“And she would ensure you understand she is doing you a favor,” added Darcy. “For who would not accept the advice and condescension of a woman of Lady Catherine’s pedigree?”
Bingley chuckled, but Darcy could easily hear the nervousness in it. “What of her insistence concerning you and her daughter?”
“Trust me, Bingley,” said Fitzwilliam, his lips curling in distaste, “it is a subject of which we all tired many years ago.”
“She insists she agreed with my mother many years ago that Anne and I would wed.”
“Yes, I remember as much,” said Bingley. “If you will pardon me, I do not think such wishes comprise binding agreements.”
“That is what my father always said when Lady Catherine raised the subject,” said Darcy. “In the last few years of his life, my father could not tolerate Lady Catherine’s company, for he would hear nothing of her claims. Given Lady Catherine’s character, you can guess her response.”
“Then you have chosen a path of lesser resistance?” asked Bingley, trying to understand.
“It is for the best,” said Darcy with a curt nod. “When my aunt wishes to pontificate, I endure it and change the subject when I can. She usually feels the need to ensure I understand her position after I go to Rosings, and then she leaves the subject alone after a few days.”
“Is she deficient in understanding?” asked Bingley. “Your cousin is old enough now that shemustunderstand that you do not intend to bow to her will.”
“A mere mortal might understand,” said Fitzwilliam. “But we are speaking of Aunt Catherine.”
“Fitzwilliam!”
The loud voice inside the door caught them all by surprise,such that they jumped at the sound as if they were boys discovered in a prank. Lady Catherine stood outlined in the door akimbo, her glare enough to discompose a cow enough to produce naught but sour milk for a month.
“Have you heard anything yet?”
“No word has come, Aunt,” said Fitzwilliam, saying nothing of how the searchers were Darcy’s men. “Darcy’s butler informed us they now range beyond the city, but nothing more than that.”
Lady Catherine’s eyes blazed in annoyance. “We should depart at once rather than waste time here. They made for Gretna Green—what else do we need to know?”
“Do you wish to travel to the border of Scotland, Lady Catherine?” asked Fitzwilliam mildly. “If we take the wrong road, that is what may happen.”
“Compromising Anne thoroughly,” added Darcy.
It was the wrong thing to say, for Lady Catherine fixed him with a glare filled to the brim with haughty displeasure. “That is the least of my concerns, Darcy. Anne is already compromised, and the solution is before us. As I informed you when I arrived, I shall publish the engagement and ensure you are married at once.”
“Aunt,” said Fitzwilliam, his tone flat, signifying his displeasure, “the longer Anne is with Wickham or whoever it is, the greater the possibility of greater damage than simply traveling alone with a man. Would you leave her in his company for days on end, allow him to wheedle himself into her bed? What if I child should result?”
“Do not suggest such things,” hissed Lady Catherine. “I have taught Anne better than that.”
“I do not cast aspersions on my cousin,” insisted Fitzwilliam. “Anyone may relent when the temptation is before them; it is nothing less than human nature. Do you expect Darcy to take someone else’s by blow into his house, raise him as his heir if itis a boy?”
“I expect him to do his duty,” said Lady Catherine.
“Now is not the time to speak of such distasteful subjects,” said Darcy, eager to prevent this argument from proceeding further. “We are proceeding in a way we believe will take us to Wickham in the most expeditious manner. For the moment, please be patient. We will leave before long.”
Lady Catherine huffed, but she did not protest any further, instead taking herself again from the room. His senior staff had already taken steps to ensure those under their authority had made themselves scarce, otherwise, he suspected Lady Catherine of berating them in her present state of mind. While Darcy agreed with Fitzwilliam’s insistence on remaining for word of Anne’s whereabouts, they would need to depart before long if only to maintain their sanity.
“As I said,” murmured Bingleysotto voce, “she is nothing like I have ever seen before.”
“That is because you have not moved in society enough, Bingley,” said Fitzwilliam.
“Pardon me,” said Bingley, feigning affront, “but I am not some green recruit in your regiment.”
“Perhaps you should join the army,” said Fitzwilliam, regarding Bingley critically. “Six months of soldiering and I would make you into a man that no woman could resist.”
“But I alreadyam,” said Bingley with a credible show of confusion.
Fitzwilliam howled with laughter, slapping a grinning Bingley’s back, while Darcy shook his head.
