. Elizabeth had, after all, never met the woman or her daughter Anne due to her visit to her Kent being cancelled.
Elizabeth rushed through the corridors of Pemberley as fast as she could knowing many stories of the woman's anger at being kept waiting. At that moment in time, Elizabeth was pleased to think that she had never been an acquaintance of the Lady Catherine for even Georgiana seemed to be dismayed every time her Aunt's name was mentioned in company.
The doors to the drawing room were stood open and Elizabeth immediately saw the woman sat in the room. She sat in the same proud posture as Darcy but at that moment Elizabeth came to understand that the situation with his Aunt was going to be far worse!
"Lady Catherine." Elizabeth said as she entered the room and curtsied to the woman who looked at her with a disliking stare.
"So you are Elizabeth Bennet." Elizabeth was shocked slightly by this question but she kept her posture and smiled slightly.
"I was previously Elizabeth Bennet, ma'am." Lady Catherine stood at this and hit her walking stick off the floor roughly.
"You can be at a loss Miss Bennet for the reason of my journey to Pemberley." Elizabeth swallowed roughly.
"I must admit madam that I cannot account for the great pleasure of seeing you here." Lady Catherine sighed heavily at Elizabeth's response.
"I received news of such an alarming nature, Miss Benner that I felt I had to journey to Pemberley."
"What is that news?"
"I had a report that you have been joined with my nephew! I came to Pemberley in the hope of hearing it contradicted!"
"Unless your coming to Pemberley was to find confirmation of it!"
"Selfish girl! If you were sensible of your own good you would not have quit the sphere in which you had been brought up!"
"Lady Catherine, in marrying your nephew I did not consider myself as quitting that sphere. He is a gentleman and I was a gentleman's daughter, in that respect we were equal!"
"But what of your Mother and Aunt's! Do not imagine me ignorant of their condition!" Elizabeth could immediately feel herself becoming more angry at this woman, but the more she grew angry the more she knew that she hated this woman!
"Whatever my connections may be your nephew never felt anything of them so they should mean nothing to you!"
"Obstinate, head-strong girl, I am ashamed of you! I am not in the habit of making disappointment."
"That will make your Ladyship's situation at present more pitiable but it will have no effect on me!" Lady Catherine sighed heavily and took a few steps around the room. Elizabeth watched her carefully, trying as hard as possible to retain her anger.
"I am not accustomed to such language as this. You will however, satisfy me. Why did you join with my nephew in matrimony?"
"I believe Lady Catherine that such a question is not to be asked!"
"Ridiculous girl! Mr Darcy was engaged to my daughter, now what have you to say?" Elizabeth had to admit that she was rather shocked by this question but the main question that plagued her mind was, why had Darcy not told her of such a thing?
"That if he was so you can have no reason to suppose it was due to my involvement that he chose to change his decision." Lady Catherine stamped her walking stick on the floor in anger. "You have insulted me by every possible method and now must beg of my leave." Elizabeth turned away at this trying to hide the tears that were gathering in her eyes.
"You have no regard then, for the honour and credit of my nephew!" Lady Catherine screeched as she rushed after Elizabeth out of the door. "Are the shades of Pemberley to be thus polluted? For him to be connected to such a scandalous family!" Elizabeth stopped at this and turned to face Lady Catherine in anger.
"What do you mean, madam?"
"I know of your sister's infinite elopement, yes I know it all. Such a tragedy only resolved by your Uncle's expense resulting in a scandalously patched-up marriage!" Elizabeth turned away at this and continued walking through the house with Lady Catherine following. It was only at the grand staircase that Elizabeth turned to Lady Catherine again.
"Lady Catherine, you must be informed that in respect to your nephew and my husband I only acted in a way to secure my own happiness and not the happiness of others such as yourself!"
"I demand to see my nephew!" Lady Catherine screeched as Elizabeth turned to the stairs.
It was only when Elizabeth raised her eyes that she saw Darcy stood at the top of the staircase looking down at his Aunt. Elizabeth tried desperately to keep her tears to herself but as she mounted the stairs listening to Lady Catherine's calls for Darcy the tears fell unceremoniously.
"I am here Aunt!" Darcy said as he walked down the stairs. "How may I be of service to you at this late hour?"
When Darcy approached Elizabeth on the stairs she immediately looked away but as he stood next to her he grabbed her arm roughly, forcing her eyes to his.
"What did she say to upset you so?" Darcy asked. Elizabeth did nothing but pull her arm from his grip, turn her head from him and continue to her chambers.
"Darcy!" Elizabeth heard Lady Catherine call in anger to her nephew. Elizabeth did nothing at this but close her eyes slightly and continue on her journey, a one that would hopefully, not take her any further from Darcy.
"Yes Aunt." Darcy said as he stopped in front of his Aunt. "How can I be of service to you?"
"You can inform me of how you came to be joined in matrimony to that woman!" Darcy now looked around at the many servants who had gathered to see what had interrupted their sleep.
"Come to the drawing room Aunt." Darcy said before he led his Aunt away. The servants who had gathered heard nothing more of the conversation apart from the heavy slam of a door indicating the Master's anger.
Darcy stood perfectly still watching his Aunt as she paced the room waiting for a reply to her question.
"I do not understand the reason for your journey to Pemberley, Aunt apart from the reason of interrupting the peace of my home." Lady Catherine turned to her nephew in anger at this.
"It is because of your connection to such a family that I have journeyed so far Darcy! What convinced you to enter into matrimony with such a woman, a woman with such low connections! You had a perfectly reasonable match with Anne!"
"Which was a match made by my mother and yourself! It was not made of my own decision or the decision of my heart!" Lady Catherine laughed at this.
"I can see that Miss Bennet—
"Mrs Darcy!" Darcy interrupted. His Aunt's eyes flared at hearing such a word but nonetheless she continued.
"I can see that she has slight affection for you but how long will it last, Darcy! She will ensure that you will never enter dignified society again with such a character."
"What character is that, Aunt? For I am assured that you have never been acquainted with Elizabeth."
"I never have and I never wish to be! You can understand that I shall never welcome her to Rosings Park, to do such a thing will be a humiliation to my own standing in society! However, Georgiana and yourself are always welcome, you know my generous hospitalities."
"Very well, Aunt, but let me assure you that if Elizabeth is not welcomed at Rosings then Georgiana nor I will be present. You did not only insult Elizabeth by coming here tonight in such a manner but you also humiliated my name, for that I feel that I shall never be able to forgive."
"You have changed, Fitzwilliam Darcy! Your Father would have been ashamed to see you affected by a woman, to see you affected by lust!" Darcy smiled slightly at his Aunt's comments for he knew that every word she had spoken was untrue.
"I thank you for your comments, Lady Catherine on my nuptials but I now believe that you have overstayed your welcome. I wish you a pleasant journey back to Kent where your standing in society shall always be secure!" Darcy opened the door at this and stood waiting for her to leave.
"I have never been thus treated in my life!" She screeched as she walked through the door. Lady Catherine sighed slightly as she stood outside of the room until the door slammed roughly behind her. It was only at this that she understood that she had overstayed her welcome and that she would never again return to Pemberley, the estate that was ruined by Elizabeth Bennet!
Elizabeth sat in the water of her bathing tub cradling herself in shock and sadness. The tears fell gently down her face until they fell into the water but she paid them no attention. Her mind was engaged in Lady Catherine's many insults to her person and the many insults to her family. She had to confess that some of the topics of her family were true, such as Lydia's marriage but they were nothing for such a woman to contemplate on nor discuss.
A gentle rapping on the door drew Elizabeth from her thoughts.
"Who is it?" She asked from her position in the bathing tub.
"It is Fitzwilliam. Please, Elizabeth will you talk to me? Allow me to enter." Elizabeth sighed slightly.
"I wish to be alone, please."
"Then allow me to see you only to ensure myself of your health." Darcy said as he leaned against the door, his heart breaking at the sound of her distressed voice. Unfortunately, there was silence in the room. "Elizabeth, will you speak with Georgiana?" He waited for her reply patiently but none came. He just started to turn away when he heard her voice.
"I will see Georgiana." Darcy's heart nearly leapt at these words but as soon as he heard them he was running through the house to his sister.
Elizabeth remained in the bathing tub until she heard Georgiana's soft voice at the door.
"Is Fitzwilliam there?" Elizabeth asked as she pulled a gown around herself.
"No, it is only I."
When the door opened Georgiana immediately knew that her brother had spoken the truth when he told her of Elizabeth's distress. Elizabeth's eyes were inflamed from the tears and she held her arms tight around her body.
"My dear Elizabeth! Fitzwilliam told me that Lady Catherine had happened upon us."
"Oh, Georgiana!" Elizabeth said as she crossed the room and sat on the bed, tears falling freely from her eyes. "I am afraid that the words she spoke are truth!"
"Lady Catherine will never speak truth!" Georgiana said before she laughed at her own insult.
"She insulted me so Georgiana, she made me feel so unworthy."
"Unworthy of what Elizabeth?"
"Unworthy of having you as a sister, of Fitzwilliam as a husband!"
"You shall always be worthy of having us as a family Elizabeth but we are the unworthy ones, for we do not deserve you." Elizabeth laughed at Georgiana's wisdom.
"I have but one fear, Georgiana."
"You do not fear, Elizabeth, you are too strong for that."
"But I do. I fear that one day I may loose the family I have come to love." Elizabeth laughed. "I do not mean my family at Longborne of course, I mean you and Fitzwilliam, you have both become so dear to me, and I could not bear to loose you now." Georgiana could say nothing in reply to this remark but the only thing she thought she needed to do was comfort her sister. For at that moment, the only person who needed her love and comfort was Elizabeth.
Meanwhile, Darcy paced around his bedchamber deep in thought. It was not his Aunt's wicked words that plagued his soul, it was Elizabeth's. Her words of the family I have come to love rang through Darcy's mind triggering debates deep in his soul that he was unsure if he would be able to control.
Hey all, thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter, it was good to know what you were all thinking. The next question is not relevant to this chapter but it is relevant to the next, give me your ideas of what you think is going to happen.
Q. What do you think was inside of the letter that Darcy had sent to Bingley? What do you think was mentioned? (If you are unsure of what I am talking about, I am referring to the letter Darcy mentioned in the last chapter. I think he said he was waiting for a reply from Bingley)