Chapter 25
Mr. and Mrs. Darcy got up late the day after their wedding. After breakfast in bed, they both took a bath, dressed in comfortable clothes and went for a walk around Pemberley. They wanted to talk and agree on many things necessary for the life they were beginning together.
"I hope, my dear, that you like your bedroom. Last year, before I traveled to London, I had it remodeled. But I always knew it was temporary. I want you to feel comfortable and decorate it as you please," said Mr. Darcy as he walked with his wife on his arm.
"Always so conceited, William," Elizabeth said with a laugh.
"Why do you say that?" Mr. Darcy asked, a little surprised.
"Because you assumed I would marry you," Elizabeth replied.
"But I remember I proposed, and you accepted me. Why do you say I was conceited for assuming that my betrothed would marry me?"
"I accepted William Thompson, do not forget. But, if I remember correctly, I rejected Fitzwilliam Darcy."
"I suppose you will remind me of that for the rest of my life."
"Yes, my dear. That way, you will think twice before withholding information from me in the future," Elizabeth replied with a flirtatious smile.
Mr. Darcy stopped and was going to take his wife in his arms, but she guessed his intentions and started running in the garden direction, laughing while her husband followed her. Since he was taller and stronger, it did not take him long to catch up with her. He grabbed her by the waist, hugged her, and tried to kiss her while Elizabeth laughed. But they were interrupted by a dog barking.
"Plato, it is so good to see you," Elizabeth said, breaking free from her husband's embrace so she could greet her furry friend. She hugged the dog while Plato waggled his tail and accepted each of her cuddles.
Mr. Darcy watched in fascination as his wife interacted with his dog. "One more hug, and I think I shall be jealous," Mr. Darcy said, feigning seriousness.
"I am sorry, William. But who can resist these beautiful little eyes and ears of this lovely little dog with a French name," Elizabeth said, causing her husband to laugh.
"Mrs. Darcy, It is time for us to go home. It will start to rain again in a few more minutes," Mr. Darcy explained as he saw the dark clouds approaching.
"What a pity; I would have liked to tour the northern part of the park. That forest looks so beautiful." Elizabeth was fascinated by how lush the vegetation was in her new home.
"Do not worry, my dear. You will have the rest of your life going through all these forests. Besides, I have some ideas to keep you entertained at home," Mr. Darcy said with a mischievous smile. When his wife blushed, he added, "We can go to the library, and I can show you all our exclusive collections."
"Do you have any collection of romance novels?" Elizabeth asked with a teasing smile.
"Yes," Mr. Darcy answered, trying to guess what his wife was up to.
"Would you let me read you one? I promise it won't be more than one chapter a day." Elizabeth said tentatively.
"No," Mr. Darcy answered emphatically.
Elizabeth approached William suggestively and added, "If you let me read you a daily chapter of a romance novel, I shall…" She murmured something in her husband's ear, causing him to hug and kiss her passionately.
"When do we start?" Mr. Darcy asked, his voice cracking with passion and desire.
"Today, after dinner," Elizabeth answered playfully, and she accepted Mr. Darcy's kisses. He told her how much he loved her.
From the window of one of the rooms on the second floor, Mrs. Reynolds watched the romantic scene for a few seconds, and she could not help but shed some tears. She came to work at Pemberley when Mr. Darcy was four years old, and from then on, she took a special liking to the young master Darcy. She had never known a boy so sweet and well-behaved but, above all, so lacking in love. She was always afraid that some cold and calculating woman would catch him to take advantage of the position and wealth of her beloved Master. But it was clear that the charming Mrs. Darcy loved him and made him happy. Since meeting her, he has become more open and always smiled.
P&P
The journey with Lydia was truly excruciating. She complained about everything and only talked about how unfair everyone had been to her. Mr. Gardiner was reasonable and patient but had to reprimand Lydia harshly on more than one occasion. Even Mrs. Gardiner lost her temper on more than one occasion.
The day they spent with Lady Victoria at Matlock, she helped them create a plan to assist the Bennet family. She provided very insightful suggestions and advice on how to proceed.
The first thing would be to have a serious conversation with Mr. and Mrs. Bennet. Later, they will contact Elizabeth and Jane to request their support in helping their three sisters. Although the Gardiners insisted to Archibald and Agatha that they should not bother with the Bennet family's troubles, they, out of love for Elizabeth, were willing to contribute to the matter.
When they finally arrived at Longbourn, Mrs. Bennet received Lydia warmly and without a hint of wanting to discipline or punish her for what she had done. Instead, when Lydia felt supported by her mother, she began to behave like the spoiled child she was.
After the travelers had a chance to rest and freshen up, the whole family gathered in the drawing room for an earnest conversation and to share the news. But Lydia could not keep quiet and began to tell how things had happened from her perspective.
"And because of Lizzy, Mama, I could not marry my dear Wickham. She and that awful Mr. Darcy accused him of terrible offenses and sent him to prison. Besides, Mama, Lizzy married Mr. Darcy with that man's permission," Lydia said, pointing at Archibald.
"Lizzy got married?" Mr. and Mrs. Bennet asked at the same time. Kitty and Mary were equally surprised and wanted to hear what Uncle Gardiner had to say, but Lydia did not stop protesting.
"Mama, you should tell Papa to annul Lizzy's marriage. She did not let me get married so she could be the center of attention, and that is not fair. Plus, they made me spend a whole night at Lizzy's new aunt's house. She thinks she is so important and wise because she is a Countess. Mama, that Lady Victoria was mean to me and said I was a spoiled child, and you know I am not a child; I almost married my dear Wickham. She also told me I was irresponsible and that the only way to become a decent girl was to spend many years in school because I was not ready to be out in society. I hate Lady Victoria and do not care what she says, Mama. If Papa annuls Lizzy's marriage, that horrible woman would no longer be part of our family."
Mr. Bennet tried twice to silence his daughter, but nothing and no one could stop her, or at least, that was what she believed. As Lydia protested, Mrs. Bennet recorded everything she heard with great interest. Elizabeth married a gentleman with an annual income of ten thousand pounds, who owned half of Derbyshire, and had an aunt who was a countess.
"Mama, tell Papa he has to go find Lizzy and annul her marriage," Lydia said as she threw a tantrum worthy of a five-year-old child. She was vexed because her mother was not paying attention to her.
All the adults had lost patience as Mary and Kitty watched their sister with resignation. They were used to her horrible behavior and knew it could last several minutes.
"Stop it, Lydia. Your father will not do anything you say. Lizzy, what a clever girl; I always knew that with her intelligence, she would achieve great things. Oh, Mr. Bennet, we have another rich daughter, and she is the niece of an Earl and a Countess. What a great joy!" Mrs. Bennet said, full of emotion. "But please tell me everything; I want to know all the details."
Lydia tried one more time to get her mother's attention, and when she could not, she ran to lock herself in her room.
Without Lydia interrupting, Mr. Gardiner said everything he had prepared. "Your irresponsible daughter came close to ruining the reputation of our entire family, including my own daughter. But this reprehensible behavior is ending now! Bennet, Fanny: Lady Victoria told us she would support Mary and Kitty. But Lydia must attend a girls' school where she learns how to behave and never more puts our family's reputation in peril. I hope you will support us in this."
"Of course, I do not want Lydia in this house either," Mr. Bennet added, looking at Archibald. "I did not give my daughter's custody for that purpose, Stone. You did not have the right to authorize Lizzy to marry that man. I am worried about her because I do not think MY daughter can be happy with a man like that."
"I am sorry, Bennet. But Lizzy loves William, and he loves her. They gave up having the wedding they deserved to cover up your youngest daughter's indiscretion after you allowed her to go to Brighton. What matters to me is that SHE is happy, and she is," Archibald replied flatly.
Mr. Bennet did not know what to say and had no choice but to accept that Elizabeth would never return to Longbourn.
"You did very well, Archibald, giving Lizzy permission to marry the rich Mr. Darcy. Please do not listen to Mr. Bennet; he does not know what he is saying," added Mrs. Bennet, still excited.
But the guests were leaving the following day, so they discussed other plans they had to help the family. In another week, Kitty would live with the Gardiners temporarily until Elizabeth was well established in her new home. Then, in a month or two, she would live in Pemberley, where she could study with Mrs. Annesley and Georgiana's tutors.
Mary will spend some time with the Stones. Although she was a little scared at first, Agatha was so kind and loving that she convinced her. In addition, Agatha and Archibald told her they had a good friend who was a piano teacher, and if she wanted, they could ask him to help her improve her instrument performance.
After Mary and Kitty left for London with her aunt and uncle, Lydia was left alone with her parents. After several days of confinement and having nothing to do, she thought she would die of boredom. She could not leave home without money or permission to go anywhere.
To ensure that the Bennets were clear about where she stood on the matter, Lady Victoria wrote a long letter to Mrs. Bennet explaining the seriousness of what Lydia had done. She also told her that if her youngest daughter did not learn to behave like a lady, she would have to ask her nephew Darcy to limit all contact with her wife's family. Mrs. Bennet was so flattered to receive a letter from the Countess that she walked all over Meryton with the letter, albeit without revealing its contents.
Finally, Lydia agreed to go to a girls' school to have something to do. Anything was better than spending every day in her house with nothing to do. Rumors of her elopement with Wickham gave way to rumors of Elizabeth's sudden marriage to the wealthy and pompous Mr. Darcy and of Wickham's imprisonment. All Meryton knew about Mrs. Forster's affair with the officer. So they assumed that she made up the story of Lydia's elopement to conceal her indiscretion so her husband would not find out about it.
Mr. Bennet always dreamed of living in peace and being able to devote all his time to his books. But once none of his daughters were at home, his wife, having no one else to talk to, found nothing better than spending much of the day talking to him. Unfortunately, he had no choice but to tolerate that horrible new situation as best he could.
P&P
Before dinner, Mrs. Reynolds lined all the staff at the main entrance so Mr. Darcy could formally introduce their new Mistress. The servants were very surprised by the sudden wedding of their Master, but they could appreciate that the new Mrs. Darc was pretty and loved her husband. Also, it is evident that Mr. Darcy was entirely in love with his new wife, so they were pleased to see how happy he looked next to Mrs. Darcy.
Mrs. Reynolds ensured everything was clean and perfect, and the cook prepared a delicious dinner to welcome Mrs. Darcy to her new home. After dinner, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth went to the library to read and converse. The rain was getting heavier, and the temperature had dropped sharply. Hence, Mr. Darcy sat by the fireplace, drinking brandy while watching his wife search the many shelves for a particular book.
"I found it, William," she said and walked over to her husband. "I believe we should sit on that sofa; that chair does not fit both of us."
"I completely disagree with you, Mrs. Darcy," Mr. Darcy said, sitting his wife on his lap.
"Well, I must admit that you are much more comfortable than I had thought," Elizabeth replied as she settled into her husband's lap. Then, she opened the book's first chapter and began to read it. But she could not go far because Mr. Darcy interrupted her.
"That does not make any sense, my dear. Why would Captain Russell, who is an honorable gentleman, be in love with that woman who left him for a wealthy and powerful man?" Mr. Darcy asked angrily.
"It is just the beginning, William. You shall see how he changes his mind later," Elizabeth explained and continued reading. But she could not get more than two pages forward when her husband interrupted her again.
"That woman is shameless. How could she say she was in love with a man when she married another? I swear I do not understand why Captain Russell could be in love with a woman like that. That is not love; it is just an infatuation or perhaps a whim," Mr. Darcy interrupted.
Elizabeth could not stop laughing, "William, it is only the first chapter. Do not be so impatient. Besides, if you keep interrupting, I shall finish reading the first chapter tomorrow."
"Alright, I shall not interrupt you anymore. But I still do not understand the plot of this novel." Mr. Darcy snuggled his wife into his arms and continued to listen as she read. He had never thought happiness could be found in an act as simple as listening to how his beloved Elizabeth read to him. Without realizing it, he kissed his wife on her forehead and caressed her cheek tenderly.
"What happened, William?" Elizabeth asked, kissing his cheek to express her happiness and return his tender gesture.
"Nothing, my dear. It is just… You are the light of my life," Mr. Darcy said, remembering his father's words.
"And you are all my happiness, my love," Elizabeth said, kissing her husband. "Well, I finished the first chapter, and you have survived, my dear William. So you see, it was not that terrible! Besides, I am certain you even enjoyed it."
"The only thing I have enjoyed is your company and hearing your beautiful voice." Mr. Darcy said, not admitting that the book was more entertaining than he had thought.
Elizabeth put the book on the table next to the chair, and Mr. Darcy kissed her very tenderly for several minutes.
"William, if you want, we do not have to continue reading the book; I do not want to force you to listen to how I read a book that is not adding anything to your life," Elizabeth said, feigning concern and saying the exact words Mr. Darcy said in Netherfield months ago.
&&&&&&&&&&"MMMMMM," Mr. Darcy knew very well what his wife was trying to do.
"What does that mean, my sweet love?" Elizabeth asked with exaggerated concern.
"You want me to admit that I am intrigued to discover how it all plays out, and if Captain Russell continues wasting his time with Lady Hampton, do you not?" Mr. Darcy asked with an enigmatic smile.
"I just want you to be happy, my love," Elizabeth retorted with a laugh. "Besides, I think you have already inadvertently acknowledged that this book has caught your attention, and you want me to keep reading for you. As a matter of fact, I shall hide it to make sure you do not try to read the next few chapters," and after laughing, she added. "What would Miss Bingley say if she knew that the ever-wise and infallible Mr. Darcy reads romance novels?"
Mr. Darcy could not help but laugh at his wife's comment and steal a few kisses from her. "Technically, Mrs. Darcy, I do not read romance novels; you read romance novels to me," he said, standing up with his wife in his arms. "It is time you and I go to sleep, Mrs. Darcy."
"I am not tired; we do not have to sleep now," Elizabeth replied, and when she realized what she had said, she blushed again.
"Well, I welcome suggestions if you are not tired," Mr. Darcy said. Elizabeth murmured something in his ear, and he just added, "Excellent suggestion, my dear."
Mr. Darcy carried his wife until they reached Elizabeth's room. On their way, she laughed and protested because she wanted to walk. As a punishment, he kissed her neck and told her how much he loved her.
As soon as they entered the Mistress's room, they were carried away by their passion and made love almost. Afterward, they talked and laughed for a few minutes and made love again, but this time, slowly and tenderly. Elizabeth never thought that she could feel so much pleasure in her husband's arms. She did not know that married life could make her feel so complete, and she understood the true meaning of her aunt Gardiner's words. Her mother had always said that a wife's duties were rather unpleasant.
"Good night, my beloved Elizabeth," Mr. Darcy said as he hugged his wife tightly. She did not reply because she had fallen asleep. He kissed her cheek and fell into a deep sleep, with a sense of peace and joy filling his soul.
P&P
When Caroline glimpsed Pemberley, she felt tremendous relief. The last few days, it had rained profusely, further delaying the journey and her plans. A trip that usually lasted three days had taken almost a week. The good thing was that the bridges were repaired, so the way back to London would be much less torturous.
She imagined that as soon as her engagement to Mr. Darcy was announced, she and Lady Victoria would travel to London to purchase her trousseau. By then, the scandal created by the vulgar and stupid Lydia Bennet would be known everywhere, and Mr. Darcy would probably not welcome Jane in his beautiful estate.
During the long hours of travel, she had planned everything and imagined her future. She had once heard a woman with extensive experience with the opposite sex say that severe and reserved men like Mr. Darcy were the complete opposite in intimacy.
She sincerely believed she was in love with Mr. Darcy because he was everything she had ever dreamed of. He was wealthy, handsome, well-connected, and the perfect gentleman. He was the type of man who would be faithful to his wedding vows and live to honor his wife and children.
In reality, Caroline had never bothered to know the true Mr. Darcy and realized they were incompatible. He was studious and reserved and loved country life. In contrast, she loved balls, social gatherings, and being surrounded by people. She just loved living in the city and was bored in the country. Also, she did not like to read or learn about complicated topics.
But Caroline had an objective and was determined to achieve it no matter what. So, she planned to use the first week to try to get Mr. Darcy's attention at any cost. However, if he were still reluctant to understand that they belonged together, she would force an intimate encounter between them in the second week. After that, even if he did not want it, he would not have another choice but to propose to her.
She even had a plan ready to execute when the time came. She intended to copy a scene from a novel she read a few months ago and prayed that the rain would continue for a few more days. On a stormy night, pretending she was frightened, she would come to Mr. Darcy's room wearing a delicate, revealing silk nightgown. Then, she would throw herself into his arms, crying. Trying to comfort her, he would feel her body so close to him and would not be able to resist the temptation. Therefore, they would advance their wedding vows on a beautiful, long night full of passion.
The following day, she would tell her brother in tears what had happened the night before, and Mr. Darcy would have no choice but to be an honorable gentleman and propose.
She knew that her future husband would probably be a little angry at first, but Pemberley needed an heir, so eventually, he would have to forgive her. Caroline looked out the carriage window and could not help but smile when she saw the majestic landscape and the mansion that would soon be her home.
"Caroline, why are you smiling?" Mr. Bingley asked when he looked at his sister's face.
"Nothing important, Charles. I was just admiring the beauty of Pemberley."
"I never thought that Mr. Darcy's house was so beautiful," said Jane, surprised by everything she saw.
"The interior of the house is just as impressive, my dear," Mr. Bingley told his wife as he explained a few things about the mansion's history.
%%%%%%%%'Stupid silly Jane, take a good look at Pemberley because as soon as I own all this, I shall kick you out of my property. I shall never allow you or any of your vulgar family to come here to bother me.' Caroline thought, and she could not help but smirk.
P&P
Mr. Darcy had been married for four days, and every minute away from his wife seemed like hours. His wedding was unexpected, and he had not had time to sort out all of his affairs and take a few weeks off. Unfortunately, that day, he had to settle some business with his steward, and he could not accompany Elizabeth on her morning walk.
Luckily, Plato seemed to be as in love with Elizabeth as he was. When he looked out the window, he saw his wife running towards the park, accompanied by his faithful dog.
The night before was wonderful. They had dined in the bedroom and drank some wine while Elizabeth read the novel's second chapter, which, by then, he had to admit, was much better than he thought. And, of course, they made love on more than one occasion. Elizabeth was so caring and passionate that he was overwhelmed by his intense feelings for her. Fortunately, as the days passed, they both lost their initial shyness and shared their love much more freely.
Once Mr. Martin left, he began to go through the mail that had been piling up for several days. For the last three days, his whole attention was focused on his wife.
The first thing he opened was a letter from Lady Victoria. He informed him that she would arrange a ball the following week to introduce Elizabeth to the leading families of Derbyshire. Everyone already knew that Mr. Darcy had married, and it was best to introduce the new Mrs. Darcy to everyone and show the family support. He only wanted to be alone with Elizabeth, but he understood how important introducing his wife to the local society was. So he resigned himself and accepted his aunt's suggestion.
In addition, Lady Victoria told him that she asked her husband to inform Lady Catherine about his wedding. So he should be prepared to receive a pile of letters from her letting him know how displeased she was.
Richard promised to write to Anne so that she would hear the news for them and not her mother's twisted version of the events.
The rest of the letters were invitations, business proposals, and letters from friends. Among them was one from Charles Bingley, which Mr. Darcy immediately opened. The letter was from several days ago, and he assumed that it had been delayed due to the rains.
Mr. Bingley wrote to inform him they had advanced their trip to Scarborough because Caroline had nowhere to live in London and would settle there with their Aunt. Therefore, they had to leave Hertfordshire a few weeks earlier than planned. Mr. Darcy had forgotten entirely about the Bingleys' visit and was unsure if they knew everything that had transpired in the last few days. But he was glad to learn that Charles had finally decided to prioritize his marriage and ask his sister to live her own life.
Suddenly, someone knocked on the door and asked permission to enter. "Sir, Mrs. Reynolds asked me to let you know that your guests just arrived and that she ushered them into the blue room."
"Guests? Do you know who they are, Hall?"
"Mr. Bingley and his family, sir."
"Thank you; I shall go immediately," Mr. Darcy said regretfully. He did not want visitors at the moment. He and Elizabeth were on their honeymoon and deserved to be alone, but he couldn't snub his friend, least of all Mrs. Bingley, who was now his sister-in-law and his wife's closest sister.
P&P
Mrs. Reynolds was stunned when she saw the Bingleys. Her Master told her they would come at the end of the month, but she understood that Mr. Darcy had his head somewhere else and that perhaps he had forgotten to tell her they were coming this week.
As soon as the Bingleys and the Hursts descended from their carriages, Mrs. Reynolds greeted and ushered them inside. She also ordered some footmen to carry their luggage to the rooms they usually used.
"Mrs…" Caroline said, looking around her.
"Reynolds, miss."
"Oh yes, Mrs. Reynolds. Please take my luggage to the family wing of the house. I want to be close to my dear friend Georgiana; I am certain she is dying to see me, too."
"Miss Darcy is not in the house, miss," Mrs. Reynolds explained, but Caroline cut her off.
"Better yet, when she returns to Pemberley, I shall surprise my dear friend," Caroline said without even looking at Mrs. Reynolds.
Jane looked at the housekeeper and was embarrassed to see how Caroline spoke disrespectfully and almost ordered her what to do. Fortunately, her husband intervened. "Do not trouble yourself, Mrs. Reynolds. Our usual rooms are more than enough."
"If you excuse me, gentlemen, madams." Mrs. Reynolds curtsied and continued giving instructions to other servants.
Caroline was not very happy, but she thought that as soon as she could talk to Georgiana, she would convince her to let her stay in one of the rooms near hers. That way, she could put her plan into motion.
Mrs. Reynolds asked them to follow her to the drawing room and said, "While your rooms are being prepared, let me offer you some refreshments. I told Mr. Hall to let Mr. Darcy know you are here, and he will come to welcome you in a few minutes."
"Why are our rooms not ready?" Caroline asked angrily. "It is evident that this house needs a feminine touch, not only in the decoration, which is quite old-fashioned, but also in disciplining the staff. They need someone to teach them how to fulfill their obligations."
"Caroline, we should wait for Mr. Darcy. It is possible that our message did not reach him in time because of the rain," Louisa said to try to calm the situation.
Fortunately, at that moment, Mr. Darcy entered the room. "Thank you, Mrs. Reynolds," and he told her quietly. "Mrs. Darcy is in the park by the lake."
"I understand, sir," Mrs. Reynolds said, excusing herself from the visitors and leaving the room. She would immediately ask one of the footmen to locate her Mistress and tell her they had guests.
After formally greeting all the newcomers, he immediately apologized. "I am sorry, Bingley, but I only read your letter today. This week's rains conspired to make the mail late, but I have also been very busy with personal matters. I have important news to share with all of you. Of course, if you have not already heard..." said Mr. Darcy, tentatively looking at Jane.
"Do not worry, dear friend. Please do not worry; we do not want to create any problems."
"You are always welcome, Bingley, and it is never a problem to have you in my home," said Mr. Darcy.
"Of course, we are not a problem if we are almost family," Caroline said coquettishly and walked over to Mr. Darcy. She thought that she had never seen him so handsome. There was something different about him, but she could not explain what it could be. Even the tone of his voice was different; it seemed less severe and almost cheerful.
Caroline ordered the maid who had brought a tray of tea to leave, and she continued speaking while she served the tea as if she were the Mistress of the house. With all these actions, she intended to show Mr. Darcy her qualities as a hostess.
Mr. Darcy overlooked Caroline's actions because he was staring at the room's entrance. He had realized that his guests had no idea about his marriage. He did not want to say anything until Elizabeth arrived. Especially since he knew that Mrs. Bingley would worry about her sister if she did not see her.
But the rest of the family noticed Caroline's actions and were mortified. In fact, Louisa tried several times to talk to her sister, but she just ignored her.
Elizabeth had had an excellent walk accompanied by Plato. Her only problem was that her petticoat had gotten a little muddy because of the rain. After affectionately saying goodbye to the dog, she ran into the house and went straight to her room to change her clothes. However, when she saw her husband entering the blue room, she decided to surprise him.
But Elizabeth was the one who was surprised because when she entered the room, she saw the Bingleys and the Hursts talking with her husband. "Jane, Charles?" she said, a little nervous, and looked at Mr. Darcy, who made a gesture to make her understand that he, too, had been taken by surprise by the arrival of the visitors.
"Eliza, what are you doing here? How dare you show up in this house to bother Mr. Darcy and dress like that?" Caroline said with astonishment and open contempt. "Please, Charles, tell me you did not invite this woman."
Both Jane and Mr. Bingley did not know what to say, and Louisa and Mr. Hurst held hands as if preparing for everything Caroline would do and say.
Mrs. Reynolds was about to speak to a footman to ask him to fetch Mrs. Darcy when she saw Elizabeth entering the blue room. She approached the room to wait for her orders when she heard how that horrible woman spoke to the new Mistress of the house with contempt and disdain. She detested Caroline Bingley, a rude and insolent woman who treated all the servants like her slaves. So she decided at that moment to put that woman in her place. It was a little revenge for all the affronts she and the rest of the staff had had to endure every time Miss Bingley visited Pemberley.
Mr. Darcy was incensed at how Caroline had spoken to his wife and was about to open his mouth to tell everyone the truth when Mrs. Reynolds entered the room.
"MRS. DARCY," she said emphatically, looking at Elizabeth, "the guests have just arrived, and I have placed them in the rooms in the east wing, but of course, if you arrange otherwise, I shall take care of it," concluded Mrs. Reynolds. She was delighted to see Caroline Bingley's astonished face.
P&P
Thanks to everyone who leaves comments and enthusiastically follows the story.
We are near the end. Tomorrow, I will post the last chapter.
The next chapter will be the last one.
See you soon!
Saludos,
Yo