Elizabeth stared at her. “That may be so, but I think you credit me with too much. When I said I was overwhelmed, I was referring to the rapidity and magnitude of changes to my situation. I did not mean toimply I was suffering from any peculiar feelings of trepidation or inadequacy.”
Lady Catherine’s eyebrows rose, and she gave a huff of displeasure that immediately dissolved into a cough. Elizabeth waited for her spasms to pass then calmly but firmly pressed her point. “I am far from complacent, but I am assured of my resolve to be the very best wife to my husband that I can be, and as long as he is satisfied with my efforts, so shall I be.”
“Mrs Darcy, I invited you to ride with me with the particular purpose of acknowledging that I may have been ungenerous in my assessment of your character. Am I to be repaid for my condescension with ingratitude and defiance?”
“I am certainly not ungrateful, and I hope my endeavour to be honest will not be taken as defiance. But nothing would be gained by my accepting your approbation for modesty I do not possess. You would only be disappointed the first time I behaved otherwise, and that would pain Darcy all over again. Far better that you accept me as I am.”
Lady Catherine narrowed her eyes at her and did not reply for an uncomfortably long time. “I am able to count on one hand the individuals who are unafraid to speak plainly to me. You are among them. I abhor impertinence, but honesty and fortitude are qualities of which I can approve. I expect that is why Darcy admires you. Growing up with me as almost his closest relative has taught him to esteem strong women. You, no doubt, remind him of me.”
There was no response to that, but as usual, her ladyship required none. “You also spoke in defence of my daughter.”
Elizabeth had not been prepared for such an arsenal of topics and was relieved to espy the gatehouse from the window, for it signalled an imminent end to the startling interview. “I did.”
Her ladyship grunted disdainfully. “I give you credit for that, though I cannot account for why you did it. You cannot have any regard for her, or you would not have poached her husband.”
Elizabeth schooled herself to restraint. Truly, from Darcy’s first proposal to this thorny olive branch, her new family had the most extraordinary gift for delivering insulting compliments. “Perhaps your daughter and I are not the best of friends, but I should not like it if rumours that arose as a result of our union were to injure anybody in this family and neither would Darcy. Besides, I happen to think it avery fine thing that Mrs Montgomery will be mother to Master Jonathan.”
Again, Lady Catherine peered overlong at her before replying. At length, she lifted her chin and sniffed. “You are correct. It is your fault such rumours exist. It is only fitting that you exert yourself to quash them.”
“And what of the many rumours about me?” Elizabeth replied, unable to keep the exasperation from her tone. “Will you exert yourself to quash those?”
“When I remarked upon your willingness to challenge me, I did not mean it to be taken as an invitation to do it more often! Do not imagine you can dress up your insolence as courage and expect me to tolerate it.”
“It is neither courage nor insolence that motivates me to speak thus, but my affection for Darcy. Can you not see how your willingness to heed every rumour about me is wounding him? And to what end? Your fears that I might make him a poor wife are irrelevant now. We are already wed!”
“They are not irrelevant. Your marriage does not mean the rest of his family should give up caring about him!”
“That is not wha?—”
“I promised my sister I would take care of her children. If Darcy had married Anne, they would both have been set up forever, as would Miss Darcy. But he would marryyou. I have salvaged my daughter’s future, but his and his sister’s could not be more uncertain. It is unlikely I shall live out another year, and what guarantee have I that they will not end up ridiculed and despised the whole world over once I am gone? My fears could not be more relevant!”
Elizabeth rubbed her temple. “Madam, I comprehend your attachment to him—indeed, it is very touching—but I am his wife. I cannot see how turning the world against me will help him.”
“This is not to be borne! I shall not be made to account for myself to you!”” Her pique abruptly gave way to a convulsive, barking cough that still had not passed when the carriage stopped before the house. Elizabeth pressed her own, fresh handkerchief into Lady Catherine’s hand, and when a footman opened the door, instructed him to close it again.
“Forgive me,” she said softly once her ladyship had finally quieted. A burgeoning suspicion that she had ruined her only remainingchance to win her over had dispelled much of her anger. “I meant no disrespect. Only…Lady Catherine, you may very well never approve of me, but Ibegyou would accept that Darcydoesand cease vilifying him for it. Trusthimthat the rumours about me are untrue. Visit us at Pemberley and see for yourself how well we do. Let us convince you we shall not give the world cause to despise us. His happiness would be complete if you would only allow this rift to be mended before it is too late.”
Her ladyship took several shallow breaths and spoke slowly as though to prevent a relapse. “If nothing else, your tenacity has convinced me your regard for him is sincere. There can be no other possible advantage to opposing me on every subject.”
“My regard for him is—I believe you will tire of hearing me say how dearly I love him long before I tire of saying it.”
Lady Catherine regarded her strangely. “I accept your invitation.” She shuffled forward in her seat and rapped on the window. “I shall visit Pemberley at Christmas.” The door was opened, and she climbed out.
Elizabeth followed her with mixed feelings. She knew not which was worse: an unresolved schism between nephew and aunt or another prolonged stay under the same roof together.
“And in the meantime,” Lady Catherine said as soon as Elizabeth’s feet touched the ground, “try eating ginger.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“It will aid with the biliousness.”
Elizabeth’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh! How did you know?”
Lady Catherine sighed impatiently. “I may have but one living daughter, but I have been with child more times than I care to recount. I am aware of the signs.”
“I see. Thank you.”
“You must take care, Mrs Darcy. That is my great-niece or nephew. Your responsibilities to this family increase by the moment!”
