“This woman who has tempted you away from marrying my daughter. I cannot suppose you would reject Rosings for a scullery maid, so I must assume she is a gentlewoman. Am I correct?”
“You suppose there is another woman?” asked Darcy, uncertain what to make of it all.
“Considering you have avoided the subject all these years and have only come to me now, I must assume you have met a young lady; otherwise, you would have remained silent. Now, answer me—is she respectable?”
Darcy almost wished Fitzwilliam were here, for he doubted his cousin would believe his account when he learned of this meeting. Lady Catherine appeared to have considered everything and understood Darcy as well as he understood himself; yet Darcy had misjudged her.
“Yes, Lady Catherine,” said Darcy, knowing he could say nothing else, “Miss Elizabeth is quite respectable.”
“Miss Elizabeth, you say,” echoed Lady Catherine.
The name, it appeared, was not unknown to her. Of course, Mr. Collins had spoken of his cousins in Hertfordshire.
“May I assume she is the same Miss Elizabeth who rejected my parson’s proposal?”
“She is.”
Darcy wondered how Lady Catherine would greet this news. Again, she confounded him.
“Well, it seems at least that she is intelligent. She had the good sense to refuse him.”
By now, Darcy was completely at sea. “Did you not send Mr. Collins to Hertfordshire to get a wife from among Mr. Bennet’s daughters?”
“I sent him to mend the breach in the family.” Lady Catherine sniffed with disdain. “I cannot abide such disharmony as you know. That the man had five daughters I knew, but the notion of marrying one of them came from Mr. Collins, not me.”
Lady Catherine shifted a little in her chair. “When he began blathering about his cousin’s daughters, I thought finding a wife among them might help him, provided she was sensible, but Idid not require it of him. If his account is to be believed, the woman he has chosen is a practical sort. Perhaps now I can cede oversight of his activities to her.”
“It sounds like you do not trust Mr. Collins.”
“You have met the man, have you not?”
“I have. I stood up with him at his wedding yesterday.”
At Lady Catherine’s demanding look, Darcy clarified. “Miss Elizabeth Bennet is Mrs. Collins’s particular friend. As she was to stand up with Miss Lucas—”
“You agreed because it meant you would also be in Miss Elizabeth’s company,” Lady Catherine finished for him. “Then your interest in this woman is not casual.”
“When have you ever known me to take a casual interest in a woman?”
“Touché.”
“Then I have your approval?” asked Darcy.
“I suppose you must, for you do not require my blessing.” Lady Catherine appeared resigned, though Darcy did not suppose she was truly happy. “This Miss Elizabeth Bennet will require a sponsor in society. Have you spoken to Susan?”
“Not yet,” said Darcy. “There are still months remaining before anything will be decided.”
“You cannot consider such things too early, Darcy. As I suppose she has not had a season, she will need to learn how to move among those at our level of society.”
“For that, Lady Catherine, I have no concern whatsoever. When you make her acquaintance, you will understand.”
“Very well,” said Lady Catherine. “Since I assume you wish to return to Hertfordshire as soon as may be, you no doubt plan to return at once. If you wish, you may remain here and return tomorrow.”
“That is acceptable,” said Darcy.
“Good. Then you may accept the duty of informing Anne that she will not have you for a husband.”
“Trust me, Aunt—Anne will be relieved.”
