“Do not raise your voice to me! You and your upstart pretensions have ruined a respectable man.”
“No, she has not.”
They all turned to see Darcy at the door. Elizabeth was used to his haughtier expressions, but his was now mixed with a forbidding look that she was glad she was not on the receiving end of. He moved with his usual deliberation to her side, sat next to her, and held her hand while fixing his eyes on his aunt.
“Darcy, you must be sensible that as an only son and the representative of an ancient family, your conduct in life is most interesting to your relations. In the important concern of marriage, there was everything at stake—your own happiness, the credit of your name. You have made a?—”
“A union that brings me happiness, and one that cannot be undone.”
“The world will censure and slight?—”
“The world has too much sense to scorn my wife when she has intelligence, grace, and beauty in her favour, as well as my respect and affection.” His hand tightened around hers. “Mrs Darcy’s character and reputation need no attestation.” Darcy’s voice dropped. “Having spoken with my uncle, I understood that you had agreed to the appearance of accepting my marriage.”
“Thepublicappearance shall be absolute,” replied her ladyship, in an angry tone, “but in private, you and your wife shall hear me in silence.”
“No.” Darcy rose. “Elizabeth, would you call for her ladyship’s carriage? Your appearance of consent,” he said, turning to his aunt, “must be yielded in private as well as in public. Until such time, you will not to be received here or at Pemberley.”
Her ladyship was incensed while she walked to the door and insulted Darcy’s choice of a wife, lamented his disregard of his tacit understanding with her daughter, and proclaimed she would not speak to either of them again. Turning round, she added, “I am most seriously displeased!”
“I look forward to dining with you tomorrow, Aunt Cathy,” Elizabeth called.
The door was forcefully shut after her ladyship charged through it. There had been a confidence lacking in her life since her father died and she became an unwanted spinster sister, andthatElizabeth would not have been able to manage a Mrs Cuthbert or a Lady Catherine. Now, she was diverted by such nonsense, and it made her realise how long it had been since she felt that strength.
Colonel Fitzwilliam cleared his throat. “I am sorry, Darcy. I delayed her coming until I thought your wife’s callers would have left and when you might be at home, but I did not imagine Lady Catherine would be so rude.”
Darcy ignored him and looked only at her. “Are you well?” He dropped his voice. “This confrontation has not strained your heart, has it?”
“I am not distressed at being accused of marrying above me, and only for your money.” She saw the tension in his shoulders. “Ought Ito have told her I only married you because you are good-looking?” Darcy merely laughed as his cheeks turned pink, so she turned to Colonel Fitzwilliam. “I had no notion as to his income when we married just as he had no notion as to how outspoken I am. Imagine our mutual surprise!”
“Somehow, I doubt that your outspokenness escaped Darcy’s notice,” the colonel said with a smile. “Darcy, if your wife can spare you, I have a matter of business that requires your time.”
Georgiana’s instrumentwas the only item they brought with them from Netherfield’s lodge. Elizabeth was certain that every time her fingers touched the keys she would think of her sister, how she loved music, how she cared for the happiness of those she loved, and how her gentle spirit was at rest after months of intensifying pain. At some point she realised that Darcy had entered.
“You need not fear your aunt distressed me,” she said when she finished. “My heart is perfectly well. And if it was not, I suspect your cousin would have deflected any slings and arrows from Lady Catherine on my behalf. I suspect everyone else’s acceptance, or appearance of it, and your aunt’s affection for you will eventually lead her to seek a reconciliation.”
“You would strengthen that connexion after what she said to you today? I should as soon allow Mr and Mrs Collins into the house. Lady Catherine is officious and an obsequious dropper of names—and those are her good qualities.” Elizabeth laughed. “The rest of my friends and family were better behaved, were they not?” His voice had lifted hopefully.
“Colonel Fitzwilliam’s mother and I got on well, and her regard for me will likely persuade your uncle to feel the same. I liked your friend Mr Bingley the best of all, although I could hardly keep my countenance with his sister. I kept thinking of your story about the ostrich feathers. Overall, the callers were as I expected: a few sincere and amiable, a few shocked by the connexion, but many want to know me because they think I will spend your money and they hope to reap the benefits.” When he looked away without laughing, she tried toreassure him. “I was at ease with the attention paid to me, and you have a good set of friends. Irrespective of Lady Catherine, I have had a sense since we came to town that I was approved of.”
“Nothing could be more natural. You are an interesting, lively, accomplished person who will rouse their admiration.”
He spoke honestly, but his mind seemed far away. “I think matters will be more to our liking when we go down to Pemberley.” Darcy nodded while he fiddled with his memorial fob.
“What business did your cousin have with you?” she asked quietly. “He might have come to keep Lady Catherine from oppressing me, but I suspect he had another purpose.”
Darcy looked at her with a half-smile. “I can have no reserves, no secrets from you. You know my nature and habits too well.”
She might have said, “Nofurthersecrets,” but his manner was too serious for her to sport with him. “What did he say?”
Darcy handed her a letter with a grim expression. The return direction read 9 Fleet Market. “It is not a place from which I ever expected to receive a letter.”
“I do not know the address.”
“It is a more polite way of announcing the writer is confined to Fleet Prison.”
The anger in Darcy’s reply told her whom the letter was from, and she handed it back. “I need not read this. Why did Mr Wickham write to Colonel Fitzwilliam?”
Darcy looked as though he wanted to tear the paper and use it for kindling. “He writes that there is a gaol fever in the common side of the prison.”
