“Of course,” said Catherine, interrupting his response, “it is now clear you would not be happy in such a union. There is much of your parents in you, it seems. Given your refusal to offer for Anne, I suspect there is little I can do to influence you.”
“Wouldyou if youcould?” asked Darcy.
“No, I do not suppose I would,” mused Catherine. “Though if you had asked me that question mere days ago, I might have given you a different answer; I am honest enough to own to that.”
“Then I am happy you have reconsidered,” was Darcy’s dry response.
“She will find navigating society difficult,” warned Catherine.
Darcy snorted with no little derision. “You have seen her in company, Lady Catherine. If she did not cower before you, I cannot imagine anyone else in London will trouble her. Somewill not accept her regardless—this I understand. But those who matter to me will accept her on my recommendation alone, and before long, she will provoke their approval when they understand her character. Many of the rest will be the same. Those who refuse her persuasion are not worthy of my time.”
“Then I shall offer whatever support I can,” said Catherine. “Not only would I not wish her to fail, but I like the girl. She reminds me of myself if only a little.”
“There is a hint of self-congratulations in that,” replied Darcy. “I shall tell Miss Elizabeth, for she will be most amused.”
“Very well,” said Lady Catherine. “Thank you for your frankness, Darcy, for you know how much I value it.”
“That I do, Aunt. Thankyoufor being so reasonable.”
Darcy rose, and after kissing her cheek, he departed, leaving Catherine with her thoughts. Surprised though she was by how it had all turned out, Catherine found she could not deplore it. In fact, she was looking forward to witnessing Miss Elizabeth’s debut, for Catherine was certain she would confound many.
After a time, Catherine rose to go find Anne. Her actions would surprise her daughter; but they would please her too.
Chapter XXIV
Elizabeth communicated her discussion with Mr. Darcy to Jane when she returned from her walk. Jane listened intently to her account, and when Elizabeth had completed it, she nodded, though Jane’s regard struck Elizabeth as odd.
“Then it is done. With any luck, our maneuver will bear fruit.”
“We shall see what Mr. Darcy and his relations do,” replied Elizabeth. “Kitty and Lydia cannot grow many degrees worse without Papa needing to lock them in their rooms. Hopefully, Mama will see sense.”
Jane nodded, but she did not respond directly to Elizabeth’s assertion, which was unusual given the critical nature of her comment. “Tell me, Lizzy—do you suppose your friends will think poorly of you?”
Elizabeth frowned, not having considered such a thing. “No, I do not suppose they will. Mr. Darcy already knows of Kitty and Lydia’s lack of restraint, and I dare say neither Colonel Fitzwilliam nor Anne will look down on us because of it either. None of them are so judgmental as to hold the girls’ actions against us.
“Lady Catherine, however...” Elizabeth exchanged a glance with her sister, brimming with mirth. “The lady has made her opinions concerning proper behavior known with all the frankness of her character! If anyone were to hold it against us, it would be she.”
“Do you suppose she will?”
“Only in what she witnesses of their behavior, for Mr. Darcy does not mean to inform her of it.”
Jane nodded. “If you will pardon my saying it, Lizzy, though Ido not know the lady nearly so well as you do, it seems to me that Lady Catherine would not so much look down on them as look on them as young ladies to whose education she must attend.”
With a frown, Elizabeth nodded. “Yes, I suppose you must be correct. As the lady has owned herself, shedoeslove to be of use to others!”
Jane giggled at Elizabeth’s characterization of Lady Catherine. The lady’s statements about Miss Pope, her long-winded explanations of how she dealt with disharmony at Rosings, to say nothing of her insistent questioning of Elizabeth herself spoke to the lady’s temperament. Meddling it may be to some, and Elizabeth could not disagree. Now that she was better acquainted with Lady Catherine, she was certain it mostly stemmed from an overwhelming desire to be of use.
“Then that puts Lady Catherine’s character in a new light. Recent events lend themselves to a new interpretation of Mr. Darcy too. It was not so long ago that you would have expected the gentleman to greet such an application with a haughty sniff of disdain.”
Elizabeth sighed, understanding the thrust of Jane’s contention. “My opinion of the gentlemanhasundergone a radical change. Mr. Darcy retains the ability to be arrogant, conceited, above his company, and mulishly uncommunicative, but I no longer believe that defines him. There is a... softer side to the gentleman that he did not display in the autumn. For that matter, he did not display it in Kent in the spring.”
“Where does this leave you, Lizzy?”
“Interested to see where his stated desire to begin again will take us,” said Elizabeth.
“Then you do not regret refusing him.”
“Jane, couldyouhave accepted such a proposal as he offered?”
