To Georgiana’s certain knowledge, Lady Catherine was unaccustomed to enduring challenges against her opinion and authority, though, as she recalled, Anthony had never hesitated to put her in her place when he felt it warranted. As Georgiana expected, Lady Catherine did not appreciate his reprimand.
“None of you are thinking properly. As the new master of Pemberley, Darcy must rise to the first circles, and to do so with any credit, he must act like he belongs.”
“If you will pardon me,” interrupted William, “I have no desire to seek acceptance from those I so little respect. If society cannot accept me as I am, then they will endure me, for I shall not change.”
“Well said, Darcy,” said Anthony, his glare at their aunt never wavering.
“If you persist,” snarled Lady Catherine, “you will reap the consequences. Within a sixmonth, you will learn that I speak the truth.”
“Then it is fortunate that I have many friends in my previous circles, friends, I will note, I shall not give up because of my new situation.”
“You must!” exclaimed Lady Catherine. “Friends of the second circle? Whoever heard of such a thing?”
“Ihave many friends of a lower station, Lady Catherine,” said Anthony.
Lady Catherine was already shaking her head. “No, no, no, it must not be! Next, you will tell me you consort with tradesmen and their ilk!”
At Anthony’s sudden grin, Georgiana knew he espoused the same thoughts that she did, for Georgiana recalled William speaking of his friend, a man seeking to rise above his background in trade. The right of response fell to William, and he did not hesitate.
“One of my closest friends is a scion of a long line of tradesmen.”
For the first time since she had arrived, William rendered Lady Catherine speechless, for she gaped at him in disbelief. William affected ignorance of her consternation.
“Bingley is an excellent sort, a friend from university, and a man who seeks to purchase an estate and become landed. When we return to Hertfordshire, you shall meet him, for he will stand up with me at my wedding.”
“That is nonsense!” cried Lady Catherine. “The notion is beyond consideration! Will you also suggest thistradesmanas a match for Georgiana!”
“Not at all, Lady Catherine,” said Darcy, winking at Georgiana—it was by the barest measure that she held in a giggle, fortunate as she knew Lady Catherine would not appreciate it. “Bingley, you see, is quite taken by Elizabeth’s elder sister, an angelic woman, beautiful and kind. Should he marry her, and I do not doubt his interest, we shall be brothers.”
Such a comment was guaranteed to provoke Lady Catherine’s explosion of temper, and she did not disappoint them.
“No! I shall not allow it! Shall you pollute our illustrious families with such base connections? What can you be thinking?”
“I am thinking, Lady Catherine,” said William from between clenched teeth, “that my happiness and my affairs do not concern you, of all people.”
“Anything you do now affects us!” spat Lady Catherine. “No, this is all nonsense. Now that you have come into this position, you must act like it—tradesman friends and fiancées of a decidedly common persuasion are out of the question. You must break off your engagement with that unsuitable girl at once. In her stead, you may marry my daughter, Anne de Bourgh, for she possesses all the nobility and standing you require, and her dowry is Rosings Park itself.”
Georgiana gawked at Lady Catherine. What the blazes was she saying? Anne marry William? The notion was preposterous!
SO TAKEN ABACK WASDarcy by Lady Catherine’s rant that he could not answer her laughable suggestion. Fitzwilliam, however, was unaffected by Darcy’s confusion.
“I thought you could be senseless, Lady Catherine, but this is beyond the pale. Are you suggesting that you transfer your delusion to Darcy?”
“It is the rational solution to Darcy’s problem,” sniffed Lady Catherine with disdain. “Anne was to marry Jameson; as Darcy has now inherited Pemberley, he may step in and fulfill his cousin’s duty.”
“Contrary to your assertions,” growled Fitzwilliam, “there was never any certainty that my cousin would marry Anne. While he did not tell me what he meant to do, that Anne remains unmarried at three and twenty suggests he did not mean to bow to your demands.”
“Darcy knew his duty!” snapped Lady Catherine. “It was an agreement between her mother and his, their union decreed by every member of their family.”
“That is rich, since I have always considered it a farce, and my father put no stock in it. Uncle Darcy would never even tolerate any mention of it.”
“Is my understanding accurate?” demanded Darcy, gathering himself to glare at Lady Catherine. “Are you suggesting that I marry your daughter?”
“As I said,” replied Lady Catherine, turning away from her nephew, “it is the perfect solution to your problem.”
“There is no problem,” growled Darcy.
“You will not see it!” Lady Catherine fixed him with a critical eye. “Your lack of noble Fitzwilliam blood is unfortunate, but you have other connections that are acceptable. As you are now the master of Pemberley and my daughter was to become the mistress of Pemberley, you may take your cousin’s place. As for yourfiancée, you may pay her off. I have no doubt a young woman of her position in life would jump at the chance to receive a fortune of her own, for I cannot imagine she has much.”
