As much as she wanted to release her fury, Lady Catherine bit her tongue as she followed her disrespectful daughter and brother-in-law up the stairs, closely shadowed by the two footmen.
Her resolution to remain silent did not survive the drawing room doors being closed. In front of her sat her nephew, Andrew, and next to him—far too close for her liking—sat a very pretty blonde woman. If that was not bad enough, the other nephew who would suit as a husband for Anne was seated next to a stunningly beautiful young lady with raven hair and emerald-green eyes.
“Who are these lowborn hussies of no rank or fortune who are using their arts and allurements on my nephews?” Lady Catherine shrieked. “Move away from them now, you inconsequential nothings!”
“And just who are you to order me away from William, or for that matter, Jane away from Andrew?” Elizabeth enquired amusedly.
“I am Lady Catherine de Bourgh, a peer of the realm and their nearest relation. One of them is to marry my daughter!” she screeched as she puffed up her chest with self-importance.
“So, you care not which one marries your daughter. Does she have any say in the matter? Also, it is a most extraordinary claim you make about being their nearest relation when their parents and siblings are in this room with them.” Elizabeth shot back rapidly before Lady Catherine could gather her wits. She turned to Lady Anne. “Mama, you did not tell me your sister is a peer.”
“That is only in Catherine’s mind, Lizzy. She was married to a knight so she holds the same rank as Lady Lucas. She is called Lady Catherine, and not Lady de Bourgh, only because like me, she received a courtesy title from our late father being an earl,” Lady Anne averred.
Ignoring everything which did not fit with her desires, Lady Catherine latched onto one thing the dark-haired beauty had said. “How dare you address my sister thusly? Mama indeed!”
“What can the way I address Mama be to you? We agreed on the form of address between us with no reference to one so wholly unconnected to myself,” Elizabeth returned.
“As I outrank you, you will treat me with the respect I deserve,” Lady Catherine blustered.
“So, you believe in the distinction of rank?” Elizabeth asked innocently.
“Of course, I am most attentive to such things,” Lady Catherine responded.
“Uncle Reggie, as it seems your sister knows not who she is addressing, please introduce her to me,” Elizabeth smiled at the Earl.
Before Lady Catherine could point out the temerity of the young lady asking to be introduced to one so far above her and from an earl who was by far the highest-ranking person in the room, her brother stood.
“It would be my pleasure.” Lord Matlock turned to his wayward sister. “Catherine the lady you called lowborn, of no rank, and no fortuneis, in fact,unlike you, a peer of the realm. This is Her Grace, Lady Elizabeth Rose Gardiner,Duchessof Hertfordshire andMarchionessof Hertford Heights. She is the owner of seven estates and has more wealth than you could imagine, and if that were not enough, she is greatly favoured by the Queen. William is courting her. The other lady you insulted is Miss Jane Bennet, sister to said duchess who is being courted by Andrew with the blessing of his true closest relations. Not that it should matter, but my future daughter is anything but without fortune.”
Lady Catherine did not know which way to look. The slip of a woman next to her Darcy nephew was a duchess, and if that were not bad enough, a marchioness as well.
“Anne, was what I witnessed the first time your mother had attempted to strike you?” Darcy asked.
“It was, Uncle Robert,” Anne assured her uncle. “It was the first time I allowed my mother to see I am not the weak, compliant daughter she thinks I am.” Anne turned to hermother. “Mother, I have seen my father’s will and I am well aware on my birthday upcoming all of my father’s property and wealth become mine. It has been many years I have known your only reason for trying to marry me to one of my cousins was so they would take me away from Rosings Park and leave you to continue to mismanage it.”
As if being confronted with the fact one of her nephews was courting a duchess and the other her sister was not enough, Anne’s revelation was too much. Lady Catherine got a crazed look in her eye and was looking around the room for an outlet for her ire. She settled on the upstart duchess. She should have been a duchess, not this girl.
With nails bared Lady Catherine started towards the pretender. She took two steps before she was on the flat of her back. Biggs had been standing just inside the servants’ door and as soon as he heard the way the woman had verbally assaulted Her Grace, he had unobtrusively moved into the room standing in a corner where it would be easy to reach the Duchess if needs be.
On seeing the crazed woman move threateningly towards Her Grace, Biggs had jumped over a settee and reached the woman before she had been able to get close to Lady Elizabeth.
“It seems Catherine has lost her sanity; we need to have her committed to an asylum for her own protection and the protection of others.” Darcy shook his head as the lady was bound and gagged.
“Thank you for saving me from this insane woman, John,” Elizabeth stated appreciatively.
“It were me duty, Yer Grace,” Biggs bowed.
“Just like I said,” Richard added, “catlike reflexes.”
“There is a private asylum on Stornoway on the Island of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. When Sir Lewis was alive, I assisted with some research in case Catherine ever slipped the bounds of reason,” Lord Matlock stated pensively.
“It would be best, Uncle Reggie,” Anne agreed. “Other than the rector still waiting in the barouche, I am afraid to say she will not be missed by anyone.”
“Who will live with you at Rosings Park until your birthday?” Richard enquired.
“I think you should resign from the army and come learn how to manage Rosings Park,” Anne responded. “I am feeling better than I have in a long time, but I have no desire to marry and I know I will never be able to bear a child.”
When she had thought Miss de Bourgh was in essence proposing to Richard Fitzwilliam, Mary had felt inexplicably sad. Although she was not happy regarding what Miss de Bourgh said about not being able to birth a child, hearing that she never wanted to marry, lightened Mary’s mood.
