Chapter 22: Of a Recurrent Pest Problem and Ladies' Confrontations
"MRS. REYNOLDS!"
The housekeeper ran, holding a pot and ladle just in case, fearing the worst. When she saw the carriage, she understood Lady Elinor's screaming.
"What do you need me to do?"
"Get the staff to close all curtains and doors immediately! Lock them from within! Even the servant quarters!"
"Everyone!" She banged the pot with the ladle. "PEST protocol! Go! She is already close! Footmen! Close all doors and windows on the first floor. Lock them from inside. Even the servants' entrances. Maids! Close all the curtains! Go! RUN!"
Staff ran in all directions.
Lady Elinor turned to her niece. "Take the Bennets and Mrs. Gardiner to the Library, dear, and lock yourselves inside. Stay quiet. You are not to open those doors for any reason or anyone other than me. Understood?"
"Yes, Auntie. But what about you?"
"I can handle Lady Catherine. Go!"
"What else can we do?" Mrs. Reynolds asked.
"Get me my rouge!"
Mrs. Reynolds knew better than to ask why. She simply sped away.
Georgiana ran with the other women, pushing Mrs. Gardiner's chair. Once inside, she locked the doors behind her. She even went to the servants' stairs and locked that one as well. She drew all curtains, even though the windows faced the back of the house. She explained in hurried whispers that they were hiding from Lady Catherine de Bourgh.
"Mr. Collins' patron?"
"Is she truly so bad, Lizzie?" Mrs. Bennet asked.
"Whatever you are thinking, it is worse," Miss Darcy grimaced.
The main doors were locked. Lady Elinor had the burliest footmen beside her, holding one door each. She told them to be ready to bodily remove the woman from the house and into her carriage. Lady Catherine banged on the door with her cane.
"Open up! What is the meaning of this?"
"Lady Catherine, the house is closed," a stablehand who had been sent out explained.
"I demand to know why immediately!"
"There is disease in this house," the man did his best to look serious and concerned.
"Disease?" She took a step back and took out her handkerchief to press it over her mouth. Her Anne was in the carriage. "Who is ill? I demand to know at once!"
Lady Elinor took a deep breath and assumed her haughtiest expression. She motioned for the footmen to open the door enough so she could poke her head out but not enough sothat Lady Catherine would come inside. Being pale from the shock of the woman's visit would be useful.
"Lady Elinor?!" the woman was properly shocked.
"Lady Catherine."
"What are you doing here at Pemberley?"
"Well, Michael and I were traveling to meet a potential wife for him… He got ill, and we asked Darcy to let us stay here. My son was not well enough to travel."
"I… Was he not in Spain?!" Lady Catherine narrowed her eyes.
"Goodness, no! With the latest war developments that Richard warned us about, we did not want to expose him to the risks of that trip. He is the heir to the title, you understand."
"Of course. What is wrong with him, then?"
"The doctor thinks it is something highly contagious… Smallpox. Perhaps Anne's doctor has mentioned it and how risky it is to someone of her… conditions?" Lady Elinor raised a delicate, challenging brow.
"Of course! She has the best doctor in town... I should like to see Michael myself."
Lady Elinor knew the man as a quack, but she did not comment. Instead, she shook her head vigorously and did her best to look terrified. "Lady Catherine, you cannot! The doctor just said no one is to be with him. I am not even allowed to bring him a tray! I know you are of a stronger constitution than most of us, but dear, look," the lady pulled up her sleeve to show the woman red dots. "I know you already had smallpox, but Anne has not had it, has she?"
"When did you get those?" Lady Catherine frowned severely and took a step back.
"They started to appear this morning, and I was only with him briefly last night," Lady Elinor opened the doors a bit more and took a step forward.
"Whatever possessed you to come and stay here of all places?! At the home of my daughter's intended? He could get ill and die! Georgiana could get scarred! Why not an inn?!"
Elinor tried hard not to roll her eyes and failed, "As you can see, the house has been locked down. The windows and doors have been barred. The curtains have been drawn closed. Why else would we have Pemberley looking like we are already in mourning?! Heaven forbid! Fitzwilliam left with Georgie and Richard as soon as we knew what it was. They had no symptoms. We are not entirely irresponsible, Cathy."
"Do not call me Cathy! Where did they go? Who else is in the house?"
Lady Elinor smirked internally at her reaction to the diminutive, "Just us and the minimum staff possible, all of whom have already had the disease."
"I want to see Michael for myself."
"Are you calling me a liar?! To my face?!"
"I have no reason to believe you. From afar, the curtains were open."
"Please, Cathy! You cannot see further than a few feet away at your age!"
"I demand to come in!" she smashed her cane against the floor so hard that its tipbroke. "This is not to be borne!"
"No! You will not! I will rub my spots all over your face and hands if you take a step forward!"
"You would not dare!" Lady Catherine exclaimed but took a step back.
"I turn into a monster to protect my sons, as you should do well to remember! You have a scar to prove it, after all! Michael needs peace and quiet! He is feverish. He has a headache. He has barely been able to eat anything in two days. He keeps throwing up. He is itchy and miserable! And the last thing he needs is your recriminations disguised as well wishes, Catherine!"
"I do not disguise my recriminations! They are very clear!" Lady Catherine growled.
"Why do you think no one wants to visit you?!" Lady Elinor forced herself not to react when she saw Anne's heartbroken expression and pale skin over her mother's shoulder. She wanted to get the young woman away from her influence. She was sure Anne would do much better without Catherine watching her like ahawk.
Lady Catherine gasped. "You upstart little *yokel*!"
Lady Elinor laughed maniacally and stepped forward one more pace, "Catherine, I have had enough of you! I married my husband for love, not for a title. You married your husband because you could not sink your claws into the late Mr. Darcy, who was head over heels in love with your sister Anne! You wanted money and power. You cared not about Sir Lewis! Just like poor Anne cares not for the current Mr. Darcy as a husband, but you do not care about her wishes!"
"YOU HARPY! STAY OUT OF MY BUSINESS!"
"See? This is what you do to other people. MEDDLE. It is fine when you do it, but if I do it to you, suddenly there is a problem… You are a hypocritical, judgmental cow!"
"ELINOR!"
"This conversation is over! You have exactly ONE minute to go down the steps and into your bloody carriage, not to return until Fitzwilliam personally extends an invitation, or I will rub all of my spots on all your exposed skin!"
"You would not! I will tell Fitzwilliam how you have treated me! He will be most upset!"
"55 seconds, Cathy."
"Where is the earl?"
"That is none of your business. And now that we are talking, understand that you are no longer welcome at our homes. He will hear about how you called me an *uneducated, unsophisticated upstart from the countryside! He will be seething next time you see him, so be prepared!" Lady Elinor said with an angry scowl. "Forty-five seconds, Cathy!"
"I am Lady Catherine to you!"
"And I am about to smear all my spots on you!" Lady Elinor walked after her. "Thirty-five seconds."
Lady Catherine hurried her steps away, "You are a savage!"
"I am only acting according to what you just called me… I am a yokel, am I not?" Lady Elinor smirked and took the steps two at a time, lifting her wide skirts.
Lady Catherine realized her threat was not empty, and she turned and rushed to her carriage. The door was open, but she ignored it and climbed beside her driver. "I will not forgive you for this indignity!"
"See if I care!" Elinor spat.
"Where to, Madam?" the driver was pale to have the woman so close to him.
"I do not know. Let me think," Lady Catherine rubbed her hands over her face. The carriage's giant ornate decorations blocked her view of the doors.
Lady Elinor handed the coachman her whole coin purseandbrought her index to her lips to warn him to be quiet. She motioned for Anne to get off the carriage. The first sincere smile in months graced Anne's face. She nodded, removed her shoes, and carefully landed on the grass beside the road with the coachman's help. Lady Elinor shook her skirt to widen it to its full potential, and Anne immediately dived underneath like she did to hide from her mother as a child.
The coachman crouched and helped hide Anne's black skirt and shoes while Lady Catherine yelled to her driver about his inability to return her to Rosings before dark. She needed to bathe in hot water to cleanse herself before she touched her daughter, and so did her staff. The coachman only took one coin from Lady Elinor's purse and shared a small smile with her. "I will buy you time," he mouthed. She nodded and smiled back, "Come see me if you are fired." He nodded quickly. Lady Catherine's staff never lasted long with her, and they were all of the opinion that the best thing that could happen to the poor heiress was for her mother to die.
The coachman closed the carriage door slowly and quietly. Knowing they would likely get to a far-away inn, at least before Anne's absence was noticed, gave him a lot of satisfaction. He was planning on jumping off somewhere outside of Lambton so that the options as to what happened to Miss de Bough would multiply, and that would slow down their search for the young woman.
Lady Elinor nodded and mouthed a 'Thank you.'
"You will rue the day you pushed me away like this, Elinor!"
"Godspeed, Cathy!" Lady Elinor waved exaggeratedly.
The carriage took off at a medium speed. Lady Elinor did not move until the carriage could not be heard nor seen. Mrs. Reynolds rushed outside and clapped in awe at what she had witnessed.
"Oh, Lady Elinor, pardon my bluntness, but you just got rid of our pest problem most efficiently!"
Lady Elinor motioned for Mrs. Reynolds to stop talking with wide eyes. Mrs. Reynolds jumped in shock when she saw Miss Anne emerge from under her aunt's skirt.
"Dear Lord! Miss De Bourgh! Pardon me, I-" Mrs. Reynolds blushed.
Anne straightened up and looked pensive for a few seconds, "The Proud Elitist Snobbish Tabby protocol, was it not that what PEST meant?" she smiled.
Mrs. Reynolds could not form coherent sentences. She blushed and tried questions, but that did not work much better, "I… How-? When-?"
"I heard Ricky talking to Fitz about it years ago… I never thought I would get to see it happen or that I would be freed as a result," she turned to her favorite aunt.
Lady Elinor hugged her niece and worried to feel her so bony. "Come inside, darling. Georgie will be over the moon to see you."
"I will make sure the house is put to rights again. Excuse me," Mrs. Reynolds curtseyed and rushed away.
"Annie!" Georgie ran to her cousin and hugged her. "Aunt Eli, only you could send Lady Catherine away and rescue our Annie in one brilliant move!"
"Geo," Anne kissed both her cheeks. "You are a sight for sore eyes! Miss Elizabeth!"
"Miss De Bourgh! It is so good to see you again," Lizzie smiled. "We were just about to have a spot of tea. Do you care to join us?"
"Excuse me, darlings, I must write to my husband to update him on the situation. Please do the honors, Georgie."
Georgie nodded and made the necessary introductions.
The Earl of Matlock came out of a gambling den, for no other word could apply to such an… establishment. It cost him quite a bit of money, but he now knew that Wickham's new criminal partner was Matthew Byrne. Irish. Great. Another degenerate, the earl sighed. When he was close to his London home, he saw something that gave him pause. Lady Catherine's carriage just parked in front. An express rider, who was going to his home saw him and rushed to him, ignoring the fancy carriage and the older lady descending with difficulty.
"My Lord?"
"Yes?"
"From your wife. She says it is essential you read it post-haste."
The earl paid him and asked him to stay in case he needed to send a reply. When he read the message, he felt a wish to strangle Catherine. The wish was not rare. It was a common occurrence, unfortunately, growing up with Cathy. Anne was such a sweet soul that, in comparison, his other sister was just unbearable. What was rare, however, was the wish to borrow the horse of the express rider and gallop away to avoid her. He could not. He had to get her to leave and back up his wife regarding her unwelcome presence. Then, he would have to rush to Pemberley to get Anne to another home before Catherine thought to go back to look there again. She was thorough enough to check all other 'possible' places before she did so. He walked toward his sister after a few deep breaths.
"Catherine. What are you doing here? I believe my wife was very clear to you."
"Brother, not even a good afternoon?"
He narrowed his eyes, "Pardon me, sister. My yokel wife's manners must have rubbed off on me after all these years of our happy union."
"Oh, please!"
"You do not seriously expect me to welcome you into my home after you so thoroughly insulted my wife for protecting our heir -and even your Anne, whom you were willing to expose to smallpox- to have evidence as to whether my wife was lying..."
"You do not understand! I am not here about that! That is unimportant now!" Lady Catherine frowned.
"What is the problem, then, Catherine?" he frowned.
"Anne is missing!" she exclaimed.
"You lost your daughter? How does one lose a whole person?" he acted shocked.
"She was with me when I left Pemberley, but then, she was not! It is as if she vanished from the carriage somewhere past Lambton!"
"Dear Lord! Then, why are you here? Wait, where is your coachman?"
"Brother, pay attention! I need your help! I figured your wife is somehow involved in this! Do not remind me of that traitor! He jumped off the carriage without me noticing at some point!"
The earl laughed, "Catherine… Please. Is it not obvious?"
"What?!"
He looked around at the passersby and motioned for her to get closer, "Your coachman and your daughter ran away together," he whispered.
"NO!"
"Cathy… See sense. Anne would not do this on her own. Her health would not allow her to jump off a carriage… If someone helped her, however, that would be another story. I bet she got off with him… If you slowed down at any point, he could have held her against him and jumped. Neither you nor the driver noticed from your position… I told you repeatedly to remove those gaudy ornaments," he pointed at the giant decorations. "Your poor driver is always parking improperly because of them. Lord knows where they are by now! Maybe they are already married!" he whisper shouted.
"No! She would not! She is to marry Fitzwilliam! She cannot marry a penniless, untitled nobody!"
"Maybe it is not a marriage she is seeking. Maybe she just wants to be away from you. She wants to be free."
"What?!"
"Please. Do not act like this is shocking! You keep submitting my poor niece to horrid therapies and experimental treatments! She is pale because you will not allow her to get some air and sunlight! The last time I saw her, she was skin and bones! She should be married by now! She should be making all the decisions! It is unconscionable that you keep the heiress to Rosing's Park too ill so she cannot take the mantle and remove you from the main house to the dower house! Sir Lewis must be rolling over in his grave!"
"Brother!" Catherine took a step back.
"It is true! Your daughter is an adult. She can do as she chooses. She has my full support. You are welcome to search my house and then leave not to return. She is not here. I did not even know you had lost her."
"She is not well! She cannot be exposed to the world!"
"No, Cathy. You are unwell. You need to get it through your thick skull. She is the Mistress of Rosings Park, not you. Had it not been for Fitzwilliam's timely intervention, you would have ruined the estate!"
"You need to help me find her!"
"No. You drove her away. You are on your own now. I need to bring my trusted physician from London to Pemberley to care for Michael. Are you going to come in and search? Or may I go get my bags packed so I can leave?"
"I cannot believe you would abandon me at a time like this!"
"I am not abandoning you. I just have clear priorities. My sick son, the heir to my title, is my main concern. Once Michael is given a clean bill of health, I will write to you to see whether you still need my assistance. Then, I would be glad to help you… Catherine, Anne is a smart young woman. If she ran, she brought the necessary funds to do so. Also, she is not alone. If I were you, I would start by finding out all I could about your coachman. That may give you an indication as to where they went. Good luck, Catherine."
"Fine. Darcy will help me, then."
"No. He will not."
"Why not?"
"He is helping Richard procure all he needs to marry the wonderful woman he is courting. He will rarely be in the house, and Georgiana is, as you know, busy with her tutors. You would not want to tell her such a sordid tale like that to her. She is too young to hear about your daughter being seduced by the first man who shows her the kindness that her mother never did," he turned away before she could reply and closed the door behind him. "Lock the doors. Lady Catherine is no longer welcome in my properties unless I say otherwise. My niece Anne can still come and go as she chooses."
"Yes, sir."
Another inn that looked even cheaper than the one before. Lydia had been forced to produce her bloodied cloths. She did. Wickham and Matthew gagged and told her to put them away. Mr. King was glad to see her plan had worked. The bloodied cloths covered the firearm well, and neither accomplice looked like they would touch them voluntarily. Lydia's bruise was indeed worse. She did not complain. She kept her eyes down. She looked aged by circumstance. She was a different person than the vivacious, rambunctious young woman he met. It was as if she finally understood the gravity of her situation and that she only had herself to blame.
They were not fed again until it was dark outside the inn. At least, that is what Mr. King thought based on the smell of candles burning and the orange light that came through a small space beneath the door. Again, they were to share a meal. Except this meal was disgusting. It was runny porridge. The top was strangely curdled. It smelled like it was not safe to eat. Lydia whispered that they should eat it. He refused. They just needed to hide it.
"What should I do?"
"Take the porridge, dump it in that chamber pot in the corner of the room. Then, take as much ash as you can from the fireplace and cover it with that and one of the bloodied cloths..."
"Why?"
"They cannot possibly expect you to be comfortable using that in front of me at all, let alone during your monthlies..."
Lydia rushed to do as she was told. Then, she returned to the other corner, where Mr. King was tied to an uncomfortable-looking chair.
She sighed and whispered, "We need a plan. Have you heard them speak about where we are going or whether they got any response?"
"No," he whispered back.
"We cannot keep waiting for a possible savior. They think I am too stupid and too weak. They are not even tying my hands. They keep my feet tied loosely so I can walk fine."
"Well, yes, Miss Lydia, but there are no windows. The door is locked. Matthew is outside," Mr. King sighed. "I can only use one arm, and even if I managed to kick the door open, Matthew would shoot me and maybe even you… He has two guns."
"Please," Lydia rolled her eyes. "He is a big oaf! He is strong but slow."
"Do you want to risk our lives on this theory that he is slow?"
"Frankly? Yes. My family has been through enough. So has yours. But if you do not want to participate, at the very least, do not stand in my way and let me do what I must."
Mr. King scoffed, "Do not be ridiculous, Miss Lydia. If there is any brawn needed, that is what I am here for."
"Half of you," she stared pointedly at his arm.
"Three-quarters of me; thank you very much for the reminder," he narrowed his eyes in playful anger.
"Three-quarters?" Lydia bit her lower lip, not to laugh.
"Well, yes. I have legs. I can kick them," he replied in an indignant whisper.
Lydia covered her mouth with her hands to quieten her laughter. "Of course," she finally said when she stopped imagining the scene.
"What do you propose we do?" Mr. King asked with a frown.
"I can hide the shotgun in my stocking. Tie it to my thigh."
"No. It is too risky! It would have to be loaded so it can be used quickly… You can get hurt. Absolutely not."
"Then, what are we going to do?"
"I think I have an idea, but you are probably not going to like it."
Lydia huffed, "Tell me. There are few things I would not do to get out of here and return home."
"You will have to put on the performance of a lifetime."
"My histrionic side already likes where this is going," she chuckled.
"Darcy!"
"Walker, please tell me you have good news."
Walker nodded eagerly, "I do. I have all his debts! It is more than enough to send him to debtor's prison."
"Cousin!" Richard ran to the study.
"Richard, what did you find out?"
"Father says that Lady Catherine is on her way here."
"What? God damn it! Why?!"
"Our Pest control protocol was successfully executed in Pemberley by Mother and your staff. Father sent her away from our home as she insulted Mother… Mother told her Michael had smallpox, and you offered to let him stay at Pemberley. She managed to make the house look like it was in mourning in under ten minutes. Hid the Bennets and Georgie. She sent word ahead to my father. He told her not to come here, but she-"
"Why would she subject Anne to such a long trip?" Darcy scowled.
"She lost Anne," Richard deadpanned.
"I beg your pardon?!"
"At least she thinks she did. Father says Anne jumped off the carriage at Pemberley and hid under Mother's skirts while Lady Catherine was arguing with her driver. She came to try and force my father to help her look for Anne. He refused. Said not to come here because we are busy doing paperwork for my wedding."
"Your wedding?" Darcy frowned.
"Well, he could not very well tell her you are getting married, could he?" Richard raised a brow.
"Oh, bloody hell!" Darcy pulled his hair back with his hands. He sighed.
"Mr. Darcy, Lady Catherine is at the door."
"How did she get here so quickly?" Richard rolled his eyes.
"She is fueled by rage," Walker scoffed.
"What are we supposed to do?" Darcy asked his cousin.
"Hide?" Walker offered.
"It will not work twice," Richard groaned.
"Fuck. Send her in, I suppose-"
"We are supposed to be preparing for my marriage… Documents and such," he turned to Walker.
"I got it," Walker ran to his small desk and pulled out a few contracts that were old drafts and a pot of ink.
"Nephew, I am most upset!" she exclaimed as she threw the door open, almost hitting Richard with it. He had to jump forward to avoid getting hit.
"Blast it!" Walker exclaimed as he 'accidentally' threw ink over the contract from his shock at the door being thrown. He knew the woman would likely demand to see the documents they had been working on.
"Who are you?" Lady Catherine looked at him up and down like she smelled something awful from his direction.
"Marcus Walker, Darcy's barrister. We have met several times, Lady Catherine," Walker kept his expression as neutral as possible.
"Hmm, I do not remember you… Richard, I am glad you are here."
"You are?" Richard blinked, feigning surprise.
"I need your contacts in the military."
"Oh… I am afraid you are out of luck, Lady Catherine. I have recently resigned frommy position. They are not happy with me. Lord knows how long it will take until we return to a talking stage, let alone a favors stage."
"You resigned?! For your wedding?!" Lady Catherine was shocked.
"Yes."
"No matter. You both must help me, Fitzwilliam."
"Help you with what?" Richard asked.
"I… I fear Anne has been kidnapped!"
"What?!"
Anne sighed as she finished her first delicious, plentiful meal that she was allowed to eat in full. Her mother never let her finish a plate, claiming it was better for her constitution and digestion to leave some food on the plate. She was constantly hungry at Rosings. Anne personally thanked the chef. She felt like she could breathe better the longer she was away from her mother. Even her posture was different. She walked to the family room. Her arm was looped with Geo's.
"I am so glad your brother is marrying Miss Elizabeth," Anne smiled.
"So am I," Georgiana nodded. "They get on so well together. I think they love each other a lot."
"I am sure. Fitz was so into her that he rarely talked to Mother on his last visit. She was most upset about it. She made Miss Elizabeth's trip unpleasant because of it."
"I am so glad you are here. You are not going back. Not until we figure out a way for you to be free from your mother altogether."
"Auntie Eli is the best."
"She is. She sent word to London. I hope they got it in time."
"So do I."
"Annie… How can we help you free yourself?"
Anne chuckled, "You could always find me a husband," she replied jokingly.
"Say no more, darling. Or, actually, do say more. Say a lot more. Tell me what you need in a husband, and I will find you a perfectly good match."
"Aunt Eli, you scared me," Anne jumped and turned around.
"Sorry. Come, there are a lot of women you can talk to, so you can come up with a list. All my match-making skills will finally be put to good use. I was looking for brides, not grooms, but I have spent a lot of time with the best of the Ton, and between your uncle, who is coming soon, and me, we can filter away all the pretentious mercenary young men."
They walked into the room. All the ladies were talking animatedly.
"Darlings! No news yet, but we have something to do to help pass the time."
"How can we help?"
"My dear Annie here thinks it is time she gets a husband so she can get away from her mother's manipulations and control."
"And what can we do?"
"Help us come up with a list of traits that she should look for in a husband and another one for traits to avoid. This will help me narrow down eligible gentlemen."
"Lady Catherine, Father is not wrong to say she probably just jumped with the coachman," Richard shrugged.
"Richard! My Anne is an innocent still!"
Richard bit his lip not to laugh, "Please, aunt. When did you start noticing men as attractive?"
"How dare you ask me such a scandalous question?!"
"Fine. Do not answer, then. You know the answer in your mind. That is enough."
"Anne may want to get married. She is twenty-seven years old. At that age, you had been married for several years and already had a daughter…"
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"You stifle her," Darcy said, finally turning back to face her. "You are choking the life out of her. She does not want to be with you. You criticize the way she sits, the way she eats, the way she sleeps, the way she dresses! Living with you is torture!"
Lady Catherine gasped, "Fitzwilliam!"
"I am glad she escaped you. If she applied to me for help, which she has not, be sure I will help her and I will not tell you. She deserves her freedom!"
"And yet, you have not married her!"
Darcy was perplexed, "What?!"
"She could have been freed years ago had you fulfilled your duty and made good on your mother's promise to join our houses by marriage!"
Darcy turned red with fury, "Is this your way to blame me for her condition?! Your way to tell me that all the horrible things you have forced upon her you did because I have not married her?! Who are you trying to punish here? Her? Me? Or… is it my father you are trying to get revenge on for daring to fall in love with my mother instead of you?!"
Lady Catherine gasped and stumbled back as if he had hit her. "How dare you?!"
"That was not a denial, madam," Walker quipped.
"GET THE HELL OUT OF MY HOUSE AND DO NOT EVER RETURN BECAUSE I WILL HAVE YOU BODILY REMOVED AND THROW YOU BACK INTO YOUR HIDEOUS CARRIAGE!"
"You do not mean that! I am your family! I need your help!"
"No! Anne is my family. You are nothing to me now. Mr. Reynolds!"
"Yes, sir?"
"Lady Catherine is no longer welcome in any Darcy property. Tell the staff they may forcibly remove her if she tries to force her way in."
"DARCY!"
"Lady Catherine, get out," Richard stood before her and looked down menacingly.
"Richard, you too? I am your favorite Aunt."
Richard rolled his eyes hard, "No. Anne is my favorite cousin, aside from Georgie. That is the only reason I kept visiting your home and putting up with you. Now that she is gone, I will not return to Rosings until you are away in the dower's house, where you should have been for years now."
"You two are such ungrateful, undutiful children!"
"Luckily, we are not your children to command. Get out," Richard moved to grab her arm, and she pulled it back and out of his reach.
"No! Do not dare to put your bloody hands on me! If you are going to treat me like this, I will tell you that sharing a meal with a murderer for years and graciously hosting him has made me sick!"
Richard took a step back and held onto the chair behind him. Darcy gasped and moved to grab Richard as he started struggling to breathe, and his hands searched his pockets for a weapon. Richard was back on the battlefield. Darcy put him in a chokehold and fished his coat pocket for the handkerchief Miss Bennet gave him. He placed it over his nose. Richard's tense muscles melted,andhe sagged against his cousin's hold. When he smelled it, he could visualize Jane galloping with a happy smile and beckoning him to follow.
"Look at him! After all those years of battle, he has turned into a weakling! He is insane!"
"That is it! You do not get to insult a man with more bravery on a single fingernail than you have displayedyour whole life! Richard has fought for years for King and country, for your own undeserved peace and safety! You have done nothing but abuse your daughter and pester your entire family all these years! No more!" Walker had enough. He grabbed both of Lady Catherine's upper arms, lifted her as if she were a vase, and carried her to the door. Walker stood as tall as he could to make their significant height difference more evident and widened his stance so she would not try to return to the study, "I can carry you all the way to your carriage door in daylight in a busy London street, or you can leave. Your choice."
The two stared at each other with hatred, trying to make the other break eye contact.
"I will ruin you, Marcus Walker!" She slapped him harshly and left on her own two feet.
Marcus rubbed his jaw. Their height difference meant she did not properly slap his cheek. It probably hurt her hand more than him. The incredulous cousins finally caught up once Richard could breathe normally and saw
"Did she hurt you?"
"No, but she may have broken a finger," Walker chuckled. "I have particularly strong bones."
"Thank you. For what you said, man," Richard smiled.
Walker nodded, "All I said was the truth. You have done incredible work, and we are all proud of you."
Richard smiled and pocketed Miss Bennet's handkerchief.
"We will not allow her to ruin you, Marcus," Darcy assured him.
"Oh, I am not concerned about that. After all, I have Lady Elinor's support. She offered to help me marry. Who could try to move against me now? Certainly not Lady Catherine."
The cousins laughed, happy to have some relief from their drama-filled days.
"Darcy, Father got a name. Matthew Byrne. Does that sound familiar to you?"
"No, but I got an address for a potential Mrs. Young, who is now apparently Mrs. Green."
"Let us go. Immediately."