Lady Catherine’s surly expression suggested to Darcy that she might not be wholly surprised by what he was to say, though they had attempted to act less affectionately together when in front of her.
“Nephew, what do you have to say?”
“Madam, I wish for you to know that I have agreed to marry Elizabeth Bennet.”
Lady Catherine was silent.
From her expression Darcy suspected that whatever it was that she’d thought he would say, this was not it. At last, she said, “I am not unaware of her connections. She has family in trade, and the rest are of no consequence, except for Mr. Collins, and she has no fortune.”
“I was already aware of her situation in life,” Darcy replied.
“You said, you said to everyone — to my brother, to my sister-in-law, even to me, that you would never marry again. You said you would never marry again. Have you no concern for my grandchild?”
“Emily will be happy to have Miss Bennet in her life.”
“And you shall replace her true mother! Is the shade of my daughter to be thus disrespected? For a descendent of the Fitzwilliam and de Bourgh lines to be replaced by Miss Nobody, the daughter of No One?”
“If you wish to see matters in such a way, I cannot prevent you from doing so.”
“But have you no respect for Anne’s memory? Is she already forgotten? You said you would honour her.”
“I onlynowhave begun to honour her as she wished to be honoured. She told me as she died that she wished me to marry again, and to make myself happy.”
Lady Catherine seemed to stagger at hearing that. She rocked back and forth and then closed her eyes. A deep set frown. “So, she spat upon me once again as she died. Why did she hate me so? Did she say that before or after she knew that it was a daughter?”
“I do not believe that she thought of you at all.”
“She was dying!” Lady Catherine slammed her hand on the side of her chair. “Dying! — of course her mind was upon her mother. Where else would it be?”
“On her daughter, on her husband. On the Almighty.”
Lady Catherine sneered. “She told you that to mock me, to mock my goals. That is also why she gave the girl that horrid name.”
“I like Emily.”
“She named it after her doll!”
“Lady Catherine, as much as it pains me to see how you think upon the matter, I shall never see it likewise.”
Darcy recalled then that Annehadthought about and mentioned Lady Catherine once in her final words. She had made Darcy promise to not let her mother have any part in Emily’s education.
To tell the old woman that would be both unkind, and only serve to convince Lady Catherine that her daughter was mocking her and spitting in her face as she died.
The poor pathetic woman.
Lady Catherine slumped inwards. “And it is done. You have made her the offer, and she has agreed. There is nothing to be done. Nothing to be done. But you have full disposal of the estates — you could tie Pemberley to Emily, even if Miss Bennetbears you a son. Then Rosings and Pemberley would at least be united. Something would be gained for all my efforts.”
“I shall not do that. You know that I shall not.”
“Miss Bennet’s low cunning is astonishing. I showed her kindness. I spoke with her. I even once unburdened my heart to her.”
“Whatever confidences you gave, she has shared none of them with me.”
“And you, like any senseless bull, have been drawn in by her arts and allurements. What did she do to make you forget your duty?”
“She was kind and my friend.”
“Ha! That lively energetic girl? She knew how you looked at her, believe me she did.”
