“We shall see, Richard. But first must take care of matters here. Would you please stop by my room and ask Briggs to see to my bags?”
“Of course,” he said, walking briskly through the door.
Now, just to wait for the prey to return.
The soundof the approaching carriage made Darcy sit up and put on his coat. His cravat was rumpled, but he did not care.
Over the last few hours, his emotions had gone from anger to hatred to disgust. The only consolation was that Richard and Anne had left the hour before for who knows where but even that did not matter.
He waited until he heard the click of his aunt’s shoes across the marble floor in the hallway before opening the door and asking her to join him.
“Whatever you have to say, we will discuss in the morning. It is late.”
“No. We will discuss this now.” Lady Catherine turned cautiously toward him.
“You will not speak to me as such. I demand respect.”
“And I demand an explanation.”
“Yes, yes. I made an error in judgment attempting to have you support Rosings. Now, I am for my rooms.” She was halfway through the door when his next sentence stopped her.
“I read the letter.”
“Yes, I know. I showed it to you.”
“No, not that letter.Thisletter.” He pulled out the crisp paper from his pocket and held it up.
She paused for a moment. Upon recognizing the document, Lady Catherine charged forward, attempting to grab it from his hand. He easily evaded her and with an even voice stated, “I will not marry Anne.”
“Where did you get that? That is not your property!”
“Itismy property. It has my name on it and is from my mother.”
“You will marry Anne!”
Darcy folded the letter and slipped it back in his pocket. “That is both improbable and impossible.”
“My daughter will do anything I tell her to do.”
“As you say.”
“What do you mean? Where is she?”
He pulled out his watch and smiled. “I expect on the way to Gretna Greene.”
Lady Catherine paled and collapsed in a chair. “And who is the fool willingly marrying my daughter? No, let me guess. Richard.”
Darcy stilled.
“What a foolish, stupid girl. She could have had the master of Pemberley, vast estates in not only England but Ireland and Scotland as well, but yet she chose to marry a second son who can give her nothing.”
Darcy allowed his aunt to simmer in her anger for a time. “And that is why you contrived this farce all those years ago? You wished to have Pemberley and Rosings as well, believing I would roll over and do your bidding for you? It would never have happened.”
The venom in her voice was evident. “You are just like your father. He was a brilliant man until he met my younger sister. Then, everything he did, he did for her, almost allowing Pemberley to fall to ruins.”
“My father ran the estate well!”
“Yes, untilshecame along.”
