Permission and blessings for the courtship were bestowed without delay and when informed they would court for a month or less, neither Gardiner nor Philips said a word in opposition.
“Elizabeth, do you object to us making the short drive to Darcy House so we may inform my parents and Anna of our news?” William requested. “I used the curricle to come to your house so it is ready in front of the house. It is just little more than a quarter of a mile.”
“My threesmallguards will follow on horses,” Elizabeth stated.
So it was a few minutes later, with William driving, that Elizabeth found herself seated on the high bench next to him.Biggs rode alongside while Johns and Smith were positioned a little behind the small carriage.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
“Lizzy! I will have you as a sister. Oh! Even better, I will gain five sisters,” Georgiana gushed.
For once Miss Younge did nothing to correct her charge knowing how excited the girl of twelve was.
“We have not agreed to marry yet, Anna,” William corrected with an indulgent smile.
“But you will,” Lady Anne stated with surety as she pulled the young lady who she knew would be her daughter before too long into her arms.
Like it always did when she was in Lady Anne’s arms, Elizabeth felt the kind of motherly love she had never experienced before meeting her. Neither Elizabeth nor William refuted the claim.
“Would you object if I call you Mama like Anna does,” Elizabeth turned to William’s father, “and you Papa?”
“Nothing would please me more my dear girl. I always wanted more sons and daughters, it seems that dream is about to come true,” Lady Anne responded as some tears of joy rolled down her cheeks.
With suspiciously moist eyes and a voice gruff with emotion, Darcy also happily agreed to Elizabeth’s request.
“Lizzy dear, will you not need to notify Her Majesty of your intention to marry again?” Lady Anne enquired.
“I suppose I will.” Elizabeth looked at William with love in her eyes. “You will have to accompany me as you did on our last visit, Her Majesty will need to interrogate you to see if you are good enough for me,” she teased.
Lady Anne sent a note across the square and soon the Fitzwilliams joined those celebrating the good news. There was no missing Andrew’s disappointment that Jane was not present, but that did not inhibit his wishing the newly acknowledged couple happy.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Lady Catherine was desperate to marry Anne to one of her two cousins who were heirs. In just over two months Anne would reach her majority and then Rosings Park and everything else Sir Lewis had owned would be her daughter’s. She was at her wit’s end as to what to do to force the issue.
Not normally one to read the society pages, she had just seen information one of her targets was courting some unknown woman while Fitzwilliam had been seen in the company of some widow. She missed the part about the widow’s rank.
Lady Catherine decided the only thing for it was to hie to London and make sure she would be gratified. That no one had ever given into her whims before did not discourage her in her plans.
In the morning, she would set off for Town with Anne and her parson in tow. She would not take no for an answer!
Chapter 35
Lady Catherine began her London odyssey at Hilldale House on Portman Square. The butler informed her the master was not in residence, but would tell her no more, no matter how many times she asked him if he knew who she was.
Finding no gratification at her eldest nephew’s house, Lady Catherine ordered her coachman to Grosvenor Square and Matlock House. Much to her frustration, her brother was not home to receive her and the insolent butler would not allow her entrance without his master or mistress being present.
Thankfully her sister’s house was just across the green from her brother’s, so she ordered her man to drive them around the green to the other side of the square.
Anne de Bourgh was fighting to keep the mirth she was feeling from bubbling over into full-blown laughter at her mother’s futile attempts to marry her off to one of her cousins. Regardless of her mother’s lies that Rosings Park was her own until her death, Anne had seen her father’s will. She was well aware on the second day of June; all would be hers.
She did not desire to marry one of her cousins any more than either of them wanted to marry her. In fact, she was resolved she would never marry. So here she sat in the barouche as it was driven to the other side of the square when walking would have reached Darcy House in less than half of the time.
Her mother was grumbling about the blatant disrespect of her family not being at home to receive her. The sycophantic parson, Mr. Hopkinson, was doing what he always did, agreeing with every ridiculous word which flowed from her mother’s mouth.
She knew appointments were for life, but Anne was sure once the bishop was informed of all of the improprieties—by her mother’s command—of the rector of Hunsford, he would be dismissed and then Anne would be able to appoint a man who deserved the title of clergyman.
A Darcy footman placed the step and opened the door of the de Bourgh coach. Lady Catherine alighted and made her way up to the front door on which she rapped with the handle of her walking stick.
