I am so sorry this took so long! I had ideas on how I want their first interaction to take place, but I want it to be realistic as well. I'm struggling needless to say! This is a little love for Lady Catherine, and the next, whenever it is published, will be Collins and Lizzy! I cannot decide if I want Charlotte to have a happy ending (aka leaving Collins) or if she deserves what she got into (aka staying with Collins)
Thanks for continuing to read!
Rosing's, the estate belonging to Lady Catherine DeBourgh, rose in the distance like some medieval castle. It was made of dark, weathered stones, and had two turrets. The only thing it seemed to be missing was the moat and the knights surrounding it.
"It looks medieval," She whispered to her husband as they approached the long driveway. The twins were asleep, and she hoped that they could stay asleep for a little while longer. Georgiana held Bennet in her arms, while William rested peacefully in her own arms.
"Just wait until you see the inside," Her husband whispered back. "Caroline Bingley loves it"
She laughed softly.
"And where is the parsonage?" She asked after a second.
"A half a mile away on the Western entrance"
"We took the eastern entrance"
"I did want to alert them to our presence prematurely. I will ensure that we only interact with that odious man when it is absolutely inescapable" He promised.
"He cannot hurt me anymore, Will darling, I need to believe that"
"No, he cannot hurt you anymore, Lizzy, I would never let him harm you, or our children, I promise" He placed a soft kiss to her temple, and gently ran his hand over William's soft curls.
"I was hoping to write to Charlotte, invite her and the babe for tea, without her husband's presence"
"I will arrange it, do not worry" He promised.
"With you, I never worry"
Several servants, more then they actually needed, met them at the front door. Their trunks were quickly unloaded and disappeared, presumably to their rooms. The carriage was taken away to the stable, and then they were led into the large estate and down a cold and dark corridor.
"William, it looks so dreary" Georgiana whispered as they passed ancient portraits of DeBourgh's past.
"Yes, it certainly does" William now snoozed peacefully in his father's arms, while Bennet sat alert in his mothers.
"I do not think Bennet likes it," She giggled as the child sneezed and pawed at his face. She wiped his little nose as they walked, cooing at the child, earning herself a little giggle and gurgle.
"In here, sir, ma'am, miss" The housekeeper had led them to a very ornate parlor. Plush velvet couches and settee's adorned the floor, along with a large oriental rug. A huge, shiny piano sat in one corner, and a harp in the other.
"She will want to hear you play, Georgiana" He commented as they settled into the velvet sofa.
"Must I?" Georgiana asked, blue eyes wide in panic.
"It is unbecoming of a young woman to beg, Georgiana" Came a voice from the door. She turned to see an older woman, a little older then her own mother, dressed in the finest silks and velvets, enter the room.
"Aunt Catherine!" Georgiana curtsied. Catherine DeBourgh was a thin, straight-backed woman. She had steel grey hair, piled high into a fashionable plait, sharp cheekbones, and large, see all blue eyes.
"Come, give your Aunt a proper greeting, Georgiana"" Georgiana stood hastily and gracefully made her way to the woman. She dutifully kissed the woman's weathered cheek.
"It is a pleasure to see you again, Aunt" Georgiana told her. "You look very well"
"Thank you, dear. I feel better then ever. William, are you going to continue with this overwhelming rudeness, or shall Georgiana have to introduce me to your wife?"
"Apologizes, Aunt. I was distracted" He stood, William still in his arms. "Aunt Catherine, this is my wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Darcy, Lizzy, dear, this is my Aunt, Lady Catherine DeBourgh" She curtsied with Bennet clutched to her chest.
"My Lady, it is an honor to meet you" She murmured. "May I have the honor to introduce you to your great-nephews?"
"Of course" Lady Catherine nodded, approaching the two of them.
"Aunt, this is the eldest, Bennet Edward Darcy, and this is William Francis Darcy"
"Would you like to hold one?" Lizzy asked, as Aunt Catherine looked the boys over. She looked up, surprised.
"Yes, yes of course, I thank you" She replied. She handed Bennet over, who looked up at his new great Aunt with his large blue eyes, and smiled.
"He looks just like you, Fitzwilliam" Lady Catherine remarked softly. She was so focused on the child; it was like she was in a trance. Her husband smiled over Lady Catherine's shoulder and gave her the thumbs up. "You know, the blue eyes are a trait that the Fitzwilliam has had for centuries. Anne's eyes are brown, though."
"My mother had vivid blue eyes" William remarked.
"Yes, yes she certainly did. Your father's eyes were more of the color Georgiana has, while you, Fitzwilliam, have your mothers eyes"
"Aunt Catherine, is Anne here?" Georgiana asked.
"Anne is not feeling too well, perhaps she shall be up for a visit in a few hours" Lady Catherine replied quietly. Fitzwilliam gave her a concerned look.
"Lady Catherine, I beg your pardon, but it is past time that the children were fed. Pray, excuse me"
"Of course, children should be kept on a strict schedule if they are ever to learn" Lady Catherine bristled, back to her normal self.
"I beg your leave to freshen up as well, Aunt" Georgiana added.
Lady Catherine permitted it, and her husband asked to speak with his Aunt in her study. Georgiana carried Bennet while she toted William up the stairs, behind the servant assigned to show them to their room. Georgiana followed Lizzy into her room so that she could help bathe the boys who were dusty from their travels.
"She does seem as, well, bitter or commanding as William had warned" Lizzy remarked as they washed the boys off with wet clothes.
"She was remarkably tame, yes" Georgiana agreed, "It was not her nature, though, she seemed a little sad. I worry that it is over Anne's delicate health"
"She has never been a healthy woman, no?"
"William tells me that she was once very outgoing and robust, the epitome of health. But a few years after her father passed away, she developed aches and pains, bruises and was prone to nose bleeds. She was around ten, or so. She is only four years my elder"
"She is of an age to myself"
"Yes, and you look remarkably similar. Anne, as a child, had long dark curls, a trait she inherited from her father. Her eyes were always so wide and wondrous, and she had quite the habit of disobeying Lady Catherine, or so William tells me"
"She sees me as how her daughter's life should have unfolded," Lizzy whispered, her heart going out to the poor woman she had never met, and her mother. "She has but one daughter"
"She had two sons, I met the youngest as a child. Arthur was the eldest. He drowned in the pond they used to have in the gardens. Lady Catherine filled that in after his death, he was but eight years old. He was older then William, in fact, a year or two. Then Anne was born, and then the youngest, Aldrich was two years my junior. I was to marry him, William was to marry Anne. Anne got sick when she was ten, I was six, and Aldrich was four. He was a beautiful little boy, big blue eyes and curly blonde hair. Anne had a fever, but it wasn't anything new, she was always sick now. But then Aldrich caught it. He never woke up"
"Oh, that is terrible!"
"Yes, Aunt Catherine hasn't been the same since" Georgiana took her leave then, she still had to bathe for dinner, and Lizzy took the time to feed William, who was awake. Bennet snoozed peacefully on the large feather bed. By the time that William was finished, Bennet was now awake. She put William down to sleep, and fed Bennet.
William came up to the room just as Bennet finished suckling. The baby was currently squirming and giggling all over the carpet, making funny faces every couple of seconds. He was not as good of a sleeper as William.
"Where is Ben?" She would ask, covering her eyes. Bennet would gurgle and she would take her hands away, saying happily, "There he is!" The baby would laugh and drool.
"I see you two are fun, but I believe it is time for Bennet to nap, and for Lizzy to bathe" He took Bennet from the ground, and then picked Will up from the bed.
"All of my favorite men" She laughed, kissing each male's nose. William scrunched his up in his sleep, and Bennet made to grab her face. Her husband tilted his face just in time to catch her lips with her own.
"You are all little scoundrels," She laughed. "Go, put them down, and I shall bathe"
William returned as she was soaking.
"How is your cousin, truly?" She asked as he sat on the settee, untying his cravat. He sighed.
"Anne is not well at all, in truth. The physicians do not think she will survive the year"
"Your poor Aunt, Georgie told me about your other cousins"
"Arthur and Aldrich" He sighed again, rubbing his forehead. "Aunt Catherine does not know what to do. We all knew that Anne would die young, but Aunt Catherine refused to believe it. She tried everything to make her better, trips to Bathe, medicines from the Continent, doctors from all over the world"
"She is her only daughter, her only child, her little girl, she loves her," She pointed out. "I do not think I could ever accept a child's death"
"And with luck, we shall never have to." He whispered, squeezing into the tub behind her. She relaxed against this chest. "I have seen what it does to my mother and father, and to my aunt and uncle. It is a horrible, horrible ordeal"
"My family was lucky, we never once lost a child that I can recall. I remember Lady Lucas's youngest child, a beautiful little girl named Amy, she drowned as a child, and she was of an age with myself. It brought Charlotte and I closer. With your Aunt's child drowning, I do not think I shall allow the boys anywhere near a body of water"
"I shall teach them to swim as soon as they are able," He promised. "Until then, the pond is off limits"
"Speaking of off limits" She whispered, turning herself so that she now straddled his waist, "The physicians time limit has expired, and I do dearly miss my loving husband" She placed wet kisses along his collarbone. She felt a hardness growing between them. She smirked. "You waste no time, my love," She whispered, kissing up his neck.
"I've waited three months, and then some" He replied, catching her lips on their ascent.
"We shall have to reward you for your patience" He picked her up from the water in one clean swoop. She locked her legs around his waist as he carefully got out of the tub.
"But you are not clean yet" She protested.
"I'll bathe later" He panted against her neck. She laughed, wild and without abandon.
An hour later they found themselves taking a rather chilly bathe, quickly washing each others backed and fronts. Lizzy hastily dressed in her dinner gown, thankful she had washed her hair before he had joined her, while he struggled to dry his own curly locks with a towel.
"We are going to be late," She whispered, kissing his lips once more.
"We are ready, let us go" He all but dragged her from the room, silly smiles on both of their faces.
Lady Catherine was descending the steps with Georgiana as they approached.
"Ah, William, Mrs. Darcy, there you are" Lady Catherine smiled thinly.
"Please, Lady Catherine, call me Elizabeth, or Lizzy," She told her with a small smile.
"Elizabeth it is, you may call me Aunt, or Aunt Catherine"
"Thank you, Aunt" She replied. "What a beautiful necklace that is"
Lady Catherine went off on an explanation of her choker; it had belonged to the previous Lady DeBourgh.
They enjoyed all the courses in relative silence. Lady Catherine was uncharacteristically silent based on her husband and sister's faces. Lizzy ate the delicious, albeit foreign food happily. Lady Catherine did ask a few questions, mainly about the boys, and then some of her family.
"I have four sisters, Aunt," She told her. "Two are married now, and two remain at home"
"And the married ones, are the older then you?"
"I am the second eldest. My elder sister, Jane, was recently wed to Mr. Charles Bingley, William's dear friend. My youngest sister married an army soldier a few months past"
"Your youngest married before the eldest?"
"Jane and I have always been very close as children. She did not want me to miss the wedding while I was in my confinement stage. She held off marrying for quite a few months to accommodate myself. My youngest had no such qualms."
"I understand that my parson, Mr. Collin's, is a relative of yours"
"Estranged relative, Aunt" William reminded her. "We do not wish to speak of the matter any further though"
"Well, I wish to atone for my behavior last fall when you wrote to me of his heinous behavior" She remarked loudly. "I apologize for not taking your note seriously. I did not believe that insipid man to dangerous. Several of my tenants have lodged complaints against him however, and I am loathe to underestimate him once again"
"He has behaved inappropriately to other women, Aunt?" Her husband asked, rising from the table.
"William sit down," Lady Catherine demanded. "I have ulterior motives to having you here. Not only did I miss your presence at Easter, but also Anne is not well, and neither am I. I have no heirs, and therefore I need your help bestowing my wealth, estate, townhouse and all of my other possessions to your cousin, Richard"
"The Colonel?" Georgiana asked.
"Yes, the Colonel" Aunt Catherine amended. "He is the only one without in this family, and I believe that he deserves a little something"
"Your fortune and estate are not a little something" Will pointed out.
"I have faith that you will guide him"
"Of course I will, Richard is like a brother"
"Good, then that is settled. My next motive was removing Mr. Collins from the parsonage"
"What of his family?" Lizzy asked before she could stop herself. "Of his wife, Charlotte, and their child"
"I feel terrible kicking them out, but I believe that Mrs. Collins will follow him wherever he goes" Lady Catherine said sadly, "The foolish woman"
"I will remove him on the morrow. Lizzy, dear, perhaps Charlotte will have tea with you, if that is amendable, Aunt?"
"Of course, I will send a maid to invite her right away"
"William, I need to speak to him before he leaves, I need to confront this" She reminded him as they lay in their bed later that night
"And you will, dear, but I will be there with you. You should try to talk Charlotte into leaving him, returning home"
"She won't believe me"
"She might," He whispered, pulling her closer. "Sleep now Lizzy, tomorrow will come soon enough"
That night she dreamt horrible dreams. Mr. Collins was chasing her once again, screaming and cursing, threatening her family. She got to a pond; he was there with two identical little boys. One had green eyes where the other had blue. A sickly looking woman floated in the pond, her white gown sticking to her.
"Say goodbye, cousin" Mr. Collins called. He threw one of the boys into the pond. The little thing struggled, and struggled, but eventually he went under. She tried to scream, to run, but she couldn't.
"He's next" He picked up the other boy, who kicked and fought, and he went into the pond as well. They both drowned as she watched.
She awoke in tears, her husband holding her tight.
"I couldn't say them," She wailed. "They drowned, he killed them"
"Ssh, ssh, it's okay, Lizzy, they are both okay" He rubbed her back, and clutched her shaking frame closer.
"He threw them into the pond, they couldn't swim" She sobbed.
"Will and Ben are sleeping peacefully a few rooms down, I promise you. Do you wish to see them?" He asked. She nodded against him. He stood from the bed and helped her into a dressing gown. They walked quietly to the nursery, easing the door open as silently as they could.
"See, they are both okay" He whispered. William slept with his thumb in his mouth, and Bennet had a hand tossed over his face. Both slept peacefully, their breathing deep and even, little noises escaping them every couple of minutes.
"I'm; sorry" She whispered. He drew her in closer to his body, kissing the top of her head.
"It is not your fault, Lizzy" He assured her.
"I need this to stop, William," She told him, looking up. He was looking as her with a sad smile on his face.
"I know, dear, I just wish you did not need to see him to find this closure"
"I need him to see that he was wrong, that he did not ruin me. I need him to see that our marriage is one filled with loved, and respect. I need him to see our healthy, happy little boys, and I need to see that Charlotte is unharmed,"
"You need rest now, though,"
"Can we stay here?" She asked, gesturing to the small cot in the corner of the nursery.
"Of course" He pulled her with him, down onto the cot. It was a tight squeeze, but with his arms around her, and her boys within her line of vision, she fell back to sleep, dreams no longer haunting her.